The Game Devs of Color Expo has officially announced its plans for 2021, continuing a tradition that's been running since 2016. As with 2020, the Game Devs of Color Expo for 2021 will be an entirely online experience, a decision made for the health and safety of all participants due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. Games Devs of Color Expo 2021 will run from September 23 through September 27, so video game players can mark their calendars early.
The full scope of Game Devs of Color Expo 2021 hasn't been fully revealed, but it's clear the organizers have their aspirations set high. Invitations are now open for game developers of color to submit their games, which could be featured in a variety of ways at the expo. Game Devs of Color Expo is also seeking those interested in doing interviews, those interested in grants to support their game development, and speakers who would like to presentations.
Last year's Game Devs of Color Expo featured a variety of gaming content for fans. It all started off with a Game Devs of Color Expo Direct, a digital indie games showcase presentation filled with more than a dozen game trailers and announcements. Following that, there were two days of Game Devs of Color Expo panels, presentations, interviews, and more with developers of color sharing their experiences and hyping up their games.
Additionally, Game Devs of Color Expo featured a really exciting crossover event on Steam. For a day, Steam featured the Game Devs of Color Expo on its frontpage, with a stream featuring interviews and sharing game demos and discounts. This Steam crossover, dubbed the Gradient Convergence, hasn't been confirmed for 2021 yet, but will hopefully be brought back. The challenges that the pandemic presents makes these things difficult.
For those unfamiliar with the Game Devs of Color Expo, its expressed goal is to create a safe space open to people of all races, genders, and sexual orientations to explore the intersection of race and games and celebrate games made by people of color.
2021 will be the sixth year of the Game Devs of Color Expo. For the four years that it was a live event, the expo grew rapidly year by year. The pandemic understandably led to the pause button being pressed on an in-person convention. However, it's also an opportunity for smaller digital events to draw a lot of extra attention. This year's Game Devs of Color Expo, held between September 23 and September 27, will hopefully be the most successful yet.