How to Achieve Sustainability in Gaming: The GDEV Approach

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While video games entertain billions of people worldwide, they also have a downside. The industry leaves a heavy ecological footprint: manufacturing and energy consumption make digital gaming alone contribute to 3.7% of global greenhouse emissions.

​​Environmental concerns aren’t the only problems: designed for fun and entertainment, game communities often become an arena for abuse and discrimination. 90% of gamers said they have experienced or witnessed emotional abuse or bullying, according to a Preply survey. 

On top of that, consumers and investors become more conscious and demanding about the ethical and ecological aspects of products. For example, investors use the ESG (Environmental, social, and governance) criteria to evaluate companies. 

Game holding GDEV ranked in the top 12% of 16,000 companies worldwide for low ESG risk (by Sustainalytics), recently released a sustainability report. It covers the company’s practices to adapt the business to ecological, social, and governmental issues.

Green Light for Sustainable Business

GDEV clean up

GDEV’s Sustainability Strategy outlines Three Pathways that reflect our impact on employees, local communities, and the global community across Four Focus Areas (our teams, our players, communities, and the environment) aligned with our interactions with the world.

Games for Good Philosophy 

GDEV’s Games for Good philosophy is simple but ambitious: games have the power to create positive change. It has three main foundations:

  • Stress Relief: Games provide a safe space for players to recharge.
  • Community Building: The company’s platforms bring people together across cultural and geographical barriers.
  • Awareness and Education: GDEV collaborates with NGOs to integrate real-world issues—climate change, and social inequality—into its game narratives, and use them as educational tools.

On the global stage, GDEV has joined the Green Game Jam Festival, which is a part of the Playing for the Planet Initiative. Its game Island Hoppers earned a nomination for the Media Choice Award. 

GDEV exceeded industry benchmarks in player support, with an 81% customer satisfaction rate and an average resolution time of 12.2 hours, compared to 75% and 64.6 hours. 

The company has also implemented a strict protocol to combat abusive and offensive behavior in games and create a safer and more inclusive environment. 

Charity and Initiative Support 

If gaming is often accused of being a distraction from real-world problems, GDEV seems intent on proving the opposite.

In its game Island Hoppers, a company ran a two-week in-game event Valley of Help, where players virtually experienced the challenges of homelessness. It raised €10,000 for the Larnaca Grocery Store charity in Cyprus.

On the community support front, GDEV donated $10,000 to the Hunger & Homelessness Awareness Initiative

Andrey Fadeev, Founder and CEO of GDEV, said: “It is personally gratifying to me that our games not only entertain but also contribute to meaningful positive outcomes. From engaging players in eco-friendly practices to raising awareness on crucial social issues, we are transforming gaming into a powerful force for good. Who knew making a difference could be so much fun?”.

Diverse and Inclusive Workplace

GDEV creates a workplace that’s as inclusive as it is innovative: women make up 38% of employees, far exceeding the industry average (23%).

The Cyprus office became fully disability-friendly, which is a big step toward inclusivity. 

The company offers over 30 training programs to help employees improve their hard and soft skills. It also provides cybersecurity training regularly.

The Casual Coffee program and monthly Book Club help to bring employees together.

These efforts work: 84% of employees say their roles meet or exceed expectations.

Environmental Initiatives

Holding has set an ambitious goal: to achieve carbon neutrality for Scope 2 emissions by 2030. The company is already taking steps to get there:

  • In 2023, employees planted over 300 trees in three locations and recycled 149 kg of coffee capsules, 10 kg of PET bottle caps, and over 50 kg of clothing.
  • Public space cleanups in the company’s official locations are held up regularly.
  • It has backed eight environmental and social initiatives and organized eco-events to educate employees about waste separation and recycling.

GDEV and its studios prioritize energy efficiency, waste reduction, and sustainable practices. 

A Model of Responsible Gaming

Since the holding has a strong commitment to ESG principles within the gaming industry, it also chooses partners that share a sustainability approach.

Natasha Braginsky Mounier, Chairperson of the Board of Directors, added, “We believe in the long-term value of sustainable business practices, which are demonstrated through ongoing innovative and educational initiatives, engaging our workforce and the local communities.”

GDEV is proving with its actions that a balance between entertainment and responsibility in gaming is possible.

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