Video games for Change mentioned Leo Olebe would be the new chair of the board of administrators for the nonprofit devoted to social influence video games and media.
Olebe will nonetheless be vice chairman of world partnerships at Xbox, for his day job. He succeeds Asi Burak, chief enterprise officer at Tilting Level, who has served as chair for the previous ten years and can proceed to function a board member.
Video games for Change holds an occasion in New York the place it attracts inspirational audio system giving emotional talks about video games which have the potential to alter the world or your perspective of it. As an example, in 2023, Video games for Change highlighted Cameron Kostopoulos, the developer of Physique of Mine, which was a strong expertise that focuses on “physique dysphoria,” or the sensation folks can get after they really feel misalignment between the physique they have been born with and their gender identification.
And in addition in 2023, within the group’s twentieth 12 months, Video games for Change led attendees on a tour of New York’s UN constructing, by locations just like the UN Safety Council and UN Normal Meeting assembly rooms, whereas showcasing the work of Benjamin “DrLupo” Lupo, a creator who at that time had raised $14 million thus far for St. Jude’s Youngsters’s Analysis Hospital.
The occasion additionally gave its Vanguard Award in 2020 to Homosexual Gaming Professionals’ Gordon Bellamy, a USC video games professor. And it gave Lego an business management award for displaying the best way to maintain kids in on-line environments. Now it will likely be the job of Olebe, working with president Susanna Pollack, to proceed to give you inspirational tales about gaming and social influence.
Olebe brings a wealth of expertise and management to his position as chair of Video games for Change. With over twenty years within the gaming and leisure business, he has held outstanding positions at world organizations, together with serving as World Head of Gaming at YouTube, Managing Director, Video games at Google and Senior World Director, Video games Partnerships at Fb. Leo has shipped over 100 video games from studios like BioWare, WB Video games, Zynga and Disney Interactive.
Olebe had a tearful dialog at certainly one of our GamesBeat occasions with Lual Mayen, a South Sudan refugee who taught himself to make video games whereas dwelling in a refugee camp. Mayen obtained recognition for his personal inspirational story at Geoff Keighley’s The Sport Awards.
All through his profession, Olebe has earned widespread recognition for his imaginative and prescient and his capability to domesticate significant partnerships that drive each creativity and influence. He’s a passionate advocate for training and inclusion, constantly championing efforts to drive STEM and create a extra consultant gaming business. His dedication to fostering innovation and constructing bridges throughout industries aligns completely with the mission of Video games for Change, positioning him as a dynamic chief poised to information the group into its subsequent period of development and influence.
He has some huge sneakers to fill on the nonprofit. Burak has left an everlasting legacy at Video games for Change by his practically decade-long tenure as board chair and his earlier 5 years as president. Throughout his time as president, Burak led groundbreaking initiatives, together with the award-winning Half the Sky Motion Video games, impressed by the NYT bestselling e-book by Nicholas Kristof and Sheryl WuDunn.
A Fb sport and three cell video games, alongside a PBS documentary and different multimedia belongings, reached tens of millions of gamers worldwide, elevating each consciousness and funding to advance girls’s rights and gender equality.
As board chair, Burak steered the group by a interval of extraordinary development. Below his management, Video games for Change cemented its standing because the main platform within the games-for-impact house and greater than doubled its annual price range. The annual Video games for Change Competition advanced into one of many business’s most influential occasions, with satellite tv for pc convenings held all over the world and now on the United Nations as nicely. Moreover, the group’s instructional applications round sport creation flourished, impacting over 50,000 college students, greater than 1,500 educators, and hundreds of builders globally.
“”As we embark on this new chapter for Video games for Change, I wish to categorical my deepest gratitude to Asi Burak for his visionary management over the previous decade, which has been pivotal in shaping G4C into the group it’s at the moment,” mentioned Pollack, president of G4C, in an announcement. “We’re excited to welcome Leo as our new Board Chair. His in depth information of the gaming business, distinctive capability to foster collaborative partnerships, and unwavering help for G4C make him the right chief to construct on Asi’s legacy and information us into our subsequent part of development and influence.”
“Video games for Change is outstanding in its capability to drive optimistic change globally by collaborations with main universities, the United Nations, NGOs, sport builders, and people worldwide,” mentioned Olebe. “Susanna, Asi, and the whole group are extraordinary, and it’s a nice honor to affix them on such a big mission.”
Burak added, “As we mirror on this second of transition, I couldn’t be prouder of what Susanna Pollack and our group have achieved throughout this era. Video games for Change has had an actual influence on the gaming business and its course, and, extra importantly, on the children and adults who’re taking part in digital video games all around the world. We’ve partnered with Leo as a board member for just a few years now, and there’s no yet one more suited to guide the group into its subsequent part of development, at a time when the position of video games in our society is extra related than ever.”
Olebe assumed the position of board chair on February 6, 2025, and is working alongside G4C’s management group and board to broaden the group’s world initiatives. Lately introduced new Board Members embody Mark Stanley, Founder and Principal at Strategic Gaming Collective,, Samir El Agili, CEO at Brandible Video games ,and Ben Golant, Senior Director of World Video Sport Coverage at TenCent Americas.
Since 2004, Video games for Change (G4C) has empowered sport creators and innovators to drive real-world change, utilizing video games and immersive media that assist folks be taught, enhance their communities, and contribute to creating the world a greater place. G4C companions with know-how and gaming firms, nonprofits, foundations, and authorities companies to run world-class occasions, public arcades, design challenges, and youth applications. G4C helps a world neighborhood of sport builders utilizing video games to deal with real-world challenges, from humanitarian conflicts to local weather change and training.
Olebe’s perspective
I requested Olebe some questions through electronic mail. Right here’s the Q&A under.
GamesBeat: How lengthy have you ever been concerned with G4C?
Leo Olebe: G4C is an unbelievable group that drives real-world influence by video games and immersive media. I’ve been attending G4C occasions for practically a decade. My first keynote tackle was in 2019, titled “Constructing a Higher Gaming Group,” the place I spoke about how video games unite us by our shared ardour.
In the summertime of 2020, throughout the peak of COVID, I gave a chat referred to as “Video games Can Heal the World,” highlighting the gaming business’s efforts to lift cash and consciousness for COVID reduction. In 2022, I spoke
in regards to the position everybody performs in creating alternatives in a chat referred to as “Video games Matter, Change Issues, You Matter.” Lastly, in 2023, I revealed that these talks have been a part of a compendium in regards to the energy of neighborhood and the way we are able to make a distinction in one another’s lives day by day. I joined the board in 2020, impressed by Susanna’s management and imaginative and prescient.
GamesBeat: What made you wish to make this transfer?
Olebe: My ardour for gaming fuels me day by day. Video games have profoundly impacted my life by wonderful experiences, lifelong friendships, and unbelievable alternatives. Gaming is essentially about Group, and the inspiration of Group helps others, irrespective of how huge or small the trouble. Asi has set an unbelievable instance of management over the previous decade as Chair for G4C. As a board member, I’ve watched and realized as Video games For Change expanded its world attain. I needed to make this transfer now as a result of I proceed to be impressed by the mission and wish to assist information us into the following chapter of alternative.
GamesBeat: How do you assume we’re doing in utilizing video games to attain influence on social change?
Olebe: The video games business has had an amazing influence on social change in some ways. It creates financial alternatives, connects folks worldwide, and teaches and evokes new abilities. Gaming opens doorways and builds bridges the place none existed earlier than. Whereas I believe the video games business has achieved nicely, there’s at all times extra we are able to do. Certainly one of my private sayings is, “Convey Individuals In, Don’t Push Individuals Out.” With so many community-driven experiences, new platforms, and applied sciences, the business has extra attain and affect than ever earlier than. Let’s use it to welcome everybody and create an area the place folks may be their greatest selves and discover their tribe.
GamesBeat: What makes you most enthusiastic about this house and the position?
Olebe: Day-after-day, we see new know-how and innovation pushing the boundaries of creativity and expression. We’re continuously studying new abilities and difficult the established order. What excites me most about this house is that there are over three billion players worldwide who share the pure pleasure of taking part in video games. These players have the facility to drive optimistic change of their communities. If something, we’re simply getting began. On this position, I’m excited to help Susanna’s management as we join with much more folks, universities, and organizations globally.
GamesBeat: Does it relate to a few of your individual duties at Microsoft too?
Olebe: Completely. My position at Xbox is to assist sport builders worldwide discover success. It’s about bringing goals to actuality. The position at Video games For Change could be very comparable – it’s about serving to folks, organizations, studios, and universities deliver their goals to life, join with one another, and create optimistic change. At coronary heart, I’m a gamer and connector, and I see these roles as very complementary.
GamesBeat: What’s the day-to-day of what you might be doing at Microsoft?
Olebe: Day-after-day is about supporting gaming creators and constructing transformative partnerships. Some days, we scout for brand new video games, and different days, we deal with technical challenges. With Xbox, gamers can join with their favourite video games and video games communities throughout a number of screens. I like that I can seamlessly play a sport on my console, change to my pill, play it on PC, after which drop in on my handheld. Proper now, I’m taking part in Diablo 4 throughout 4 units each day. This season, I’m a Bone Spear Necromancer that’s absolutely Grasp-worked, however I’m solely Paragon 128, so I’ve some work to do.
