#prospective design

I've been hard at work defining the scope of what will be my next independent studies and, quite possibly, my thesis at Transdisciplinary Design.

It has been challenging and at the same time deeply rewarding to question and reframe my interest in games as a strategic designer more than a game designer. So far, I've been able to summarize what I hope will be an overarching topic for my upcoming Spring semester at Parsons: game distribution and inclusion (I'm talking about diversity beyond gender or racial limitations, though these are of course included).

A brief look into where I'm at currently:

Following the Green Light: Designing Inclusion in Game Distribution (temporary title)

The introduction of Valve’s online distribution platform, Steam, has dramatically changed the face of video game access on a global level: from developers trying to get “Greenlit”, to gamers in emerging economies making the most out of $5 game sales, the current state of the game industry is characterized by an ever increasing digitalization of distribution means. This trend is present in other realms, like Kickstarter’s rise to the aid of indie creators, the episodic release of games, and the creation of “bundles”, or packages of games for low costs, in the name charity. The economical impact of this digitalization is clear, but what are its implications for inclusion of dissident voices in the gaming community?

Beyond the obvious advantages that online access delivers to small creators from all around the world, the relationship between a player and a game’s creators has become more direct, while at the same time being depersonalized by commoditization. Online distribution platforms, born from an instrumental need to sell more in an easier way, are reflecting the inter sectorial limitations and gaps that diverse game creators are currently experiencing in the offline world.