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Being Black is not a monolith, which is why the culture’s approach to gaming is not something that is one-size-fits-all. That said, Xbox is on a mission to revolutionize the industry by offering a variety of games that fit the many needs of those playing. Beyond those who play games, there is also a space for those who have an interest in creating them over at the Microsoft-led company. One of the latest games that stem from Xbox is South of Midnight, a spellbinding third-person action-adventure game set in the American Deep South. Designed to celebrate Black heritage and Southern culture, the project follows main character Hazel, who was created by Compulsion Game’s, Zaire Lanier, who serves as the writer and narrative designer on the game. “When creating Hazel, for me, it was important to not think of Blackness as a monolith,” she said during the “ WOVEN: The Power of Black Voices in Gaming” panel at Microsoft’s Black TechXcellence House during the AFROTECH™ Conference 2024. ...
In the gaming world, there are a lot of upcoming talents who work tirelessly to get eyes on their work. Add into the equation being a designer from a marginalized community, and your chances become even slimmer. In light of this, Xbox has announced a partnership providing a platform for young Black developers.
Xbox and the Los Angeles Lakers are expanding their partnership to inspire the next generation of athletes. In its latest efforts, it was announced that Xbox and NBA athlete Dwight Howard renovated the Boys & Girls Club of San Fernando Valley, which will house the program’s Dream Space. Kids are welcomed to enjoy the multi-purpose gaming lab featuring new artwork, custom purple and gold Xbox Series S consoles, gaming PCs, and screens.
Xbox is continuing to make strides toward a more inclusive gaming community. Research reveals that people who identify as white make up 68 percent of the video game industry. Yet, there’s still 13 percent of that community that is made up of Black, Hispanic/Latinx, Pacific Islander, Indigenous people, and LGBTQ+ communities and Xbox wants to ensure that their content reflects all gamers. In honor of Pride Month, the gaming system is amplifying LGBTQIA+ voices within the industry by championing those who are committed to inclusion and breaking down barriers so that everyone can experience the joys of gaming. One of those voices happens to be Melissa Boone. Boone is a part of the team of behavioral scientists providing user feedback and insights to Xbox’s game development teams. Her role as a research manager on the Xbox Research & Design team allows her and the team to center the user experience around everything that the company develops. For Boone, representation is key in her...
When it comes to the gaming industry, oftentimes Black women are completely left out of the conversation, but not Cierra McDonald. McDonald has worked within the Xbox organization for 13 years and has experience in everything from billing to achievements to documentations. For her, the love of gaming started at a young age when she was first introduced to the world of technology by purchasing a floppy disc of Monkey Island. From there, she learned to navigate DOS through the installation process and the rest is history! Now, as the Principal Program Manager for Xbox at Microsoft, McDonald is on a mission to shift the narrative of Black female characters in the gaming industry. “I think too often folks start with ‘male’ and ‘white’ as the default when envisioning game characters or stories, even if it’s not intentional or done explicitly,” said McDonald in an email interview with AfroTech. “So, that becomes the baseline. When they want to add a female character, she is likely created...
Xbox continues its commitment to inclusive storytelling that supports Black gamers and culture creators like the “ICY GRL” herself, Saweetie! On Feb. 4, the gaming company announced its partnership with artist and entrepreneur, Saweetie, for the first-ever “Xbox Saweetie Bowl” gaming competition just ahead of Super Bowl Sunday. “Football is big in my family and this year’s festivities bring all of us together in support of a good cause,” said the “My Type” rapper. Last weekend, Saweetie served as the evening host and commentator at Snoop Dogg’s Inglewood gaming compound. Alongside the ICY hostess was professional gamer XSET JOKE who served as the game’s official advisor and coach. Photo Credit: Spazzz, courtesy of Team Saweetie. Snoop Dogg battled against NFL player Julian Edelman for a West Coast vs. East Coast Battle in an EA Sports Madden NFL 21 tournament on Xbox. Edelman may have walked away as the official 2021 Saweetie Bowl champion, but the real winners were the Snoop Youth...
Xbox is committed to building the most inclusive gaming community on the planet. In an announcement, the gaming system revealed it’s celebrating Black History Month by offering gaming experiences that highlight the contributions of influential Black developers and creators while also raising awareness around causes pertaining to Black communities. The company wrote in a statement: “We believe that small actions from members of the Xbox community can lead to lasting change in the industry, such as speaking up to report and callout racist remarks, learning about Black history and culture, and empowering Black-owned businesses and inclusive creators. By amplifying Black voices, partnering with more Black creators, and continuing to address racial injustice, we strive to contribute to real change in our industry. We are committed to supporting Black audiences across the globe through programs that focus on issues relevant to them.” In June, Team Xbox and the Xbox player community came...
Microsoft and Warner Bros. are kicking off an all-star brand partnership with Xbox and NBA superstar LeBron James. The joint campaign is meant to celebrate gaming and coding education, as well as the anticipated release of James’ upcoming 2021 film, “Space Jam: A New Legacy.” In addition to Xbox and James, the campaign launch recruits the film’s characters like Bugs Bunny and the rest of the Looney Tunes Tune Squad to amplify coding education in the gaming world and create an original Xbox arcade-style video game that draws inspiration from the movie, a news release shares. The announcement also shares that Microsoft Stores are helping beginner coders jump-start their creativity by hosting free, one-of-a-kind “Space Jam: A New Legacy”-themed virtual workshops on video game creation. Students will be able to build a playable-prototype of a video game utilizing block-based coding on the MakeCode Arcade platform, while also learning more about the skills and STEAM careers involved in...
Cleveland Browns WR Odell Beckham Jr. is dipping his hand into the gaming world with a new collaboration by way of Xbox. After tearing his ACL back in October, the NFL superstar has focused his time on partnering with Xbox for a new sneaker and controller collaboration inspired by their global Power Your Dreams campaign . Xbox and @obj worked on a custom Air Force 1 Low and controller which will be given away during the holidays 🎮 pic.twitter.com/PujJYkNNBt — B/R Kicks (@brkicks) December 7, 2020 According to an announcement from Xbox, the newly-launched campaign is a nod to the dreaming aspect of gaming culture. For OBJ’s collaboration, the gaming company debuted a “Dream Kit” inclusive of a custom pair of Nike Air Force 1 sneakers and designs for a wireless controller all fitting to his dreams (literally). The announcement also shared the design behind OBJ’s custom Xbox controller and the inside of his custom AF1 shoes were both “inspired by the blazing stars from his dream,”...
Editorial Note: Opinions and thoughts are the author’s own and not those of AFROTECH™. Significant layoffs have been a consistent theme throughout the world of work for over three years. Whether you work in tech, media, or finance you have seen the news or know of those who have been impacted. Gone is the employment heyday of the pandemic, when firms across the board ramped up their hiring efforts in 2020 and 2021. This led to people embracing new opportunities and getting bumps in compensation that were not previously available. Unfortunately, when the boosts to businesses and balance sheets went away, firms started laying off their workforces in droves. Initially, the reasons behind the cuts were due to overhiring, and companies were looking to streamline their workforces and management in order to move the organizations more nimbly. The media started to refer to it as a “White-Collar Recession” because while other sectors like hospitality and health services saw employment...
For Los Angeles Lakers fans, one of this season’s highlights has been reveling in the groundbreaking father-son duo of LeBron and Bronny James this past season, as the pair have made history playing beside one another. Now, LeBron’s youngest son Bryce may be on pace to join them, as he has officially announced his intention to play for the University of Arizona ‘s Wildcats this coming fall. Bryce James was voraciously pursued by several appealing Pac-12 schools over the last few weeks, with the Tucson-based school apparently offering the most compelling welcome package. The rising star’s choice was commended with comments from numerous NBA legends, including Kevin Durant, Jamal Crawford, Rachel Nichols and of course, LeBron himself. Bryce’s older brother famously played just one season with his college of choice before declaring for the NBA draft , meaning we could potentially see a triumvirate of players from the prolific James family as early as 2027. So, let’s take a moment to...
Couple Felicia and Winchel Elibert are helping Black-owned businesses create wealth. According to 95.5 WSB, the pair are behind a four-acre Fayetteville, GA shopping plaza that will be home to several businesses. Winchel already owned multiple barbershops, while Felicia worked as a nurse and is the founder of several Cleansing Waters Wellness Center locations. WSB-TV Atlanta News mention that the Eliberts also owned a Smoothie King for several years. Entering new territory with the plaza was a “journey” that began with a sign located across from their Smoothie King. “Right across from our Smoothie King and Cleansing Waters location in Fayetteville, there was a sign that said land for sale,” Felicia told 95.5 WSB. “We made a phone call to ask about the land, which was at a good price. We checked with our realtor and were encourage that this was a really good investment.” For three to four years, the couple worked to develop the idea for the shopping center, which was ultimately named...