First we had the PlayStation 3 being used to cure cancer (or at least to compute related medical research). Now we’ve got the Xbox 360 being used to raise awareness about global warming.
Microsoft and Games for Change today announced a partnership to create a game that drives awareness for
global warming. The initiative is the first in a series of games based on social themes that the companies will commission.
This first worldwide competition, launching this summer, will task college students in more than 100 countries to create a global-warming-themed game using XNA Game Studio Express. Microsoft and Games for Change will award cash prizes to the best entries, and the winners will receive an invitation to present their entry to the Microsoft games management team for possible inclusion as a Live Arcade download. The first-place team or individual will also win the opportunity to be an intern for Microsoft’s Interactive Entertainment Business.
A team of Microsoft interns recently created Aegis Wing using the same software. That game is now available as a free download on Xbox Live Arcade.