Greening Games. Building Higher Education Resources for Sustainable Video Game Production, Design and Critical Game Studies.

Within the framework of the “Greening Games” project, we will develop, test and distribute flagship didactic materials addressing the interdisciplinary nature of green digital gaming. These will be tested in selected higher education programs and finally shared as open access content for the broader academic and teaching community. It is our core strategic responsibility to educate students about the relations between digital games and environment. We believe that the more aware students of today will become greener game designers, programmers, and academic leaders of tomorrow. At the centre of our partnership’s didactic philosophy are human responsibility, ethical game design and sustainable gaming culture.

Societal Issue
Video games serve as technological marvels and cultural reflections. McKenzie Wark suggests they are integral to a shared culture, fostering critical thinking. Games act as arenas for cultural values and environmental awareness. Climate-aware video games, often referred to as 'green games' or 'eco-games,' raise ecological consciousness and reconnect players with nature. For example, Riders Republic, which replicates real-world terrain using satellite imagery, inspires eco-awareness. However, the environmental footprint of video games, reliant on digital electronics and resource-intensive consoles, poses challenges. Developers, manufacturers, and gaming giants must address these impacts. Benjamin Abraham emphasizes sustainable game development as a holistic solution beyond incorporating green content.

Benefit to society
By developing teaching materials on green gaming for higher education, we create the following impact. We will…

- increase the awareness of this subject among Bachelor’s and Master’s students.
- enhance students’ knowledge of green gaming and their ability to integrate existing solutions into their game projects.
- stimulate more research interest among research staff as well as students.
- facilitate the uptake of pedagogical resources on green gaming by lecturers and professors.
- create a European research community around the topic.
- raise the visibility of green game studies among the game industry and wider public.