Game Changers: Black & Indigenous Voices in Gaming @ SXSW

SXSW panel graphic

 

While the pandemic severely hurt most industries, the gaming sector was one of the few to actually experience a boom, with people stuck at home hungry for entertainment, connection and community online. To say this multi-billion dollar industry with tons of reach and influence still feels relatively untapped and is behind on diversity would be an understatement. Even though Black and Latinx gamers make up the majority of video game players, stats show that people of color are both underrepresented in senior management roles and underpaid, contributing to a lack of diverse representation in video games themselves. What can we learn about this moment to make substantial steps in diversifying the industry in a way that’s intersectional and impactful? Civic Media Fellows Tanya Depass, Erik Loyer, Latoya Peterson, and Paisley Smith presented this panel at SXSW on March 15, 2022.