Thursday, September 15 marks the kickoff of the seventh year of Game Devs of Color Expo, which is a weekend-long event that celebrates games developed by game developers of color from around the world.
You can watch the hour-long direct, which highlights some of the many titles that are featured on the official page, on both YouTube and Twitch. And be sure to check out the Gradient Convergence page, which not only has ongoing sales of previously released games but will showcase devs livestreaming their games starting Thursday, September 15 through Monday, September 19.
The expo highlights a number of titles that star and feature POC and their cultures, animals, or fantastic monsters, many of which are sure to be some of the best PC games out there. And if you’re a ticketed viewer, you can view panels, interviews, and talks from game devs and featured speakers on various topics ranging from storytelling to business and more.
Tickets can still be purchased on the official GDoCExpo page, and you can view the full schedule of events and more here.
The importance of events like Game Devs of Color Expo
As mentioned before, 2022 marks seven years of Game Devs of Color Expo, an event meant to highlight games created by game developers of color that would otherwise be ignored.
Since then, it’s grown to also host talks, interviews, and panels led by POC in order to educate others on the realities of indie development as well as host discussions on storytelling and character development from POCs' point of view.
There’s even an award ceremony, where at least $90,000 in development grants will be awarded, including the $15,000 Made in NY Grant and the Game Devs of Color Expo Grant. The latter of which will go to three developers of color, each receiving $25,000.
Game Devs of Color Expo has become such a valuable and vital event that gives POC the media exposure and funding that they never would have received in such a white-centric industry. And hopefully, it can continue to grow and help even more developers of color in the future, and continue to set a precedent for a more equitable gaming industry future.
