Cultivating Indigenous Realms in Gaming

At the recent Game Devs of Color Expo, Achimostawinan Games presented a thought-provoking talk on Cultivating Indigenous Realms in Gaming, exploring themes of reclamation and challenging stereotypes in creative works for Indigenous communities. Creative leads Meagan Byrne and Sadekaronhes Esquivel shared their inspirations for the upcoming game Hill Agency: Purity Decay, as well as the challenges they faced in staying true to their vision. Set in the year 2762, Hill Agency follows the story of private investigator Meeygen Hill, living in one of the last remaining major cities in North America. When discussing the game's setting, Byrne posed a question: "What if cities were reclaimed by Indigenous people after being abandoned due to natural disasters? What would these cities look and feel like?" Byrne drew inspiration from films like Blade Runner, which often feature orientalism in their cyberpunk worlds. Instead, they chose to incorporate native plants from Turtle Island, also known as North America, into the game's environments and buildings to highlight the connection to local flora and fauna. "The plants are omnipresent; they should be everywhere," Byrne emphasized. The developers aimed to create an authentic Indigenous experience, but faced criticism for using a city as the game's backdrop. Byrne argued, "Why tear down existing structures when they are perfectly good and beautiful? Many people don't understand that these apartments in New York were originally designed as stacked houses, with each floor intended as a separate home." Esquivel added, "In our game, the brownstones would have survived natural disasters, reflecting the resilience of Indigenous communities." The developers also considered how other aspects of society, such as communication and language, would need to adapt in their game world. Byrne reflected, "We thought about what would remain, what would need to be replaced, and what could be reimagined." Esquivel explained, "In our game, we have a ground city with a stronger Indigenous influence, where language regulation is evolving, and new slang is emerging. We intentionally created signs that might seem unconventional to reflect the changing language landscape." The duo discussed how non-Indigenous creators often misrepresent Indigenous cultures, leading to stereotypical portrayals. Byrne noted, "There's a misconception that Indigenous people only appreciate traditional cultural elements. However, this curated idea of what is Indigenous is limiting and unrealistic." Byrne shared, "On reservations, kids often connect with hip-hop and rap music, which is a form of rebellion and self-expression. We have more in common than people think." Esquivel pointed out the fictional Akomish Longhouse in Insomniac Games' Infamous Second Son, which bears little resemblance to the real-life Duwamish Longhouse and Cultural Center in Seattle. Byrne compared this to creating a racist Wild West show, highlighting the importance of authentic representation. As Indigenous creators, Byrne emphasized the tension between their artistic vision and the expectations of potential supporters. They stated, "There isn't a market that expects non-stereotypical work from Indigenous creators, and we've faced pressure from funders to conform to certain expectations. If someone demands that we create a Wild West show in exchange for funding, is that truly consent? We want to create innovative and authentic work, not just cater to stereotypes."