Black Game Devs Signed Onto Humble Games Black Game Developer Fund
Humble Games has revealed 11 video game developers who have signed on to the "next phase of investments" from the video game publisher's Black Game Developer Fund.
"...In June of last year, we established the Black Game Developer Fund. BGDF continues to build on our vision with a $1 million annual investment fund meant to empower and help achieve racial equity within game development," writes an updated article on the Humble Games website.
"Game development is hard. Being an indie game developer can present even more challenges. Being a Black indie game developer exacerbates those challenges and shows the cracks of inequity surrounding available opportunities as a professional game developer.
"To make the most impact we are focusing on helping to fund these independent projects to get them off the ground or into their next phase of development."
Here are the video game developers who will be taking the next step in their video game developing process with Humble Games and their Black Game Developer Fund:
Flying Carpets Games
Founder: Salim Larochelle
Founded in 2012, Flying Carpet Games enjoys making games with "unique original designs that can inspire players."
The studio's current title in progress is a survival horror game called "Hiboka," which is--according to the developer website--based on folklore from Madagascar and takes around the mid-20th century.
The studio also has two other games available. The Girl and the Robot, a third-person action/adventure game available to play on Steam, and The Girl and the Robot: The Card Game.
Marc Morisseau
Even though he is credited in a variety of AAA titles, Marc Morisseau is currently working on his own video game Cold Fortune, a narrative-driven third-person survival game.
Dalton Freeland
With a 3D action game called Project Kamen, Dalton Freeland also has an animation studio called OmegaMech Animations.
"From firing subway trains from bows and arrows, Dinosaur buster swords, to Kung-Fu bug man go kart death races, here at OmegaMech Animations we're creating crazy fights and we need your help to keep making them crazier," says the studio's Patreon page.
Klan of the Kings
Founder: Ronald Kayima
I saw little online about this Ugandan video game development studio, but the website for the video game they're creating says more about their talent than an "About" page could.
The game they're working on is called Sunjata--Trumpet of the Last Day, a third-person action/adventure. Taking place in Great Ancient Africa, this hack and slash game takes you on a journey with the main character, Kaar Menelik, to save the land and people from the wrath of the gods.
NuChallenger
Founder: Shawn Alexander Allen
Founded in 2012, NuChallenger is an independent studio that spans two cities--New York City and Atlanta. Their last game, Treachery in Beatdown City, was released in 2019 on Steam and Nintendo Switch.
According to their paragraph blurb on Humble Games, they are working on two unannounced video game titles, but Treachery in Beatdown City is still available for PC and the Switch.
Playtra Games
Founder: Dan Bernardo
This indie developer in London is currently working on an action RPG with 45 all-female playable characters called Grid Force - Mask Of The Goddess.
The game is set for Quarter 2 in 2022, according to the Playtra Games website. You can currently wishlist the game on Steam!
Retro Ninja
Founder: Tony Barnes
I know I've seen this game developer before, but I'm not sure how or where.
Founder Tony Barnes writes on the website he wants to give gamers who love arcade games "exactly what they want, combining old school flavor with new school cooking."
His current game is called Run Die Run Again. On top of neat artwork, this first-person survival platform gives me the vibes that players will die a lot in this game.
The game will be released sometime this year and will be available on Windows, Mac and Xbox.
Strange Scaffold
Founder: Xalavier Nelson Jr.
This studio recently released Dog Airport Game on May 25 and has no plans of stopping the grind train. The next game Strange Scaffold plans on releasing is a noir, supernatural shooter called El Paso, Elsewhere. You play as a Black monster hunter who takes on vampires, werewolves and evil puppets inside a reality-shifting motel.
The game just released its first trailer last month and will be available on Steam next year.
Sue the Real
Founder: Raquel Motta and Marcos Silva
The Brazilian-based studio, founded by two people, has a passion for making games that are entertaining and also focuses on Afro-Brazilian games while being emotionally and socially impactful. They currently have two titles on their website.
Angola Janga: Picada dos Sonhos is currently available in a free demo version. Based on the book Angola Janga: A History of Palmares by Marcelo D'Salete, the game is a 2D adventure and puzzle.
The current title they're working on, One Beat Min, is a rhythmic game about beatboxing. Pick a character and go against others in a beatbox battle, using your joysticks!
Weathered Sweater
Founder: Ryan Huggins
This Trinidadian-American game dev studio was found with one vision: to inspire Black, Indigenous and people of color. Based in Vermont, this studio has been making games for eight years. Their current work in progress is a card-based game called Castleboat.
Castleboat is an action tower defense game. Your objective is to build the tallest boat and battle sea monsters and climate change.
There's no release date for the game, but you can stay up to date with Weathered Sweater on Twitter.
White Guardian Studios
Founders: Tyrell and Whitney White
The founders of this studio are husband and wife who, according to their website, "strive to uphold quality, playability, and fun." Their current project is a Lovecraftian RPG called Celestial Tear: Lost World.
The game's website says the Japanese Roleplaying Game is cross-genre with a 16-bit soundtrack and pixel-art graphics. Celestial Tear seems to be an expanding video game universe.
Black eSports Network is excited to see all 11 of these video game studios receive the help and resources they'll need to continue their games to launch! We can't wait to see the games as they keep developing and at their launch!
We encourage you to look more into these game dev studios, check out their games and support them if you like them!
Are you a game developer of color working on a game that's being released in the next 6 to 18 months? Ask about being a part of our Game Dev of Color Highlight Series! Email erika@besn.tv for more information about getting interviewed.