ANALYSIS — 3 Thought-Provoking Takeaways from 2020 #GDoCExpo
The Game Devs of Color Expo pays it forward by not just only highlighting the diverse talent of creative visionaries in the gaming industry, but also shines light on the importance of uplifting and empowering each other.
I wanted to take some time to really sit and reflect on the recent 2020 Game Devs of Color Expo showcase last week, which was organized by a diverse team of game creators and enthusiasts. When I first heard about the expo last year, I definitely told myself as both a gaming connoisseur and journalist that attending in-person was on the to-do list for 2020. Unfortunately, due to COVID-19, this global pandemic has stopped many events such as this dead in its track in terms of in-person. Fortunately, the GDoC Expo organizers invested in creating a digital format of the expo this year, and to their credit, felt like that I was there just as I would be at the historic Schomburg Center for Research in Black Culture in Harlem, New York City where they have originally hosted the event.
In case you weren’t aware, the GDoC Expo “is a space meant to enlighten and unite, and is open to people of all genders, races, abilities, sexual orientations, and religions,” according to their website. This year’s event featured main presentations by a range of game developers within a private online conference space that also supported engagement between both presenters, panelists, and attendees. There were three key points that stood out to me the most when it came to the event: Accessibility, Indie recognition, and giving back directly to the underserved gaming community.
Accessibility Is Everything
Accessible is defined as “capable of being reached; capable of being used or seen; easily used or accessed by people with disabilities.” Depending on how you view accessibility, in the case for many major gaming conventions, showcases, and expos that require financial entry, many are not always affordable to the general public. In contrast, the GDoC Expo made it pretty easy for anyone in the world to be able to afford the large-scale of resources and events within, to include a simple $10 entry towards the private online space. Keep in mind that the schedule included a range of conference presentations from a vast range of professionals, 1-on-1 interviews with game developers and industry professionals, as well as workshops and exclusive gaming expo showcases. And if you couldn’t afford the ticket price? The organizers provided “need-based free tickets,” described as being aware that they “also know some people are unable to afford the ticket price. If this is the case for you, we will happily help you gain access to this event.” I don’t know about you, but there’s NOT too many major conventions that go above and beyond in being accessible for folks to enter events such as these. There is a business aspect of course in ensuring to try to make profit from such events, but in this case, the organizers were focused on making it as accessible as possible for everyone. Whether one was a person or color or not, it was “open to people of all genders, races, and sexual orientations” with no age restrictions. Talk about accessibility!
Showing Major Love To The Indies
There is a stark difference between AAA game titles and Indie game titles. If you don’t know the difference, tech site Windows Central, gives a pretty good definition on the difference of the two.
According to Windows Central, AAA games “are developed by large studios that have hundreds, or even thousands, of people working for them. In addition, the projects are backed by a publisher, which supplies the development team with a massive budget. The term AAA itself is meant to represent the expectations that these games are ‘incredibly high-quality.'”
Indie games by contrast, according to Window Central, are “developed by individuals or small teams, which rarely have financial support from a publisher. In fact, many indie developers rely on crowdfunding or personal investment to meet the costs of development. Since the developers don’t have a huge budget, the games tend to be smaller in size and shorter in length.”
I outline all of this to say that the GDoC Expo did not disappoint in highlighting the many Indie developers and studios throughout their event. They even made it a point to focus on the second day schedule on only indie showcases and interviews, something that is a stark contrast to major mainstream conventions, as AAAs are more likely to take the spotlight given the large audience sizes. According to GDoC Expo, games at this year’s expo included ValiDate: Struggling Singles in your Area by Veritable Joy, Lucifer Within Us by Kitfox Games, An Airport for Aliens Currently Run by Dogs from Strange Scaffold, and Onsen Master by Waking Oni Games. Mind you, these are only a few of the many games that I witnessed being showcased, in which the full list of games are on GDoC Expo’s official site. Let’s also not forget that the expo even created a first-ever “GDoCExpo 2020 Direct – Indie Games Showcase September 2020” the day before the actual expo kicked off, which showcased an extensive lineup of participating tabletop and video games.
Giving that direct visibility not only greatly benefits those Indie studios and developers, but also brings more eyes on the products towards possible sponsors and partnerships from major investors. Which brings me to my final takeaway that amazed me the most:
Giving Back Through Awards and Grants Funding
At the conclusion of the jam-packed, two-day expo, the event concluded with an award ceremony that revealed the winners of the “No More Robots x Game Devs of Color Expo Grants” and “Humble Bundle Game Creators of Color Award.” According to the GDoC Expo, five studios/individual developers were awarded the $15,000 No More Robots x Game Devs of Color Expo Grant, which includes guidance and mentoring in game development. One developer was also awarded the $15,000 Humble Bundle Game Creators of Color Award, which includes a distribution deal through the Humble Choice subscription.
“We’re so grateful for the support of No More Robots and Humble Bundle, and are proud of the winners of this year’s awards,” said Shawn Alexander Allen, an organizer of GDoC Expo. “The winners are all shining examples, with vastly different backgrounds, who embody what our event is all about. We can’t wait to see their games come to life.”
Through strategic partnership, the expo has presented awards and grants to these Indie creators to both assist in mentorship and funding their dreams over the five years of its existence. That is something to be recognized in a sense of a direct action in giving back directly to the underrepresented and underserved communities in the industry.
In Conclusion: Support. Support. Support…both Black and People of Color creators and professionals throughout the gaming industry.
I look forward to covering and attending again this unique expo that shined light on the importance of uplifting and empowering each other. Hopefully next time I’ll be in-person! Make sure to check out all the participants and professionals within the space!
