Powerhouse and First Nations social enterprise Awesome Black are collaborating on a new initiative, celebrating First Nations creativity and storytelling through video games. This unique collaboration is a two-year project that encompasses creative learning programs and events, industry growth and skill, in order to grow and foster the Australian games industry.
To help support the learning and skill development of Awesome Black, Powerhouse will help in providing connections to industry partners and mentoring opportunities, along with supporting the team in attending relevant conferences, courses and workshops. This will make a real impact in the team successfully delivering their first video game, ‘Fear of a Blak Planet’. Created by First Nations creative practitioners, the game looks at the efforts to re-Indigenise Australia after years of colonial rule.
Powerhouse also brings TAFE NSW into the partnership to deliver a free Creative Studio Workshop during the school holidays. Aimed towards high school students and budding game makers, the Creative Studio Workshop will eventually become part of the Lang Walker Family Academy program at Powerhouse Parramatta.
Travis DeVris, the founder of Awesome Black, weighed in on how the collaboration would help:
“Awesome Black is absolutely blown away to have our work in the video game development space recognised in this way. This opportunity builds the foundation for cementing our creative output as works of cultural significance, both now and in the future. Such achievements are only possible through collaboration and industry support. Having Powerhouse join us as a partner on this project is an honour we did not foresee when we started. We were so glad to be able to be a part of this initiative, with the Powerhouse team recognising video gaming and First Nations culture in the spaces that it deserves to be recognised.”
After Fear of a Blak Planet is released, Awesome Black and Powerhouse will present an industry-focused event that showcases the game as well as its development. It not only celebrates the First Nations creatives who worked on the game but also provides valuable insight into its ideation and creation process.
About the Author
Victor Tan
He/Him
Victor spends his time trying to help players out of tricky situations and give them the guidance they need to succeed. Outside of the video game world, you can find him training at the gym or doing simple improv activities.
