Play NYC’s Graffiti Games 2020 Will
Spotlight Black Game Developers
Presented by Rockstar Games, the 4th annual Play NYC game
convention continues its effort in supporting diverse talents in the
gaming industry.
NEW YORK — This year’s Play NYC Graffiti Games initiative will feature the work of five
talented Black game developers creating works that focus on the importance of creating a safe
space for all to be their authentic selves, Playcrafting announced today.
The initiative is made possible by the support of Rockstar Games, which will also be
participating in the show’s panels.
“As longtime New Yorkers, we are proud to partner with Play NYC and the Graffiti Games
initiative,” said Sam Houser, Founder of Rockstar Games. “We look forward to seeing the
creations from this year’s nominees.”
Play NYC, supported by the New York City Mayor’s Office of Media and Entertainment,
amplifies diverse voices through its annual Graffiti Games initiative.
Graffiti Games has been a focal point of the convention with which Playcrafting commissions
game developers to create an exclusive game to showcase their talent. Previous installations
have featured the talent and stories of first-generation immigrant developers and celebrated the
voices, talent, and impact of the LGBTQ+ community.
This year’s Graffiti Games will honor the voices of Black game developers and the importance of
creating a safe space for all to be their authentic selves. Five Black game developers will be
selected for this year’s initiative, each receiving a $5,000 grant to create a game of which they
will retain ownership. Decoy Games, an independent game studio based in Boston, has joined
the initiative as curators, with members of the Rockstar Games team providing assistance and
feedback during the creation process. The games and their developers will also be featured live
on Play NYC live-streams for thousands to play and see. The list of selected Graffiti Games
developers can be found at the bottom of this release.
“We started the Graffiti Games initiative at the first Play NYC in 2017 as a way to amplify the
voices of game creators through commissioned games that transform the space of the live
convention like graffiti on a wall. Since then, we’ve spotlighted immigrant and LGBTQ+
developers through this program. We’re honored to amplify the important voices of Black game
creators through this year’s Graffiti Games,” said Dan Butchko, Founder and CEO of
Playcrafting, the organizer of Play NYC. “It’s more important than ever for Play NYC to
represent the vital contributions that the Black community makes to the art and culture of
games, in New York and beyond. We’re here to support this year’s incredible lineup of selected
developers with the resources and platform to express themselves through games that will
debut virtually at Play NYC 2020.”
While this year’s event has moved online, Play NYC will still feature an eclectic mix of powerful
talks, demos, and panels, and will continue to harness, elevate, and celebrate the essence and
impact of New York City on the international gaming community.
“We’re proud to join Play NYC to showcase the world-class gaming talent of New York City, the
world capital of creativity,” said the Commissioner of the Mayor’s Office of Media and
Entertainment, Anne del Castillo. “This year, at this pivotal moment, I especially want to
congratulate the organizers of Graffiti Games for continuing their impressive record of lifting up
underrepresented groups by focusing on Black developers.”
More details on this year’s speakers, live-streams, panels, and demos will be released in the
coming weeks. Play NYC runs Monday, Aug. 10 through Sunday, Aug. 16. Visit play-nyc.com
and follow us on Twitter @Playcrafting and #PlayNYC for more updates.
Play NYC 2020 Graffiti Games’ Developers
● Andrew Augustin based in Austin, TX. Founder of Notion Games.
● Ricardo Lee based in Bronx, NY. Founder of Nifiystudios.
● Derrick Fields based in Chicago, IL. Lead Designer at Waking Oni.
● Cara Hillstock based in Seattle, WA. Twitch Affiliate and Narrative Designer at IllusSeedGame.
● Michelle Senteio based in Brooklyn, NY. Developer Experience Engineer at Looking Glass
Factory.
About Playcrafting
Playcrafting is the largest network of game creators in New York and one of the largest in
The U.S, with more than 30,000 actively-engaged developers. Playcrafting offers more than 50 local
and industry-recognized classes and events, such as the Play NYC convention, The Bit Awards,
and the largest Global Game Jam site in the U.S. These events give game creators and fans
the chance to connect, learn and play. Since 2017, Playcrafting has connected the world’s
biggest companies with game developers nationwide. These partnerships have generated 68
games and over $1.5 million in funding for game developers with companies like Bose, Verizon,
the NFL, Facebook, IBM, and Schick Hydro. Click here for more on our brand partnerships and
to discover ways gaming can move your company and industry forward through play!
About Rockstar Games
Rockstar Games cemented their reputation as creators of complex living worlds with the Grand
Theft Auto series, one of the most successful entertainment properties of all time with over 270
million units sold-in worldwide. Through a string of critically acclaimed games including the
Grand Theft Auto series, the Red Dead Redemption series, the Max Payne series, Bully, L.A.
Noire, the Midnight Club series and The Warriors, Rockstar Games has helped propel
interactive entertainment into the center of modern culture.
About Decoy Games
Decoy Games is an indie game company founded by two technically talented brothers and later
joined by a long time sidekick who they have known since pre-school. With no prior professional
game development experience, they used their deep passion for video games and extensive
imagination to start building Team Decoy. The team is currently working on Swimsanity! for a
planned 2020 release.
About NYC Mayor’s Office of Media and Entertainment
The mission of the Mayor’s Office of Media and Entertainment (MOME) is to ensure New York
City continues to be the creative capital of the world by supporting film, television, theater,
music, publishing, advertising, and digital content and ensuring those industries work for New
Yorkers. The creative industries account for more than 300,000 local jobs and have an
economic impact of $104 billion annually. MOME comprises four divisions: The Office of Film,
Theatre and Broadcasting; NYC Media; the Office of Nightlife; and educational and workforce
development initiatives
