A New Initiative Empowers Palestinian Game Developers

In September, a group of industry professionals launched Palestinian Voices in Games, a program dedicated to supporting Palestinian game developers. The initiative involves over 50 games industry representatives and aims to combat the underrepresentation and dehumanization of Palestinians by providing direct professional support. Currently, the program is working with four Palestinian creators, including Rasheed Abueideh and Yasmine Batniji, who are developing games that tell the stories of Palestinian people. The program started taking shape at the Amaze festival in Berlin in May 2024, in response to the ongoing conflict in Gaza. The organizers, who wish to remain anonymous, explained that the initiative began with a group of developers discussing how they could make a positive impact. The program has since grown to include around 100 participants, with two main contacts and one secondary contact working with each project. One of the first projects backed by the program is Dreams on a Pillow, a 2.5D stealth adventure game inspired by a historical Palestinian folk tale. The game tells the story of a young mother who mistakenly carries a pillow instead of her newborn child while fleeing invasion. The game's developer, Rasheed Abueideh, has received support from the program, including help with refining contracts and securing additional resources. Another project backed by the program is Pomegranates, a first-person, story-driven experience developed by Yasmine Batniji. The game brings destroyed landmarks back to life through digital archiving and 3D modeling, and is inspired by Afrofuturism and the stories of Palestinians who have been killed since October 7, 2023. Batniji has also received support from the program, including help with motivation and accountability to see the project through to completion. The program's organizers believe that the initiative will help to empower Palestinian game developers and provide a platform for their stories to be told. While they acknowledge that the program may face challenges and controversy, they remain hopeful that it will make a positive impact and help to promote understanding and empathy for the Palestinian people. The launch of the program comes at a time when there is growing recognition of the state of Palestine, with ten UN member states officially recognizing the state in September. While this may make partnerships with initiatives like Palestinian Voices in Games more appealing, the program's organizers remain cautious and focused on their mission to support Palestinian game developers.