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Check out the exclusive interview with Professor Gilson Schwartz, director of the network in the region
Games For Change Latin America is the first Latin American network to research, innovate and value the relationship between games, learning and social transformation. Founded in 2004 in the US, Games For Change has become the leading non-profit organization on games with the potential for positive social impact. The global Latin American connection began in 2011, through an agreement with the research, culture and extension group Cidade do Conhecimento, at the University of São Paulo, in partnership with the Volkswagen Foundation, AMD Foundation and the European consortium PRO-IDEAL ( FP7).
Under the direction of Gilson Schwartz, professor at the Department of Cinema, Radio and TV at ECA-USP and leader of the City of Knowledge, Games For Change Latin America organizes an annual cycle of events, competitions and projects that promote the convergence between playfulness, education , technology, sustainability, entrepreneurship and social transformation.
One of these events is the 4th Festival Games For Change Latin America, with the theme “Gamifying the Internet of Things”, which takes place on December 6th and 7th at the Paranaguá Campus of PUC São Paulo. The event is promoted by G4C Latin America in partnership with the Knowledge City (USP), the IoT Brazil Competitiveness Forum and Broota Brasil.
Check out the interview that Professor Gilson Schwartz gave to Portal ABES and learn a little more about the network, the festival and trends in gamification and the Internet of Things.
– How did Games For Change start in Latin America?
The movement started in 2011. We are going to the fourth edition of the annual Festival. From the beginning, we had the support of USP due to my work as a professor at the Department of Cinema, Radio and TV at the School of Communications and Arts and at the Diversitas Interdisciplinary Graduate Program at the Faculty of Philosophy, Letters and Human Sciences. It is the first time that a movement focused on new media and technologies has organized itself from the humanities area, with strong support in more technical areas such as engineering, computing, medicine, economics and administration. This ideal of interdisciplinarity is fundamental, as it is a movement that, in its origins, in the United States, makes connections between academia, entrepreneurs, artists and creatives.
– Why was the theme “Gamifying the Internet of Things” chosen for the 4th festival?
The internet of things or "IoT" is considered today the technological frontier of human connectivity. It means a leap in the scope of applications and the emergence of a megamarket tens or even hundreds of times larger than the already impressive market for products, services and information and communication technologies. We are the first social network in the world of entertainment, especially games, to open this discussion. New forms of interaction and immersion, the "gamification" of practically all services and spaces, represents a universe that goes far beyond screens, all screens, as it requires transforming sensor networks, interaction platforms between machines, objects and infrastructures. , in more interactive, immersive and playful dimensions for the benefit of efficiency, legitimacy and sustainability of digital life.
– How can gamification in the Internet of Things contribute to innovation and social transformations?
A first sign, gigantic, but still shy in the face of the universe that unfolds, are social networks. The classic case is Facebook. A first wave of digital socialization generated this phenomenon that transformed individual and collective awareness of what it means to live connected. Imagine this going beyond the screen on the computer, television or cell phone. It is an unprecedented frontier of creativity and business. Now, of course, we don't think that this trillion-dollar universe will be Facebook's monopoly. New forms of socialization, new platforms for social services, health, environmental care, leisure, handling hazardous substances, controlling the effects of catastrophes, security… Everything is yet to be built. This requires an equally unprecedented cooperation between areas of knowledge and entrepreneurial profiles. Without this technological and epistemological convergence, we run the risk of underusing technologies or becoming hostages to monopolistic solutions. That would be bad for the economy, for society and for democracy.
– Can you cite examples of games that contribute to education and social development or successful cases from previous editions of the festival?
We have been working most recently with two impact games. In "Global Conflicts", the 3D environment is that of territories conflagrated in various regions of the world, such as the Middle East and Latin America. But the player lives an immersive experience in which his only "weapon" is the competence to act as a journalist. The mission is to interview those involved in conflicts and offer the world an original and authoritative view of the issues. It completely changes the way we study history, geography, writing, journalism and of course political science and negotiation, diplomacy and international relations. Another game that we are taking to schools is "Ludwig", aimed at the operation of a small robot that fell to Earth and needs to learn principles of physics, chemistry, environment, energy, mathematics to save itself. Both projects were sponsored by ministries (Science and Technology, Education) in Denmark and Austria. It's the way forward. The "Global Conflicts" was translated and adapted to the Brazilian reality with the support of FINEP.
– What are the expectations regarding the pitching, which will be held for the first time? How many projects do you hope to select? Which investors are confirmed?
Broota Brasil is an innovative experience, a leader in the emerging frontier of "equity crowdfunding". For the first time in the entertainment and culture segment, there is this approximation between technological innovation and financial innovation. We have a limit of 50 proposals in 48 hours of pitching, simultaneously with the Festival, on December 6th and 7th. As it is the first round, I believe that we will select a limited number of projects, as in every pioneering experience, learning is still a priority, both on the supply and demand sides. Broota Brasil works with a network of Brazilian and foreign investors who only have access to projects if they prove a minimum savings. It's people with "bullet in the needle". Our priority is quality, not quantity. And a safe and sustainable maturation of a real market, urgent for investors with an appetite to diversify and obtain returns with products, services and technologies that will grow with the expansion of the new Brazilian middle class, which has a young profile and access to new urban infrastructures. , not only in large cities, but in several regions with medium-sized cities. This is where the growth of the Brazilian consumer market takes place and the internet of things will boost this base. Good projects with an adequate focus on the Brazilian profile will be the object of investment and mentoring.
– What tips would you give to professionals who would like to focus their careers on game development?
There is an aura around the teenager who creates a revolutionary game in the bedroom or garage after returning from school and becomes a billionaire selling his little game in an online store. The reality of the international market is different, we need to overcome this caricature and become aware that successful cases occur in ecosystems of innovation, governmental support and interdisciplinarity, bringing together universities, companies and society. Last year I participated in the team that carried out at USP the survey "The Future of the Games Industry" commissioned by BNDES. Reports are available on the bank's website. We visited several countries, interviewed the "stakeholders" in the main ecosystems and deepened our knowledge of the Brazilian reality. It is evident that the elements I have just mentioned are the key to the success of the individual entrepreneur or his team. I believe we will see this flowering in Brazil in the coming years. This year's InovApp call has already given a taste of the whole thing – there is a new generation that is creative and enterprising, connected and hardworking, aware that a swallow doesn't make a summer. Games for Change grows among young people who already realize that it's not enough to create another FPS (first person shooter) game or copy an Angry Birds from life. Brazilians want entertainment and applications that speak our language, solve problems in our reality and are our face, express our culture. It's the old saying: talk about your village, and you will be universal.
– Are there any other Games for Change scheduled activities in Latin America after this Festival?
There are several "hands-on" activities: workshops to learn how to program not only games, but IoT applications and hardware, sessions to present successful cases of technology and games in education, to an analog game creation workshop created by the people from the games area of LIDET, the USP Computing Laboratory, which has been creating bridges between the world of bits and algorithms and the reality of entertainment, leisure and culture. The Symposium will bring together specialists, entrepreneurs and activists from Brazil and abroad who are attuned to new technological and epistemological convergences. In Brazil, this year, we already had B2C mega-events, more academic events, marketing events – the time has come to mobilize the community for an innovative perspective, focusing on creating new markets and opening up opportunities for independents, activists and public policy makers. It is also the densest edition from the point of view of alliances between higher education institutions focused on games with social impact: in addition to USP, strategic partnerships with PUC-SP, UFRN, UNISINOS, FEEVALE, Uniso, Unitau…. A new network in the making that is just getting started. We hope to contribute to the broader ecosystem that is already putting Brazil on the world map of innovation in education, culture and entertainment.
– How can interested parties join the Games for Change network?
Enrolling in the Festival is the gateway to the organic growth of this community. We also have a campaign with companies and individuals, including and especially those from outside São Paulo – donation-registration, that is, someone who cannot attend, but wants to make a full scholarship possible and therefore include a teacher or student from the public network. . Just send an email letting them know you're donating your membership to the community. The contact email is g4cal2014@gmail.com.
Games For Change Latin America is the first Latin American network to research, innovate and value the relationship between games, learning and social transformation. Founded in 2004 in the US, Games For Change has become the leading non-profit organization on games with the potential for positive social impact. The global Latin American connection began in 2011, through an agreement with the research, culture and extension group Cidade do Conhecimento, at the University of São Paulo, in partnership with the Volkswagen Foundation, AMD Foundation and the European consortium PRO-IDEAL ( FP7).
Under the direction of Gilson Schwartz, professor at the Department of Cinema, Radio and TV at ECA-USP and leader of the City of Knowledge, Games For Change Latin America organizes an annual cycle of events, competitions and projects that promote the convergence between playfulness, education , technology, sustainability, entrepreneurship and social transformation.
One of these events is the 4th Festival Games For Change Latin America, with the theme “Gamifying the Internet of Things”, which takes place on December 6th and 7th at the Paranaguá Campus of PUC São Paulo. The event is promoted by G4C Latin America in partnership with the Knowledge City (USP), the IoT Brazil Competitiveness Forum and Broota Brasil.
Check out the interview that Professor Gilson Schwartz gave to Portal ABES and learn a little more about the network, the festival and trends in gamification and the Internet of Things.
– How did Games For Change start in Latin America?
The movement started in 2011. We are going to the fourth edition of the annual Festival. From the beginning, we had the support of USP due to my work as a professor at the Department of Cinema, Radio and TV at the School of Communications and Arts and at the Diversitas Interdisciplinary Graduate Program at the Faculty of Philosophy, Letters and Human Sciences. It is the first time that a movement focused on new media and technologies has organized itself from the humanities area, with strong support in more technical areas such as engineering, computing, medicine, economics and administration. This ideal of interdisciplinarity is fundamental, as it is a movement that, in its origins, in the United States, makes connections between academia, entrepreneurs, artists and creatives.
– Why was the theme “Gamifying the Internet of Things” chosen for the 4th festival?
The internet of things or "IoT" is considered today the technological frontier of human connectivity. It means a leap in the scope of applications and the emergence of a megamarket tens or even hundreds of times larger than the already impressive market for products, services and information and communication technologies. We are the first social network in the world of entertainment, especially games, to open this discussion. New forms of interaction and immersion, the "gamification" of practically all services and spaces, represents a universe that goes far beyond screens, all screens, as it requires transforming sensor networks, interaction platforms between machines, objects and infrastructures. , in more interactive, immersive and playful dimensions for the benefit of efficiency, legitimacy and sustainability of digital life.
– How can gamification in the Internet of Things contribute to innovation and social transformations?
A first sign, gigantic, but still shy in the face of the universe that unfolds, are social networks. The classic case is Facebook. A first wave of digital socialization generated this phenomenon that transformed individual and collective awareness of what it means to live connected. Imagine this going beyond the screen on the computer, television or cell phone. It is an unprecedented frontier of creativity and business. Now, of course, we don't think that this trillion-dollar universe will be Facebook's monopoly. New forms of socialization, new platforms for social services, health, environmental care, leisure, handling hazardous substances, controlling the effects of catastrophes, security… Everything is yet to be built. This requires an equally unprecedented cooperation between areas of knowledge and entrepreneurial profiles. Without this technological and epistemological convergence, we run the risk of underusing technologies or becoming hostages to monopolistic solutions. That would be bad for the economy, for society and for democracy.
– Can you cite examples of games that contribute to education and social development or successful cases from previous editions of the festival?
We have been working most recently with two impact games. In "Global Conflicts", the 3D environment is that of territories conflagrated in various regions of the world, such as the Middle East and Latin America. But the player lives an immersive experience in which his only "weapon" is the competence to act as a journalist. The mission is to interview those involved in conflicts and offer the world an original and authoritative view of the issues. It completely changes the way we study history, geography, writing, journalism and of course political science and negotiation, diplomacy and international relations. Another game that we are taking to schools is "Ludwig", aimed at the operation of a small robot that fell to Earth and needs to learn principles of physics, chemistry, environment, energy, mathematics to save itself. Both projects were sponsored by ministries (Science and Technology, Education) in Denmark and Austria. It's the way forward. The "Global Conflicts" was translated and adapted to the Brazilian reality with the support of FINEP.
– What are the expectations regarding the pitching, which will be held for the first time? How many projects do you hope to select? Which investors are confirmed?
Broota Brasil is an innovative experience, a leader in the emerging frontier of "equity crowdfunding". For the first time in the entertainment and culture segment, there is this approximation between technological innovation and financial innovation. We have a limit of 50 proposals in 48 hours of pitching, simultaneously with the Festival, on December 6th and 7th. As it is the first round, I believe that we will select a limited number of projects, as in every pioneering experience, learning is still a priority, both on the supply and demand sides. Broota Brasil works with a network of Brazilian and foreign investors who only have access to projects if they prove a minimum savings. It's people with "bullet in the needle". Our priority is quality, not quantity. And a safe and sustainable maturation of a real market, urgent for investors with an appetite to diversify and obtain returns with products, services and technologies that will grow with the expansion of the new Brazilian middle class, which has a young profile and access to new urban infrastructures. , not only in large cities, but in several regions with medium-sized cities. This is where the growth of the Brazilian consumer market takes place and the internet of things will boost this base. Good projects with an adequate focus on the Brazilian profile will be the object of investment and mentoring.
– What tips would you give to professionals who would like to focus their careers on game development?
There is an aura around the teenager who creates a revolutionary game in the bedroom or garage after returning from school and becomes a billionaire selling his little game in an online store. The reality of the international market is different, we need to overcome this caricature and become aware that successful cases occur in ecosystems of innovation, governmental support and interdisciplinarity, bringing together universities, companies and society. Last year I participated in the team that carried out at USP the survey "The Future of the Games Industry" commissioned by BNDES. Reports are available on the bank's website. We visited several countries, interviewed the "stakeholders" in the main ecosystems and deepened our knowledge of the Brazilian reality. It is evident that the elements I have just mentioned are the key to the success of the individual entrepreneur or his team. I believe we will see this flowering in Brazil in the coming years. This year's InovApp call has already given a taste of the whole thing – there is a new generation that is creative and enterprising, connected and hardworking, aware that a swallow doesn't make a summer. Games for Change grows among young people who already realize that it's not enough to create another FPS (first person shooter) game or copy an Angry Birds from life. Brazilians want entertainment and applications that speak our language, solve problems in our reality and are our face, express our culture. It's the old saying: talk about your village, and you will be universal.
– Are there any other Games for Change scheduled activities in Latin America after this Festival?
There are several "hands-on" activities: workshops to learn how to program not only games, but IoT applications and hardware, sessions to present successful cases of technology and games in education, to an analog game creation workshop created by the people from the games area of LIDET, the USP Computing Laboratory, which has been creating bridges between the world of bits and algorithms and the reality of entertainment, leisure and culture. The Symposium will bring together specialists, entrepreneurs and activists from Brazil and abroad who are attuned to new technological and epistemological convergences. In Brazil, this year, we already had B2C mega-events, more academic events, marketing events – the time has come to mobilize the community for an innovative perspective, focusing on creating new markets and opening up opportunities for independents, activists and public policy makers. It is also the densest edition from the point of view of alliances between higher education institutions focused on games with social impact: in addition to USP, strategic partnerships with PUC-SP, UFRN, UNISINOS, FEEVALE, Uniso, Unitau…. A new network in the making that is just getting started. We hope to contribute to the broader ecosystem that is already putting Brazil on the world map of innovation in education, culture and entertainment.
– How can interested parties join the Games for Change network?
Enrolling in the Festival is the gateway to the organic growth of this community. We also have a campaign with companies and individuals, including and especially those from outside São Paulo – donation-registration, that is, someone who cannot attend, but wants to make a full scholarship possible and therefore include a teacher or student from the public network. . Just send an email letting them know you're donating your membership to the community. The contact email is g4cal2014@gmail.com.
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