Sustainable Lifestyle: Green Grey And Pocket Size Games Take On Social Responsibility In Gaming – Forbes
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Green Grey
When Kim Kardashian launched her celebrity-driven game Hollywood in 2014, the move was largely ridiculed by the mainstream media. Fast forward to spring 2021 and Electronic Arts has acquired Glu Mobile – Kim’s game publisher – for $2.4 billion. That’s a billion with a K! The gaming industry has been growing steadily and diversifying its consumer appeal and portfolio well before the COVID-19 pandemic nearly doubled the market. Already in some markets, gaming revenues are posed to outperform other entertainment segments. This month the streaming pioneer Netflix has branched out into gaming with five mobile games available at no extra cost to its army of subscribers worldwide. Phenomenal popularity of Squid Game as a gamification milestone signals that younger generations are bringing gaming mentality to social and cultural processes.
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Green Grey
Having explored mindfulness in next generation games, I keep an eye on related developments. Following the news of a $2 million investment in “social impact games,” Green Grey company invested in independent game studio Pocket Size Games (PSG) that will create a new generation of mobile games based on the themes of environmental pollution awareness, social inequality, sustainable lifestyle, and other social issues. According to Green Grey, the pilot project will be a game with an exciting storyline about a world on the brink of environmental catastrophe and is expected to be unveiled by March 2023. I reached out to the team behind this latest breakthrough for the gaming industry: Dima Morozov, Green Grey founder and tech investor, Michael Casalino, Pocket Size Games advisor (former Art Director at Disney Mobile and ex-CEO of 5518 Studios), Maxim Miheyenko, Pocket Size Games advisor, ex-COO of 5518 Studios, and actor and producer Yuri Kolokolnikov, whose on-screen battles include Game of Thrones and Tenet among other blockbusters. So, does the future belong to Gamers?
Despite massive demand, gaming remains a controversial pastime due to its alleged addictive nature. How do you balance commercial interests with ethical concerns?
Dima Morozov: Over the last quarter of a century, the world changed beyond recognition when it comes to games. Gamification is an integral part of life for new generations; we cannot do anything about that now. Games have evolved too. They teach awareness, increase processing speed and critical assessment of incoming information. Gaming companies need to understand their responsibility. We wanted to invest in social impact games with plots that address real world problems. This way commercial interests and ethics are balanced already in development. We are interested in the future of socially responsible gaming.
Dima Morozov, Green Grey founder and tech investor
Courtesy of Green Grey
What does “socially responsible gaming” mean?
Michael Casalino: Social responsibility is extremely important today in society and in business. We love what big brands like Tesla, Beyond Meat, or First Solar say about the world. Game developers begin to develop mindfulness in different ways. It becomes important, through gameplay and …….
