Australia
Bin Chicken Studios
Bin Chicken Studios is a Melbourne based indie game studio and developer behind I Want To Go To Mars (2020) and upcoming title Trash. We strive to create entertaining games with meaningful messaging that have the power to inspire positive change in the world.
Wheely Late
Wheely Late is a wheelchair parkour racing game Long Synopsis. It’s 5pm and time to head home; race the clock through procedurally generated cities, dodge traffic, flip over pedestrians, slide into power ups and find your house hidden somewhere in the craziness. Unlock new skins to customise your character, progress through story levels or race your friends in our online multiplayer mode, in a game designed to celebrate disability in a wheely fun and empowering way.
Motivation
The game is entriely centred around promoting disability in a fun and empowering way. All the characters are in whellchairs and the main mecahnic is racing in your wheelchair in away aking to a Karting gate. It is unqiue the the first of its kind to celebrate the ‘ability’ in disability. It is made by a diverse team of developer is lived experience of diability.
Los RĂos Region
Them Handsome Fellas
Founded by industry veterans, we aim to create one-of-a-kind games in the market!
Cozy Dungeons
Explore dungeons, clear them out of enemies and renovate them for a profit!
Motivation
This game is developed entirely by Latino developers from Chile, an underrepresented minority in the industry
Tokyo
City From Naught
City from Naught is an indie game studio located in Toronto, established on 2019.
Brave New Wonders
A strategy simulation game where you can command robots with text input to build Brave New Wonders.
Motivation
Our game meaningfully contributes to diversity through our studio’s leadership and team composition, with a female CEO at the helm and women comprising 40% of our development team. This representation extends directly into our game through our brave young female protagonist, challenging the traditionally male-dominated gaming narratives. By featuring a strong female lead character and maintaining significant female representation in our development team, we’re actively working to create more inclusive spaces in gaming both behind the scenes and in the experiences we create.
Bolivia
Paramo Games
Paramo Games is a studio founded to create Bolivia’s first console game and grow its game industry
Llamalandia
Find your family, bond with llamas, and build a sanctuary to go on magical adventures in Llamalandia
Motivation
Our game brings Bolivian culture to the global stage, offering representation in an industry where Bolivia has little to no presence. By showcasing our traditions, landscapes, and folklore, we help amplify underrepresented Latin American voices and inspire more creators from the region
Facebook
Instagram
LinkedIn
Twitter
United States
Shoreline Games
Shoreline Games is a video game publisher that helps open gateways to uniquely immersive worlds, transforming fan discovery into fan devotion
Nova Hearts
A mysterious force of power transforms you and other highly attractive people in your area into superheroes and villains! TEXT, DATE and FIGHT your friends and enemies alike.
Motivation
Nova Hearts is a visual novel and dating sim in which one of the main themes of the main characterâs journey is the mysterious and diverse community around her. As the player experiences the game through the eyes of Luce, a young queer woman goes through her journey of discovery after returning to her hometown, they are able to build relationships with, or even date, a diverse roster of characters and defend the community from a dangerous threat. When building the world of Nova Hearts, it was important for us to make sure that the cast was designed with diversity in mind, not only in physical appearance, but also in their personal backgrounds. The characters of the game come from across the LGBT community, and come from a variety of different ethnic and familial backgrounds, and players will have the freedom to pursue relationships and romances in the game regardless of gender. We hope that our game will help create the foundation to encourage wider representation for the LGBT community within the dating sim genre and give a space for gamers to discover themselves alongside Luce and her friends as their story unfolds in Nova Hearts.
Facebook
Instagram
LinkedIn
Twitter
United States
Whitethorn Games
Whitethorn Games
Kernel Hearts
Gather your allies. Eliminate Angels. Transform into a Magical Girl. Slay god. Kernel Hearts is a Multiplayer Co-Op Roguelike Action RPG about four magical girls and their attempt to save a world that’s drowning in ashes
Motivation
Based in Argentina, developer EPHEMERA is comprised of a divers team of creatives. Kernel Hearts features a women-lead and diverse cast, representing many underrepresented groups. As well, the game will feature accessibility options to ensure as many people can play as possible.
Facebook
Instagram
LinkedIn
TikTok
Twitter
Canada
Simply Sweet Games Inc.
Simply Sweet Games Inc.
Criss Cross Castle
Welcome to Criss Cross Castle â a magical word puzzle game with strategy, adventure, and fun!
Motivation
At Simply Sweet Games, weâre deeply committed to creating games that reflect the rich diversity of our players. Criss Cross Castle was designed with inclusion at its coreâboth in terms of gameplay and the audiences we hope to engage. For gameplay, weâve built features that are neurodiversity-friendly, such as hints, a dictionary tool, and adjustable difficulty levels. These elements ensure that Criss Cross Castle is accessible and enjoyable for players with varying needs, including those on the autism spectrumâa commitment reinforced by our collaboration with Spectrum Labs for testing. On a broader level, our studio itself is a reflection of our values. As a woman-founded and co-led team with BIPOC and LGBTQ+ representation in leadership, Simply Sweet Games is working to challenge the status quo of a male-dominated industry. We prioritize diverse hiring and mentorship practices, creating opportunities for socio-cultural minorities and fostering a sense of belonging within our team. Ultimately, Criss Cross Castle isnât just a gameâitâs a statement that everyone deserves to feel seen and included, whether theyâre playing games or making them.
Facebook
Instagram
LinkedIn
TikTok
India
Masala Games Private Limited
India’s finest game developers and storytellers led by ex-Pixar ex-EA vet Shalin Shodhan
Detective Dotson
A light hearted mystery game about a reluctant detective who wants to be a Bollywood star!
Motivation
18% of the world lives in India. But it is completely missing from gaming culture. Whenever India shows up in global media it’s always as a poor ancient country. We would like to fix this. Detective Dotson is a cultural joyride through modern India for the whole world to enjoy!
Sweden
Aurora Punks
WE ARE DEVELOPERS FOR DEVELOPERS We at Aurora Punks have an excellent team of developers. Whether it’s debugging intricate code, optimizing performance, or addressing design challenges. We also support investors by offering comprehensive scouting and due diligence services. Our expertise in identifying promising opportunities in the Nordics and also support take games and studios to a higher level of investment readiness. Our proficiency in dissecting problems, thinking outside the box, and crafting ingenious solutions sets us apart. This is why investors, publishers and major developers choose us for collaboration. Additionally, we occasionally delight our community with releases of indie games.
KreatureKind
Debate monsters, recruit friends, and start a movement! In this wholesome and approachable card battler/deck builder, you use the debate skills in your card decks to convince opponents to join your cause. Balance your team and your decks carefully – or you won’t be able to save magic!
Motivation
KreatureKind embodies the spirit of unity and collaboration, promoting inclusion and representation through its gameplay and narrative. By blending engaging mechanics with meaningful storytelling, it contributes to a more equitable and diverse gaming landscape. In KreatureKind, players navigate a magical world where debate and understandingânot conflictâare the tools of change. Players use their card decks to engage with opponents, not to defeat them, but to convince them to join a movement for saving magic. This unique approach encourages players to appreciate different perspectives and highlights the value of dialogue and cooperation, reflecting the real-world importance of amplifying underrepresented voices.
Facebook
Instagram
LinkedIn
TikTok
Twitter
Spain
2Awesome Studio
2Awesome Studio
Altered Alma
Altered Alma mixes Metroidvania, RPG, and dating sim in a stunning cyberpunk Neo Barcelona adventure
Motivation
Altered Alma features a diverse cast of characters with different identities, genders and backgrounds, exploring themes such as identity and societal struggles in a cyberpunk setting.
Facebook
Instagram
LinkedIn
TikTok
Twitter
Canada
Panda Cat Games
We are Panda Cat Games, a female-founded studio and diverse team of experienced game developers. Weâve worked at studios such as Rocksteady, Sony and Meta and bring a combined experience of over 40 years in the games and tech industry. Weâre building more than gamesâwe’re building a community, and inspired and believe that our inclusive team culture and unique perspectives allows us to create charming games that bring people together.
Spirits of Heartwood
Welcome to Spirits of Heartwood, a wholesome 2-player co-op adventure where you explore, collect adorable Spirits and help rebuild Heartwood village. Itâs the perfect Sunday afternoon game that rekindles the joy of shared gaming experiences, reminding us of the simple pleasures of connection and play. Together, youâll: Discover a world of mystical Spirits, learn about them and fill out your Almanac Work together, completing fun activities to bring them out of hiding Unravel a compelling story Revitalize the Everbloom and restore the village The fate of Heartwood Village is in your hands – can you bring back the magic?
Motivation
Our mission at Panda Cat is to create inclusive games and an inclusive environment where everyone can thrive. We are proud to be a development team of 6 people of individuals that represent unique perspectives from across gender, socio-economic backgrounds, ethnicities, locale, industries and more to bring experiences that we believe contribute to helping us fulfill this mission. A positive and inclusive team culture is of the utmost importance for us. The first thing we did was to ensure we had team values in place that level the playing field and ensure everyone is aligned about ensuring we provide physiological safety so that we can leverage all of the perspectives each individual brings. We regularly revisit these and have mechanisms in place to ensure we are continuously checking in and iterating if needed. We also run a âRaccoonâs Recruitsâ program to help people from underrepresented backgrounds at the early stages of their game development career. We work with our recruits to come up with a project and learning objectives and they become part of the team for 2 months where we provide mentorship as they complete their goals. The idea is to give them insights into working alongside a development team, and come away with pieces for their portfolio and offering any advice or support. Theyâre also invited to stick around in our development Discord server where we share resources and they have continued access to the network theyâve built. We are dedicated to continually striving for a more inclusive, representative industry where diverse perspectives are valued and celebrated.
Austria
Causa Creations Interactive Media GmbH
Causa Creations is a boutique game development studio located in Vienna, Austria.
Songs of Travel
An animated graphic novel exploring the stories of five migrants seeking new beginnings in Europe.
Motivation
The aim of Songs of Travel is to bring the personal stories of migrants to a wider audience and paint a vivid picture of the topic of migration. The narratives are tied together by the experiences of the Syrian artist Jack Gutmann, who co-developed the award-winning game “Path Out” with the gameâs developer, Causa Creations. Songs of Travel also aims to emphasize a diverse picture by carefully curating the stories told and including different genders, cultures and origins. Songs of Travel was also produced by a diverse and neurodivergent team.
United States
Avlee
Avlee (αÏ
λΟ) means yard. A yard is a place of growth, a finite space for child-like wonder and play. Avlee Studio aims to make games that tell meaningful, interactive stories about interesting places and the people that shape them.
Myrtle Grove: A Clair V. Mystery
A mysterious haunting plagues the gated subdivision of Myrtle Grove. It’s up to Paranormal Investigator Clair V. to discover the roots of the tragedy that keeps the dangerous spirit alive. This top down 2.5D short story game will take players through the brief but rich story of a Louisiana inspired neighborhood, it’s land, it’s residents, and it’s cultural foleys.
Motivation
The protagonist of Myrtle Grove, Clair V., is a non-binary paranormal investigator. The underlying tragedy of this neighbhorhood is the result of ignorance or negligence over the climate and accessibility health of the land. I hope that this pilot episode of the Clair V. Mysteries can establish a lovable character who will go on to uncover many other mysteries related to socially progressive and minority storytelling in a series of small short story games.
Canada
Mighty Yell Studios
Mighty Yell is a fully-remote Canadian game studio composed of experienced Toronto-area developers making unique, non-violent games in a sustainable way. Mighty Yell’s debut title was THE BIG CON, a 90s cross-country crime adventure where you play a teenager grifting to save your momâs video store. THE BIG CON launched to critical and commercial acclaim, including being selected in the 2021 Tribeca Festival. Mighty Yell also created the award-winning 2023 VR title A Knight in the Attic. For more information, visit mightyyell.com
All Systems Dance
All Systems Dance is an expressive battle adventure where you fight corporate dystopia with dance.
Motivation
We strive for accessibility, inclusivity, and better representation in games; both in our studio processes and in our game stories & characters. All Systems Dance specifically tackles real problems of body dysmorphia, over-automation and unregulated corporate greed. Representing different cultural and social points of view, specifically around the idea that anyone can dance, is central to the game. Our team also has a large number of people from underrepresented groups, including women, members of the LGBTQ2+ community, and people from various social-cultural backgrounds.
Facebook
BlueSky
Instagram
TikTok
Twitter
United States
Folding Star
A software and creative studio led by Amorphous. Makes weird narrative games.
Desert Angels
A narrative exploration game. Talk to ghosts, and find stories in trash â or blow it all up.
Motivation
Dev team is majority non-male and people of color, lead dev is nonbinary and Asian.
No social links available.
United States
Autoscopia Interactive
Autoscopia makes introspective games that puts players in underrepresented roles.
Forgotten
An emotional family drama seen through the eyes of Annie, a woman with Alzheimerâs disease.
Motivation
Forgotten has an elderly female character and is about mental illness. Both are rarely represented in videogames, and we strongly feel this kind of representation matters. Outside of that we are a small and diverse team of four game developers from three different countries and different gender identities. Forgotten was nominated at IGF in 2020, and time and time again we have seen it have a big impact on people who has experienced family members with dementia. The game will be out this year, and we can’t wait to see its’ further impact.
United States
Courier: Dragons Within
Telling compelling stories through non-violent narratives & design.
Courier: Dragons Within
Courier: Dragons Within is a game that explores what constitutes a healthy relationship with anger.
Motivation
Courier: Dragons Within is a nonviolent narrative game concerned with the representation of men-helping-men confront emotional difficulty in both story and design. Its creative director is a black sexual minority man who makes games for braver and kinder adults, and its two main characters, Chase and Tag, are an Interracial Friendship on a journey of emotional literacy and the cultivation of positive self-regard. The socio-cultural minority representation is present both in the game loop (meditation, reflection, and cycling,) and the central narrative: what does it look like to have men help each other to grow into their fullest selves as emotionally literate and present individuals, with positive regard for themselves and others. While there are nonviolent games, few of them explore the emotional universe of their central male protagonists. Fewer still situate their play in the 3d Character Action Space and are created from a desire to combat toxic masculine norms with contrasting narratives.
Tower Hamlets
Ada Eden
We weave tales from machines’ whispers.
1001 Nights (demo available on Steam)
A story-crafting game where you need to outsmart a ChatGPT king by telling stories, in Arabian Nights.
Motivation
“1001 Nights” contributes to representation and inclusion in several ways. Our game is developed by a team composed entirely of women of color, bringing diverse perspectives to both game development and AI technology. In an era where AI development is predominantly male-led, we demonstrate how creators can innovatively use AI while maintaining human creativity at its core – the game’s soul comes from us, not the AI technology itself. Unlike the original Arabian Nights, our version empowers the female protagonist to use the power of stories to change her destiny and fight back against the king who murders women. Despite facing cyberbullying from incel gamers in East Asia for our feminist stance, our team remains committed to this vision, and has been selected to speak at GDC about our experiences as women developers in the AI gaming space.
Colombia
StudioBando
StudioBando crafts touching and unique interactive storytelling experiences with a team of passionate game developers from across Latin America.
SOPA – Tale of the Stolen Potato
When Miho steps into the pantry to get a potato for his grandmothers’ soup, he’s pulled into a world of magical realism.
Motivation
We aim to become an inspiration across the region, naturalizing the view of our people’s ability to achieve great things, and connecting to the wider global ecosystem of the game industry; helping lay the groundwork for the local industry for the next 5-10 years. At every event we attend, we’re approached by bright-eyed young Latin Americans surprised to hear that yes, we’re from LATAM, yes, there’s a burgeoning industry, and yes, there are opportunities in the region. Juan has been invited to speak about the potential of LATAM in videogames at events from GDC to Games First in Helsinki and hopes to continue to inspire folks further through the upcoming release of SOPA on Game Pass