Game Developers of Color address industry layoffs, generative AI amid resurgent harassment campaign

White men dominate the game industry in the United States and Europe.

While that’s changed in recent decades, a 2023 survey by the International Game Developers Association found that 63% of respondents identified as men and four in five identified as white. Only 4% identified as “Black, African American, African, or Afro-Cuban.”

“As a Black game developer myself, I feel this lack of our existence in the industry especially hard,” says Catt Small, co-founder of the Game Devs of Color Expo. “We make sure that we are proactively seeking out and inviting Black folks to participate and speak at our event every year.”

The hybrid conference just wrapped its ninth annual event.

“Over time we've expanded from a one- day experience to a four- day series of networking discussions, panels and more,” says Small. “We also are able to pull in larger studios and teams from companies like the New York Times Games and also Riot Games.”

The Expo, which represents a broad spectrum of races and genders, also took place during a torturous year for the industry. Microsoft just slashed another 650 game workers, boosting the 2024 gaming layoff total to well over 12,000. Generative AI threatens jobs and sparked a video game performer strike. To cap it all off, a small but loud contingent of gamers have targeted DEI efforts and companies they perceive as “woke.”

That kind of harassment hits close to home for Small.

“I remember one particular case where we had to shut down comments on a YouTube video,” she says. “We try not to give energy to those who don't understand what our event is about and really center the conversation on the members of our community who need the support.”

How, if at all, have industry layoffs hit developers of color particularly hard?

“It's definitely a challenge because while many creators of color are in programming positions, there are also a lot of folks who are more on the art side, into community management or into more of the social good focuses such as diversity, equity and inclusion. So we've found that a lot of those roles tend to get hit harder.

“WSo what we've really focused on this year in particular is having conversations about sustainability, whether that be how to run your own or start your own business, or to think about organizing your team so that the process of game development can be more sustainable.”

What concerns do people in the industry have about generative AI?

“The challenge with using AI in gaming is that it is often used as a shortcut for working with real humans. And when you remove the human aspect from the process, you're missing out on the perspective, the potential addition of culture, things that real humans experience as individuals that they put into their art. And that is the thing that's going to be missing.”

You work with the Game Devs of Color community all year round. Does that community give you hope for the industry’s future?

“Honestly, the only reason that I am still in this industry is because of the people. And that is why I so strongly believe that we need to continue to run this event until it's no longer necessary. I do think that if there's a point where we don't have the same issues year after year, that maybe we won't need to have a Game Devs of Color Expo. But until then, absolutely.

“I see the energy that this event gives me and I know that it's working for other people because we see that year after year in the chat and in in-person conversations that we have with folks.”

James Perkins Mastromarino produced and edited this segment for broadcast with Micaela Rodrigue. Perkins Mastromarino also adapted it for the web.