Xbox has announced that they will partner with AISES, a national nonprofit organization that improves STEM representation for the indigenous peoples of North America and the Pacific Islands.
The announcement comes on the International Day of the World’s Indigenous Peoples, which is annually recognized on August 9th. The day is meant to raise awareness about the rights of indigenous people, appreciate their achievements, and more.
Xbox’s new plans were listed in an official blog post today, though the link was initially broken for a while. It reveals that this fall, Xbox will join the AISES national conference in Spokane, WA, to “showcase games with Indigenous creators, content, and stories.”
It wasn’t made clear which titles would be featured, though fans might be able to speculate. Ideally, they will make an impression with titles that build genuine buzz and encouragement. Skábma – Snowfall, inspired by the indigenous Sámi people, is an excellent example that just released a PlayStation port today. You can find other relevant titles in the Xbox Game Pass library.
The conference is scheduled for October 19th to October 21st, including a STEM Activity Day, College and Career Fair, research competitions and more.
Xbox has also stated that “throughout the year” they will work with AISES to bring more Indigenous talent and storytelling to the video gaming industry. That would be a major step forward, since representation frequently tends to fall short.
Fortunately, the partnership with AISES will create legitimate progress, ensuring this isn’t just a polite gesture. It’s all too easy to promise for points, and partnering with the community like this is surely appreciated.
Ideally, this will lead to closer relationships and invite other staples of the industry to follow suit. While some fans may not be invested, these partnerships can be meaningful for me and fellow indigenous people.
The next major Xbox event will be the appearance Gamescom 2023, and the full details and titles that will be available were just announced last week.
You can read more about Xbox’s latest updates, titles and more by checking out the rest of our news section.
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