adminThe Good Game Club podcast launched at the Davos conference with support from Tencent. Hosted by games industry veteran Jude Ower and commentator Mathias Gredal Norvig, the show will explore how video games can contribute positively to society, including their potential to build communities and support social impact.
Image credit: Good Game Club
Good Game Club podcast explores games and social impact
The podcast’s central idea is that games can be more than entertainment: they can bring people together and provide a platform for discussing social challenges. Ower and Norvig previously worked together on the 2024 book Gaming for Good, which also examines the relationship between gaming and positive change.
For listeners interested in this topic, a useful way to follow the conversation is to consider both the intended benefits and the practical challenges of using games for social purposes. Accessibility, player wellbeing and the needs of different communities are important factors in assessing the impact of any initiative.
Guests and the Davos launch
The first episode features Bastian Bergmann. Future guests scheduled to appear include Game Academy’s David Barrie, Ustwo’s Maria Sayans, SpecialEffect chief Dr Mick Donegan and FuturLub CEO Kirsty Rigden.
Ower said the podcast is launching at Davos to bring the case for gaming’s social value to influential leaders. The event’s theme, “A Spirit of Dialogue,” provides a setting for discussing how games may help people connect and address pressing issues. The show’s stated aim is to encourage conversation and action around those possibilities.
When evaluating claims about games and social impact, listeners can look for clear examples of who benefits, how outcomes are measured and whether the approach supports inclusive participation. These questions can help distinguish broad ambitions from demonstrable results.
Why Tencent is backing the podcast
Tencent is supporting the project, describing its involvement as rooted in a shared belief that healthy gameplay can contribute to positive progress. The company’s head of public affairs, Danny Marti, cited an estimated three billion people who play games worldwide and said games can connect cultures and communities.
Marti also pointed to skills that players may develop through gaming, including collaboration, leadership, adaptability and problem-solving. He said the medium can support learning, wellbeing and a sense of belonging. These are broad potential benefits rather than guarantees, so the design of a game or activity—and the way people use it—matters.
Jude Ower’s work in games for good
Ower founded Playmob in 2007 with the aim of using video games to help create a better world. PlanetPlay acquired the company in 2024. The Good Game Club podcast extends that focus by bringing voices from within and beyond the games industry into a public discussion about gaming’s role in society.
For anyone following games-for-good projects, the podcast’s guest list offers a starting point for exploring different perspectives across the sector. The Good Game Club podcast is centered on the idea that games can support meaningful connections and social progress, while its conversations can help audiences consider where that potential is strongest.
