El Paso Developer Addresses Industry's Lack of Support for Black Voices

• El Paso, Elsewhere: Unique narrative-driven vampire shooter game by Strange Scaffold.
• Founder Xalavier Nelson Jr.'s critique of gaming industry's lack of support for Black developers.
• Stylish noir-punk side-scroller game: Celeste with guns.
• Nelson's call to action for Black creators to remember their worth.
• Controversy in gaming industry over perceived "forced diversity".

El Paso, Elsewhere: A Game Challenging Industry Norms

The main character of the game El Paso, Elsewhere, James Savage, can be seen leaning against his car, parked in a desolate area. This image is a fitting representation of the game's unique narrative.

El Paso, Elsewhere: A Breakthrough for Strange Scaffold

El Paso, Elsewhere was a significant milestone for the independent studio, Strange Scaffold. The game, which launched in September 2023, stands out for its unique narrative-driven vampire shooter gameplay, reminiscent of Max Payne. It's noteworthy for featuring a Black male character in the lead role - a rarity in the gaming industry.

The founder of Strange Scaffold, Xalavier Nelson Jr., has expressed dissatisfaction with the industry's lack of support for projects led by Black developers. He addressed this issue in a recent speech, criticizing the industry for its "sudden silence".

Stylish Noir-Punk Side-Scroller: Celeste with Guns

Another game worth mentioning is this stylish noir-punk side-scroller, which is reminiscent of the popular game Celeste, but with an added twist - guns.

Xalavier Nelson Jr.'s Critique of the Gaming Industry

At the Black In Gaming Presents, an independent award ceremony coinciding with the Game Developers Conference in San Francisco, Nelson shared his thoughts on the industry. After receiving the Black in Gaming Foundation's Indie Developer Award, he gave a moving speech about the challenges he faced while developing El Paso, Elsewhere.

According to Nelson, the game was "rejected by publisher after publisher" before becoming a major success for Strange Scaffold. He expressed his frustration with the industry's tendency to profit from Black aesthetics while simultaneously neglecting to fund Black-owned games and promote Black professionals to leadership roles.

Nelson's Call to Action

In his speech, Nelson thanked everyone for their support but didn’t stop at just that. He criticized the gaming industry for its profit-minded nature, which often comes at the expense of developers losing their jobs. He urged his fellow Black creators to remember their worth and not to accept such treatment.

Nelson's Message to Black Game Developers

Nelson advised Black game developers to choose projects, scopes, and funding strategies that allow them to exist outside of systems that cannot even preserve themselves. He encouraged them to not depend on the industry's goodwill and not to play by its rules.

Controversy in the Gaming Industry

Nelson's comments come at a time when some gamers are criticizing what they perceive as "forced diversity" in games. The narrative consultancy firm Sweet Baby Inc. has been at the center of this controversy, sparking what some are calling GamerGate 2.0.

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