The first-ever Green Games Showcase aired this week — a fresh offshoot of Summer Games Fest, hosted by PlanetPlay, a not-for-profit gaming platform that helps studios raise funds for real-world climate solutions.
Some of the games shown tackled climate and sustainability issues head-on. Others took a more indirect route, such as featuring green “activations” or simply contributing proceeds to Planet Play’s green projects.
Games have long been a powerful space for learning and reflection, and seeing that intersect with climate action felt surprisingly seamless. I wasn’t sure what to expect, but the variety — and the sincerity — really landed. Here are five standouts from the showcase.
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Quest Daily’s Top 5 Picks:
Out and About
You know when you play an open-world RPG and immediately ignore the main quest to pick flowers and cook soup? That’s me. Every time.
Out and About is that impulse turned into a full game. It’s a foraging sim where you ID mushrooms, craft herbal balms, and cook real-world recipes based on 100+ actual plants.
The visuals gave me Breath of the Wild vibes, but it’s the depth of detail that sold me. I’ve been subconsciously craving a game like this for years.
You can play the demo now on PC via Steam.
Bahamut and the Waqwaq Tree
This one came out of nowhere and floored me. A 2D folktale steeped in Arabian mythology, in Bahamut and the Waqwaq Tree you dive into what is an absolutely stunning underwater realm with the aim to restore the ocean’s “radiance”.
The visuals are stunning, but it’s the soundtrack that really hooked me: meditative, and moving. It reminded me of Journey, in both vibe and emotional punch. Slightly melancholy, quietly beautiful.
It came out in May on PC via Steam and is scheduled to release on consoles later in the year. I’ll be diving straight in!
The Great Ocean
Another ocean-themed game, but this immersive VR game leans more Blue Planet than Subnautica.
The Great Ocean puts you in control of a submersible, exploring real-world locations like the Galápagos, Cozumel, and a WWII shipwreck. You’re cleaning up plastic, freeing turtles from netting, and learning about marine life as you go.
I usually find the deep sea terrifying — this makes it look peaceful. It has a partnership with Whale and Dolphin Conservation, giving it some teeth behind the tranquility.
The Great Ocean is currently in early access on PC via Steam.
Azooma Escape
Ever wanted to stealth your way out of a family gathering? Azooma Escape gets it.
Set in an Saudi household full of suspicious aunties and side-eyes, it looks to be equal parts comedy and commentary — a stealth game about family tradition, expectations, and the art of the quiet exit.
It doesn’t lean heavily into green themes, but the devs contributed funds to WithOneSeed’s reforestation and habitat restoration efforts. Love it.
No release date as yet, but the Demo is available now on PC via Steam.
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Hawthorn
In Hawthorn, you’re building up a village for woodland creatures, fending off the elements, and slowly making a home.
The first thing that hit me? The visuals — lush, storybook-soft and incredibly detailed.
To me, it feels like Valheim (with a more Fable-esque aesthetic) but wrapped in a soft, familar folk tale that makes it feel instantly warm and welcoming. Many boxes are being ticked here. A co-op mode is in the mix as well.
Hawthorn is coming soon to early access via Steam.
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I thoroughly enjoyed the Green Games Showcase — plenty of good games doing more than a little good themselves. If you want to see more, check out the full showcase below:
