May 6th 2024.
In the year 2022, two brothers, Donald and Phillip Jones, who also happen to be the co-founders of Alchemy Media Publishing, had a brilliant idea. They wanted to create a video game that would transport players back in time to the 1940s Chicago, specifically the Bronzeville community. But this was no ordinary video game, it was also a desktop app that used immersive technology to tell the story of the Great Migration. And to make their dream a reality, they turned to Kickstarter, a popular crowdfunding website, to launch their campaign.
According to the brothers, the inspiration behind this project came from their own childhood experiences. Growing up, they were constantly surrounded by the stories of their parents' community in Bronzeville on the South Side of Chicago. These stories were so vivid and captivating that they left a lasting impression on the brothers. However, as time passed, the memories of their elders began to fade and the authentic records of these stories were slowly disappearing. This is where technology came into play. It gave them the power to preserve these memories and share them with a new generation. As the brothers put it, "If we don't tell our own stories...who will?"
Fast forward to January 2024, their game, Time Machine Bronzeville, officially launched on the popular PC gaming platform, Steam. Similar to the popular game Tales of Kenzera: Zau, published by Electronic Arts, this game was also priced at an affordable $24.99. The game's description on Steam promises an immersive experience where players can explore the dynamic cityscape of Bronzeville, specifically East 47th St. and South Parkway Blvd, during the time between the World Wars. They can encounter heroes and villains, survivors and success stories, all in a 3D interactive setting that brings this community to life.
But beyond the excitement of a new video game, the Time Machine Bronzeville project also sheds light on a larger issue within the gaming industry - the lack of diversity, specifically when it comes to Black game developers. This issue was brought to the forefront in 2023 when NPR published an article on the subject. It's ironic because the gaming industry owes its very existence to a Black man, Jerry Lawson, who invented the first home video gaming system using cartridges. However, the progress in increasing diversity within the industry has been slow. According to a recent survey, only 5% of video game workers identify as Black. But the Jones brothers, as indie developers, represent a growing group of diverse voices in the industry.
Xalaver Nelson, a Black head writer, game developer, and the founder of Strange Scaffold, believes that the root of this issue is a lack of imagination within the gaming industry. "I think the problem that the games industry faces with Black people is twofold," Nelson explained. "The first is giving people their first opportunity because they haven't done it already. The inability to create space for people to start their journey in the first place is a terminal illness, which is currently strangling the games industry."
In conclusion, the Time Machine Bronzeville project is not just a video game, it's a powerful way to preserve and share the stories of a community, and it's also a step towards a more diverse and inclusive gaming industry. As parents, we should stop nagging our kids about playing video games and instead, embrace the potential for it to inspire and shape their future careers.
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