New York City Hall Hosts First-Ever Digital Games Industry Council Meeting To Discuss Building Talent In The Space

On July 12, New York City introduced its first-ever Digital Games Industry Council, according to information shared with AfroTech.

Hosted at City Hall, Deputy Mayor Maria Torres-Springer, and leadership from the Mayor’s Office of Media and Entertainment, the New York City Economic Development Corporation, and the Mayor’s Office of People with Disabilities came together to discuss how to further expand the city’s digital games industry.

Per the information provided, the diverse council works to build a strong talent pipeline for the digital games industry, attract game development studios across the five boroughs, and helps businesses operate and thrive in New York City.

The council meeting follows the announcement of Mayor Eric Adams’ Office of Media and Entertainment (MOME) partnering with the City University of New York (CUNY) in a $2 million investment toward offering the city’s first-ever bachelor’s degree in digital game design for a public institution at City College of New York (CCNY). As previously reported by AfroTech, the aim of the partnership is to invest in the future of gaming and diversify the industry.

“New York City has always been the center of innovation, but it is time that New York City level up and finally became a leader in the digital gaming space,” Adams said. “It’s time to take advantage of all the talent we have here in New York by investing in the future of gaming. This $2 million investment will help us reach more than 1,000 students over the next three years and diversify the gaming field. This is how we get stuff done for our young people and for New York City!”

Ahead of her involvement in the first-ever council meeting, Torres-Springer shared a statement on what is to come.

“With these announcements today, this administration affirms its commitment to New York City’s digital games industry, a sector that plays a major role in our city’s economy, supporting 7,600 jobs, $762 million in wages, and $2 billion in economic output,” she said in May.

She continued: “Our new industry council will inform future economic development and inclusion efforts, while our partnership with CUNY will provide New York City students a strategic pathway to careers in these fields. This is a milestone moment in this city’s mission to drive inclusive growth and write the next chapter for New York City’s tech sector.”