Compulsion Games’ “South of Midnight” recently won big at the 2026 Games for Change Awards Ceremony,
Held throughout the Games for Change Festival, the awards ceremony was hosted in New York by actors Anjali Bhimani and Osric Chau.
Amongst other winners such as “Consume Me,” “Relooted” as well as “and Roger,” “South of Midnight” won the Game/Experience of the Year award at the ceremony.
Created in 2025, “South of Midnight” is a third-person action-adventure game following the journey of Hazel. Published by Xbox, the game explores Deep South mythology and African folktakes. The main character Hazel prepares to leave her home alongside her mother as a hurricane approaches. After an argument, Hazel narrowly escapes the house before her mother is washed away with it in a flash flood.
Throughout the game, with the help of her grandmother, she comes across Haints, Kooshma and other creatures in the Grand Tapestry. Hazel also develops her skills as a seeker and a Weaver.
“It has been a remarkable year for games made with purpose, and these winners show the breadth of it,” said Games for Change President Susanna Pollack at the event. “They come from studios and institutions across four continents, each one turning to a game or interactive experience to say something that mattered to them. That is what we’re celebrating– how global this work has become.”
Founded in 2004, the Games for Change nonprofit focuses on celebrating games created to address and encourage social change. Through their work, they are set to empower creators and students.
As of 2025, they have helped over 75,000 students learn about video game curation by offering free game design lessons across seven chapters on six continents.
The nonprofit has also provided multiple workshops and expert-led sessions with key players in the video gaming industry, including Tami Bhaumik, Vice President of Civility & Partnerships at Roblox.
Games for Change also announced a three-year initiative dedicated to providing for children’s well-being through game design. The initiative was developed in collaboration with UNICEF, the LEGO Foundation and the Joan Ganz Cooney Center.
More partnerships are currently in the works.
“Our UN partnerships are expanding through additional summit programming, strengthening connections between the games industry and global development communities,” said Board Chair for Games for Change, Leo Olebe, per the report. “These initiatives build on proven programs while extending their reach and impact. From a board perspective, our priority is ensuring this growth remains sustainable.”
