WHITEPAPER: Gaming For Good – Harnessing the power of games to advance the sustainability agenda

Mar 05 '25 • Jude Ower (Chief Strategy Officer, Lead, PlanetPlay)

The games industry is more than entertainment – it’s a global force for change. With more than 3 billion players worldwide and an annual market exceeding $200 billion, our industry has the power to inspire, educate, and mobilise millions.

But how can studios, publishers, and policymakers harness this influence to address climate change and sustainability challenges?

To help answer this question, we’re excited to present the ‘Gaming for Good’ Whitepaper, a landmark report summarising insights from the Gaming for Good Roundtable, held during the 2024 Sustainability Summit in New York.

We hope this whitepaper, authored by Jude Ower, CSO at PlanetPlay, Mathias Norvig, CEO at SYBO and Dr Barbara Kieslinger, Senior Researcher at ZSI on behalf of the GREAT Project, presents a clear, actionable roadmap for integrating sustainability into the gaming ecosystem.

We’d also like to thank participating partners, including Take-Two Interactive, Google, PlanetPlay, Amazon Games, One Earth Rising, Foobar, UNDP, Raine, SYBO, Xbox, ZSI, Clean Play, The Resilience Project, the Danish Embassy and Reliance Games.

Why Games? Why Now?

With climate challenges intensifying, industries worldwide are rethinking their impact – and gaming is no exception. The whitepaper outlines how interactive, immersive experiences can drive awareness, influence behaviour, and create real-world impact.

It highlights how games can embed sustainability themes without compromising entertainment value, offering players the chance to make a difference while they play.

Some Key Takeaways from the Whitepaper:-

The whitepaper presents four major areas of action for different stakeholders in the gaming industry:

Game Developers & Publishers

Integrate sustainability into game design: Embed eco-conscious challenges and themes within gameplay.

Create cross-game green activations: Reward players for completing real-world conservation activities.

Establish a ‘Green Badge’ system: Recognise and highlight games with meaningful sustainability initiatives.

Policymakers & Regulators

Incentivise sustainable game development: Offer tax breaks and grants to studios embracing green innovation.

Develop sustainability benchmarks: Encourage energy-efficient coding practices and carbon transparency.

Facilitate industry collaboration: Foster partnerships between gaming, energy, and environmental organizations.

Environmental Organisations & Sustainability Advocates

Leverage games as educational tools: Use in-game events to raise awareness and drive climate action.

Enhance impact measurement: Work with developers to track and analyse eco-conscious player behaviours.

Gaming Communities & Influencers

Amplify sustainability messages: Streamers, content creators, and gaming influencers can champion green initiatives.

Encourage community-driven action: Players can advocate for sustainable gaming practices and support eco-conscious studios.

Next Steps

This whitepaper is a call to action for studios, policymakers, and gaming communities to collaborate and create a sustainable future for gaming. The insights gathered serve as a blueprint for innovation, showcasing how gaming can become a driving force for positive environmental change.

The full ‘Gaming for Good’ Whitepaper is now available for download. Explore the findings, gain insights from industry leaders, and discover how your studio and player community can contribute to the sustainability agenda.

Download the whitepaper here