Revolutionizing Gaming: Glow Up Games Brings Black Stories to Life

Glow Up Games has made history as one of the first all-women-of-color companies to secure over $1.5 million in funding, as revealed by co-founder Dr. Mitu Khandaker at DICE 2024. The past five years have been a transformative journey for the studio, marked by significant growth and learning in game development and creative vision. Khandaker reflected on the studio's inception, stating, "As we grew up, we realized that games didn't truly represent us, and we wanted to change that." This sentiment resonated with fellow co-founder Latoya Peterson, as they both recognized the lack of diversity and inclusion in the gaming industry, particularly for women of color. The co-founders sought to create a platform that would allow them to tell their own stories and showcase the kind of representation they desired to see in games. This vision extends beyond on-screen representation to include the individuals behind the scenes, driven by a passion for games and a desire to make a positive impact on the medium. One of the unique challenges faced by Glow Up Games was developing a rap mechanic for Insecure: The Come Up Game, based on the popular HBO show starring Issa Rae. The game's development team collaborated with Dr. Enongo Lumumba-Kasongo, also known as Sammus, to create an authentic and engaging experience. As the team explored new ideas, they wondered, "What if we could create an entirely new genre of games centered around this mechanic?" They sought to refine the systems to make them more expressive for players, while also considering localization for non-English languages and content delivery that would allow for the inclusion of various artists and rappers. However, the use of AI-generated content presented a new set of challenges. The team struggled to replicate the nuances of Sammus's rap style and capture the unique voices of other rappers. Peterson noted that rap-based games are scarce in the gaming landscape, with releases occurring approximately every five years. Despite these limitations, hip-hop remains a significant part of popular culture and the zeitgeist. Peterson pointed out that potential investors had initially deemed their ideas "too niche," but the co-founders were determined to showcase the uniqueness of their opportunity. The development team worked tirelessly to create prototypes and large datasets to improve the game's ability to predict nuance and language from player choices. However, they encountered difficulties in teaching computers to understand the complexities of human language, such as the difference between "I'm hot" in terms of temperature versus "I'm hot" as a expression of confidence. Peterson emphasized that AI development tools have limitations, particularly in recognizing and replicating the complexities of rap music. While resources like ChatGPT have been helpful, they lack the capacity to fully understand the nuances of African American Vernacular English (AAVE) and often rely on datasets from platforms with anti-Black sentiment. The studio acknowledges that hip-hop culture and its artists have been commodified across various entertainment mediums for years. Quoting Lumumba-Kasongo, Peterson stated, "We aim to approach game design with a focus on marginalized gamers, negotiating the deployment of language that falls into the gray area, and incorporating a black feminist disability framework to create a more inclusive and empowering experience."