The game needs to change.
Too few studios are led by queer and gender-marginalized people – which means power, capital and content continues to be controlled by people within a narrow band of identities and experiences.
Our mission is to eliminate the barriers to starting and sustaining game studios owned and led by marginalized creators.
Tackling studio viability, starting with founders.
Since 2012, DMG has supported marginalized game designers by providing free educational workshops, skills-based intensives, workspace, collaboration and mentorship opportunities, scholarships, advocacy and community-based project support.
But one big problem has proven tough to crack:
Real, long-term financial sustainability is totally out of reach for most marginalized creators.
This shouldn’t be the case.
More than just project funding.
The industry – and existing funding infrastructure – churns creators through production cycles, betting on hit titles. There are few opportunities for new founders to explore alternate operating models, non-traditional financing channels and build relevant and resilient networks of support.
This means that marginalized creators are less likely to be in a position to start or sustain a small studio business.
Building great studios to make great games.
By shifting the focus from simply filling project funding gaps, to designing resilient and investable organizations, this comprehensive program centers the long-term needs of marginalized creators and founders for a more equitable future.
It values people and what they can create together in a system with less precarity. We believe this means more and better games, and a healthier industry in the long run!
Bringing experts in social finance, together with focused mentorship from experienced entrepreneurs and a thriving community of support, our cohort of founders will find the meaningful supports they need to make and truly change games