San Francisco-based Niantic Labs, perhaps best known for making Pokémon Go, launched a multimillion-dollar program to support, mentor, and finance Black game and augmented reality app developers.
Currently only 2% of game developers identify as Black, African American, African or Afro-Caribbean, CNBC reported. Black video game startups face an uphill battle for funding, recognition, and creative ownership. The new five-month Black Developers Initiative seeks to change that.
For today’s curation of tech and innovation articles, the Plug In South LA Beat, we meet the program’s first developer, W!CKED SAiNTS Studios co-founder and CEO Jessica Murrey:
Pokémon Go Maker Niantic Invests in Black Game Developers to Close Diversity Gap
Photo Credit: Charles Eugene on Unsplash