The London Games Festival has returned for its eighth year and will run from March 29 to April 9, 2023. A flagship feature of the festival is the Ensemble showcase of the UK’s top video gaming talent. Black, Asian, and underrepresented ethnic backgrounds. Led by Games London and supported by PlayStation and the Mayor of London, Ensemble spotlights and showcases influential and up-and-coming names in gaming, promoting diversity, advocating for new voices, and changing perceptions in the industry. Ensemble curator Sharna Jackson said: “I’m delighted to be once again curating
Actor Jesse Williams and conceptual artist Glenn Kaino have teamed up to create Homeschooled, a new trivia app on Black culture and history. The app, which aims to make learning fun again, features trivia questions in over 50 categories and can be played alone or with friends and family. Trivia questions cover topics like pop culture, history, science, music, geography, and art, with category names like “Growing Up Black,” “Kicks” and “Street Fashion.” There is even a Grey’s Anatomy section with science-related questions, which is a nod to Williams’ role
South African startup Carry1st has raised $27 million in latest funding round to tap into the gaming industry in Africa. Carry1st’s funding round The funding round, led by gaming-focused VC firm BITKRFT Ventures, also included VC Andreessen Horowitz (a16z), TTV Capital, Lateral Capital, Alumni Ventures, and Kepple Ventures. The investment will help Carry1st create a steady financial infrastructure to prepare for Africa’s fast-paced gaming space. “We’re delighted to partner with BITKRAFT, one of the world’s top gaming VC firms, alongside a16z and other existing investors as we continue on our
To celebrate Computer Science Education week, Girls Who Code have launched a new video game, Girls Who Code Girls, tailored to turning users into creators by helping them code their characters. According to recent stats, 77% of video game developers are men meaning most female and non-binary characters are designed by men, which is why women are misrepresented. Black Girls Who Code hopes to change that with their new gaming experience. Girls Who Code, founded by Reshma Saujani, is a non-profit organization committed to disrupting the imbalance in gaming by challenging the misogynistic culture that
Kickstarting the festive season, the latest interactive Google Doodle celebrates the life and accomplishments of self-taught engineer Gerald ‘Jerry’ Lawson, also known as ‘one of the fathers of modern gaming.’ Lawson, who passed away at 70, was one of the first prominent African American figures in the game industry. As chief hardware engineer for Fairchild Semiconductor, Lawson steered the development of the first home video gaming system with interchangeable game cartridges. Encouraged to experiment Lawson was born in Brooklyn in 1940. Encouraged by his parents to experiment, Lawson grew up
Ubisoft is hiring on pocitjobs.com Currently a Creative Director at Ubisoft, one of the world’s largest gaming developers, Richard Arroyo has spent almost a quarter of a century sharpening his professional tool kit. His experience ranges from computer animation design to business strategy and on-set direction, yet the US-born Montrealer insists he’s “still not done learning.” In this interview, Richard sheds light on his decades-long career, the ethos that got him where he is now, and advice he would give those looking to follow in his footsteps. What did your
Black Panther: Wakanda Forever is on its way to our theaters, and as part of the movie’s promotion, Marvel has partnered with Xbox to inspire the next generation of gaming and tech leaders. According to an HBCU Connect survey, 95% of HBCU students and alumni are interested in a career in the gaming industry. Yet, only 2% of video gaming industry professionals are Black. The Marvel and Xbox partnership aims to narrow the gap between these two figures. Code your own Marvel game Fans around the world are being invited to
Black visionary Gianni O’Connor is on a mission to unleash the true power of technology. Through artificial intelligence, O’Connor is working to build a one-of-a-kind AI personality that will make it easier for users to converse with their game console – sound strange? We’re officially stepping into the future. Who is Gianni O’Connor? Gianni O’Connor’s entrepreneurial journey began in 2012 when he launched the music social media site Micsu (later Mozrt). The 29-year-old UK-based entrepreneur then founded the social trading app Trad3r and, most recently, Go Games. “I love being
How often do the words Disney World and Black tech appear in the same sentence? In celebration of its fourth annual conference, Blacks In Technology, LLC and the Blacks In Technology Foundation are inviting the Black tech community to Disney World. BITCon2022 (not to be confused with bitcoin) will see Black tech enthusiasts channel their inner kid while taking home useful gems and new connections. A Tech Conference for the Culture Industry giants like Google, Disney, and Spotify are sponsoring the three-day conference which will take place from October 26-28th. The convention
Soft drink company, Mountain Dew (MTN Dew), has expanded its commitment to Black entrepreneurship by creating a new Esports tournament that will see students compete for a $500,000 prize. Following MTN Dew’s ‘Real Change Opportunity Fund’ initiative in 2020, the soft drink company has joined forces with HBCU Esports League to reinforce their commitment to supporting the next generation of Black entrepreneurs. The tournament, launched last month, will run until October 28 and will be available for any gamers enrolled at an HBCU to register and join. Black representation in gaming The
