Why g3 Games Exists & Where We’re Going Next

g3 Games exists because play changes people, and people change communities. 

That belief is simple, but it carries weight. In a world that often feels rushed, divided, and outcome-obsessed, play offers something quietly radical. It invites people to slow down, sit together, and engage with curiosity instead of pressure. At a game table, strangers become teammates, learning happens without lectures, and connection grows through shared experience. 

This article looks at why g3 Games was created and where we’re headed next, including new programs designed to extend the impact of play beyond the table and into the broader community. 

Why Play Matters

Play isn’t an escape from real life. It’s a way of practicing it. 

Research across psychology, education, and sociology shows that play supports social bonding, empathy, problem solving, and emotional resilience (Gray, 2013; Brown and Vaughan, 2009). Games create structured environments where people can experiment, communicate, and recover from mistakes without lasting consequences. These experiences build skills that transfer into everyday interactions. 

Studies on adult play also highlight its role in reducing stress and strengthening social ties, particularly in community settings (Deterding, 2018). When people play together regularly, they are more likely to feel connected, supported, and willing to participate in civic life. 

g3 Games exists to make those benefits accessible. We believe play should not be exclusive, intimidating, or hidden behind expertise. It should be welcoming, intentional, and rooted in care for people. 

Why Community Comes First

At its core, g3 Games is about gathering people around tables and helping them grow together. Community isn’t a side effect of our work. It’s the foundation. 

Research on belonging shows that people thrive when they feel both accepted and able to contribute meaningfully (Baumeister and Leary, 1995). Game nights create natural opportunities for this. Everyone brings something, whether that’s curiosity, experience, humor, or patience. 

Over time, these gatherings become more than events. They become places where people return, relationships deepen, and leadership emerges. This is why g3 Games focuses on facilitation, inclusion, and consistency. A sustainable community requires structure and intention, not just enthusiasm. 

Introducing Play It Forward

As g3 Grows, so does our desire to connect play with broader community impact. One of the ways we’re doing that is through a new program called Play It Forward. 

Play It Forward is a series of game nights designed to support Austin-local and other nonprofits. Each event will spotlight an organization serving the community, giving players the opportunity to learn about their work, connect with their mission, and donate if they choose. Games become the bridge between awareness and action. 

Research on prosocial behavior shows that people are more likely to give and engage when they feel personally connected to a cause (Aknin et al., 2013). Play creates that connection. By pairing games with storytelling and shared experience, Play It Forward turns a fun night out into a meaningful way to support local impact. 

The goal is joyful generosity rooted in relationship and understanding. 

Advocacy Through Play

In addition to programs like Play It Forward, g3 Games is stepping more intentionally into public advocacy for tabletop gaming as a tool for connection, learning, and inclusion. 

Games are often underestimated. They’re seen as entertainment rather than infrastructure for community building. Research on games and learning challenges that assumption, showing how games support collaboration, critical thinking, and social development across ages and contexts (Gee, 2007; Bowman, 2015). 

Advocacy means sharing this knowledge, partnering with organizations, and helping communities understand how play can support mental health, education, and civic engagement. It also means lowering barriers so more people can access games, facilitation, and welcoming spaces. 

This work connects directly to g3 Games’ Gather Game Grow philosophy. Advocacy helps more people gather. Programs help communities grow. Play remains the common language. 

Where We’re Going Next

Looking ahead, g3 Games is focused on sustainable growth that stays rooted in purpose. That includes expanding volunteer pathways, deepening nonprofit partnerships, and continuing to create inclusive spaces across Austin and beyond. 

Growth is not about becoming bigger for its own sake. It’s about becoming more impactful, more connected, and more responsive to community needs. Research on community organizations shows that mission driven growth succeeds when values remain clear and leadership is shared (Putnam, 2000). 

We are committed to growing together, with transparency, playfulness, and care. 

Be Part of It

g3 Games exists because people choose to show up, support each other, and believe in the power of play. That choice is ongoing. 

If this vision resonates with you, there are many ways to be involved. You can support g3 Games by donating to help sustain programs like Play It Forward. You can partner with us as an organization or community group. You can advocate for play by sharing our work and inviting others to the table. 

Play brings people together. Together, people can do meaningful things. 

References

Aknin, L. B., Dunn, E. W., & Norton, M. I. (2013). Happiness runs in a circular motion: Evidence for a positive feedback loop between prosocial spending and happiness. Journal of Happiness Studies, 14(2), 347–361.

Baumeister, R. F., & Leary, M. R. (1995). The need to belong: Desire for interpersonal attachments as a fundamental human motivation. Psychological Bulletin, 117(3), 497–529.

Bowman, S. L. (2015). The Functions of Role Playing Games: How Participants Create Community, Solve Problems and Explore Identity. McFarland.

Brown, S. L., & Vaughan, C. C. (2009). Play: How It Shapes the Brain, Opens the Imagination, and Invigorates the Soul. Avery.

Deterding, S. (2018). Alibis for adult play: A Goffmanian account of escaping embarrassment in adult play. Games and Culture, 13(3), 260–279.

Gee, J. P. (2007). What Video Games Have to Teach Us About Learning and Literacy. Palgrave Macmillan.

Gray, P. (2013). Free to Learn. Basic Books.

Putnam, R. D. (2000). Bowling Alone: The Collapse and Revival of American Community. Simon & Schuster.