Games for Change Honors Rachel Kowert and Innovators Driving Positive Impact

Games for Change (G4C) has announced its 2025 special award winners, celebrating individuals and organizations making remarkable contributions to leveraging games for social good. The awards, part of the upcoming Games for Change Festival in New York, highlight the transformative power of games to educate, heal, and unite communities worldwide.

Rachel Kowert Wins Vanguard Award for Mental Health Advocacy

Rachel Kowert, recognized with the prestigious G4C Vanguard Award, is celebrated for her pioneering research and advocacy at the intersection of psychology, gaming, and mental health. Her work challenges outdated stereotypes, promoting games as tools for emotional growth, healing, and empathy. As a strategic policy advisor at Discord, Kowert develops resources supporting moderators’ mental well-being, addressing burnout and trauma in content moderation.

Kowert’s message encourages moving beyond binary thinking about games — not just 'good' or 'bad' — but embracing a third path where games foster connection, learning, and positive social impact. She highlights how games provide safe spaces for socialization, especially during challenging times like the COVID-19 pandemic, and advocates for better support of digital community leadership roles.

Other Honorees Driving Change in Gaming

Preloaded received the Industry Leadership Award for its innovative independent game development blending education, culture, and social good. Amir Satvat earned the Giving Award for his impactful LinkedIn resource aiding thousands in finding game industry jobs, especially during layoffs. Asi Burak was honored with the Hall of Change Award for his decades-long leadership advancing impact games and growing the G4C movement globally.

The Indie Breakout Award went to 1000xRESIST, recognized for its innovative storytelling exploring diaspora, trauma, and identity through gameplay that bridges entertainment with real-world impact.

Insights from Rachel Kowert on Gaming’s Evolving Role

In an exclusive interview, Kowert shared her journey from challenging gamer stereotypes in academia to advocating for mental health awareness within the gaming community. She emphasized that games are overwhelmingly positive for mental health, countering persistent moral panics around addiction. Her work at Discord focuses on protecting moderators’ well-being through research-backed resources and leveraging AI to reduce exposure to harmful content.

Kowert also discussed the importance of recognizing games as social platforms that foster community, creativity, and resilience. She highlighted sandbox games like Minecraft and Roblox as unique spaces enabling players, especially youth, to express creativity and build meaningful social connections. These environments nurture skills transferable to real-world leadership and collaboration.

Addressing the ongoing stigma around gaming, Kowert advocates for nuanced conversations that move beyond simplistic good-versus-bad narratives. She envisions a future where policymakers and the public understand the complexities of gaming’s role in society, including its potential to alleviate loneliness and support mental wellness.

Her closing thoughts reflect a hopeful outlook on the gaming community’s capacity to carve new paths that embrace games as powerful tools for education, empathy, and social change — a vision deeply aligned with the mission of Games for Change.