The folks over at Polygon have put together a collection of interesting features and interviews that spotlight the Cuban games scene, examining how those on the small Caribbean island build, critique, and play video games.
The selection touches on everything from the nation’s rampant media piracy and illegal underground arcades to its burgeoning pro-gaming scene.
Of particular interest to Gamasutra readers though, will be this piece, which aims to understand what it’s like being a creatively charged indie in a socialist state.
You see, Cuba’s indie devs are independent in every sense of the word, because in order to create something free from government ideology, they’ve also had to wave goodbye to any form of funding or creative support.
It’s a fact that means anyone looking to work on a project with the aim of entertaining, rather than educating, will face with an uphill struggle.
“We are creative. But government policies about games are complicated. The government thinks that all games have to teach all of the time. So the games in Cuba aren’t as interesting as the ones you can find outside of Cuba. They are just for teaching, not for fun,” says Alejandro Ulloa, a journalist with Cuban independent website El Toque.
“We also have no technology, [a] really bad connection to the internet, and developing games requires a lot of technology. Despite that, there are people who are trying to prove their game making skills.”
The full story is well worth a read, so be sure to check it out when you’ve got time. After that, don’t forget to take a look at the other parts of Polygon’s vast Cuban cover story.