9/13/17

Google and Ideas United Launch Program to Support Inclusivity in Game Design


Posted by Daraiha Greene, CS Education in Media Program Manager, Multicultural
Strategy, and Kate Brennan and Mathilde Cohen Solal, Google Play


Today, we are thrilled to announce Infinite Deviation: Games. href="http://infinitedeviation.com">Infinite Deviation is an
initiative created by Google Computer Science (CS) in Media and href="http://ideasunited.com/">Ideas United in order to
tackle issues of representation by bringing creativity and computer science
together in unexpected ways -- ensuring that representations of computer
scientists are inclusive of women, people of color, the LGBTQIA+ community,
people with disabilities, and other underrepresented groups. Last year, Infinite
Deviation produced a series of narrative
short films
to dispel stereotypes in computer science and is excited to
collaborate with Google Play to bring the Infinite Deviation program to gaming.



Currently only href="https://c.ymcdn.com/sites/www.igda.org/resource/resmgr/files__2016_dss/IGDA_DSS_2016_Summary_Report.pdf">23%
of people in the gaming industry identify as women and only href="http://www.newsweek.com/2016/10/21/video-games-race-black-protagonists-509328.html">3%
of game developers are African-American. From ensuring women are represented
in href="https://www.blog.google/products/google-play/wonder-woman-partnership/">video
games to giving young girls the chance to href="https://www.blog.google/products/google-play/wonder-woman-partnership/">create
their own games, Google Play is committed to bringing new, diverse voices to
gaming. The program gives game designers from all backgrounds the chance to
pitch an original mobile game concept and have it developed, published, and
promoted in partnership with Google Play. Applicants can submit their mobile
game concepts until October 9.








The top three ideas will be chosen by a panel of industry experts and designers
will receive the resources and support they need to bring their games to life on
Google Play. Games will be judged on creativity and innovation, as well as their
ability to tell original stories that resonate with underrepresented audiences.



Participants must have less than two years of professional game design
experience in order to be eligible. For more information on the program,
including how to apply, you can visit href="http://infinitedeviation.com/games">InfiniteDeviation.com.



By promoting original games that resonate with underrepresented audiences, we
hope the program creates more favorable perceptions of computer science, bust
biases, and nurture acceptance through an activity many enjoy.



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