Trevor Noah’s Day Zero Productions Launches Climate-Themed Indie Video Game Competition (EXCLUSIVE)

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Trevor Noah’s production company, Day Zero Productions, is teaming up with indie developer Anima Interactive and Marcel the Shell with Shoes On’s producers, Cinereach, to host a climate-focused video game competition on Earth Day.

Labeled as “Day Zero Games: Solarpunk Creative Contest,” this event is scheduled from April 22 to May 10 and will conclude with a $10,000 top prize.

According to the initial announcement for the Day Zero Games competition, the aim is to encourage creators to develop innovative video game concepts that highlight the impact of climate change. This event encourages game developers from around the globe to envision positive and optimistic future scenarios related to climate inspired by the solar punk literary and artistic movement.

Each participant will be given a toolkit filled with stories, compiled by Cinereach and Good Energy, which includes valuable insights and findings from climate research to help guide their projects.

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Participants will receive a story-based toolkit crafted jointly by Cinereach and Good Energy, containing climate research data to provide guidance for their projects.

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The participants will be provided with a toolkit from Cinereach and Good Energy, containing narratives and climate research findings that they can use to make informed decisions about their projects.

Furthermore, we’re delighted to announce that the International Game Developers Association (IGDA), the Black in Gaming Foundation, Latinx in Gaming, and Games for Change have joined us as sponsors and partners for this competition.

Following my latest venture with gaming studio Midsummer Studios, a brainchild born amidst Cape Town’s Day Zero water crisis, I am now gearing up for an exciting new challenge – the launch of a competition.

This represents a repeat collaboration between Anima Interactive and Cinereach, who previously organized the competition “Just Play” last year. This initiative aimed to motivate creators to delve into various aspects of justice through gaming, culminating in game showcases at SXSW in Austin and the Hollywood Climate Summit.

Indie games provide rich ground for exploring innovative ideas within our field,” stated Dan Zubrzycki, head of games at Day Zero. “Our team’s name, Day Zero, stems from the discourse on climate change, a topic that resonates deeply with Trevor. Through this Solarpunk game jam, we aim to channel that sentiment and rethink the climate discussion – not as a matter of dread, but as an opportunity for creativity, perseverance, and delight. The future requires more than alarms; it demands visionaries daring enough to envision a brighter tomorrow.

Karla Reyes, founder and creative director of Anima Interactive, stated that game jams provide an open environment where creativity can flourish and risks can be taken that may not be feasible in traditional studio settings. She’s thrilled about their collaboration with Day Zero for this solarpunk-themed jam. Given the current state of our planet, it’s crucial for art and activism to intersect and spark a hopeful outlook on the future. This partnership promises to be electrifying!

Candice McFarlane, Cinereach’s chief creative officer, expressed her excitement: ‘We’re delighted to collaborate with Day Zero Productions and Anima Interactive for our third game jam. We eagerly anticipate witnessing our narrative frameworks, designed by community representatives and climate experts, transform into interactive worlds that have the potential to spark ideas about different futures. The games developed here could potentially be the origins of a new reality.’

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2025-04-15 16:47