Small actions can make a big impact if performed in unison. We notice this all around us in the world in various shapes and forms. Societal shifts throughout history, mindsets changing thanks to individuals speaking their truths, and global movements starting with a single spark. The human world has many such examples, but there’s no need to look at history, whether ancient or contemporary, to see significant achievements reached through a myriad of tiny steps. Nature is always a fine teacher of life’s possibilities. On hot days, bees gather on the edges of their beehives to cool them down with the flaps of a hundred tiny wings. Emperor penguins in Antarctica huddle together to survive the coldest of months, where temperatures drop to −50°C (−58°F). Trees communicate through fungal networks to exchange nutrients, water, and even chemical signals. Each of these examples deserves its own dedicated story, but this time around, we’re focusing on the collective accomplishments of Fishing Clash’s Anglers, and the environmental impact we’re making with this year’s Green Game Jam. Let’s take a look at recent happenings and learn what is ahead of us all – if we put our minds to it!

A Jam Made From Games? Sounds… Tasty?

Since not all of our Anglers may be familiar with the concept of a game jam, we’re rushing to put the pieces together! Game jams originated in the early 2000s and have been evolving ever since. A game jam is a timed event where individuals or teams create video games from scratch, typically within a set period, ranging from 24 hours to a week. While the time restriction encourages fast development of such games, the goal of a game jam isn’t necessarily to produce a polished, market-ready game. Instead, the emphasis is on innovation, learning, and collaboration. Many developers use game jams as an opportunity to improve their skills, meet other creatives, and explore new concepts without the pressure of commercial success. Some games developed during game jams have even been expanded into fully-fledged projects, gaining attention from publishers or the indie game community.

Green Game Jam – Connecting Gaming & Ecological Awareness

Whereas during regular game jams, participants are tasked with creating new games, the Playing for the Planet Alliance recommends a novel, sustainable approach with their own Green Game Jams. This year marks the fifth edition of their Green Game Jam initiative, in which gaming studios design various environmental themes and add those to their existing titles. Here is what they had to say about the 2024 initiative:

“This year’s Green Game Jam aims to empower players to take that first step toward action for the environment. The hope is that one action leads to more, creating a chain reaction of small actions that lead to a big impact.”

Fishing Clash, of course, took part, alongside our hundreds of thousands of Anglers catching fish daily. The result? Fintastic, as always!

Casting Environmental Attentiveness. Together.

Since this year’s sentiment was to present the impact of small actions performed collectively, the natural course toward which we set sail was a multifaceted one. During the Green Game Catch event, Fishing Clash Anglers learned about the fragile balance of aquatic ecosystems, and how human actions can threaten them, through four endangered species: the Scalloped Hammerhead, Sockeye Salmon, Eel, and Clownfish. These fish and their current conservation statuses were described in-game to further educate our Anglers.

With the Green Game Catch and associated events, Anglers collected an in-game currency called Water Drops. The collective goal was to gather 5 million Water Drops in total by all Fishing Clash Anglers:

“Upon successfully reaching this goal, TSG committed to making a donation of €10,000 to the Global Nature Fund to support a project in Colombia. The selected project, Strengthening Resilience and Improving Fisheries Governance in the Río Magdalena, focuses on restoring fish reproduction zones, promoting sustainable artisanal fishing practices, and protecting water ecosystems. The project will benefit more than 5,000 people directly by providing alternative income opportunities, such as eco-tourism and sustainable fisheries.”

How did the Anglers of Fishing Clash do here? Did we manage to reach the goal, and will we aid Río Magdalena in Colombia? Of course, and the result was fishtacular!

A Different Approach Toward Making a Difference

This year’s motto, “Small Actions, Big Impact,” called for a different approach than the usual one in Green Game Jams, so we also sent several in-game messages to spread ecological awareness even further:

• Be a street hero. Pick up litter, keep nature cleaner!
• Refill, don’t landfill. Use a reusable water bottle!
• Catch the drops! Water your plants the natural way.
• Bring your own bag, ditch the single-use plastic.
• Repair, don’t replace. Give your items a second life.
• Choose recycled. Buy smart, buy sustainable.

Outside the game itself, we also reached out to Anglers via social media. On our Fishing Clash Facebook page, we started several challenges and encouraged eco-friendly behavior. A total of 61 Anglers took part and shared their own tips for a greener life, inspiring others through their photo submissions. We’d like to take a moment to express our appreciation to all those who engaged and showed an interest in contributing toward a greener future!

The River of Life, the Endurance of Trash

An evergreen idea behind each Green Game Jam is to take action in the real world, not just in the games we play. Engaging in local activities furthers our compassion toward the world around us and can serve as an interesting gateway to meeting nearby communities and new people. Some of us at Ten Square Games were very much interested in doing just that! A group formed of members of various teams in the company went on an educational walk around the banks of the Oder River, which flows nearby. Not just to see the sights and learn, but also to collect litter and declutter our local environment. As a result, we learned a lot about the Oder River, its significance, and the challenges it faces.

A River of Dread

Not long afterward, many witnessed the intimidating strength of nature when floods hit Europe and devastated many areas. Once again, we learned about the power of water, and nature itself, but it wasn’t an easy teaching moment, as many lost their lives and even more parted with possessions, homes, and any sense of safety or stability. However, even such a tragedy makes it possible to exercise our compassion and humanitarianism through physical, emotional, and financial support. It is precisely moments such as these that show us the importance of collective action toward bettering the world around us.

A Greener Future… In Our Hands

In Fishing Clash, we believe that small actions can make a big impact. We’re also aware of corporate responsibility regarding the environment. All that we do to better our planet must function hand-in-hand: private engagement and public awareness. The knowledge and the know-how. The need to make a change and understand why. Initiatives like the Green Game Jam also play a vital role here, and that is education. After all, knowledge is power, since it’s always the beginning of something new. Let’s do our best to make that power green and sustainable for generations of Anglers to come!

For more information about the Green Game Jam 2024, including the next steps in the initiative, and which companies will be nominated in various categories, please be sure to visit the Playing for the Planet website here!