Today is the first day of Black History Month and the start of GamesIndustry.biz’s Black Voices Progress Report.
Throughout the month, we will publish articles offering insight into the different experiences Black professionals have in the games sector.
Often, you’ll read that the games industry is more diverse now than ever before. While that might be true, that’s not the highest bar to clear.
We know the stats: Black people make up 13% of the US population but, per the latest GDC survey, make up just 3% of the games industry. Still, that 3% has produced inspiring work.
The intent is to highlight the different careers of people making games, helping them be successful, and building communities for a more inclusive games industry. We will recognize these individuals, acknowledging their realities, work, and what motivates them in the field.
Black History Month is a celebratory month for the endless contributions of an overlooked community, and we hope our project adds to that celebration.
Progress Report is a new GamesIndustry.biz initiative that explores what the games business is doing to improve on key issues, such as supporting professionals from underrepresented groups. We hope to explore other topics in future.
The first of our features is an interview with Curtis Baxter, senior games writer at Cliffhanger Games, the studio behind EA’s upcoming Black Panther title.
Below you can find a list of our interviews, which we’ll be adding as more go live:
From Kingdom Hearts fan movies to writing EA’s Black Panther, with Curtis Baxter
Building a career on a dare, with Danielle McRae
“Make yourself undeniable,” with Del Walker
A Black QA tester’s perspective
The power in granting access to the gaming industry, with Adanna Nedd
The struggle with trying to utilize multiple skill sets, with Junae Benne
“The needle is moving. I don’t know if it’s moving forward,” with Akua Harris
“You have to be built differently to stay resilient in this industry,” with Vanessa Brasfield
“I want people in my age range to realize they can jump into the industry,” with Funké Joseph
