The University of Bristol is funding a PhD for Black heritage students to help make the games industry more inclusive.
The University is offering a fully funded, salaried research program to students with Black heritage. It’s open to graduates from African, Caribbean and other mixed heritage backgrounds with a degree in social sciences.
While the UK games market peaked at £7 billion in 2020, the industry still remains one of the least inclusive. The goal of the successful candidate will be able to suggest how the industry can become more inclusive. This will be achieved by conducting active research among game developers and communities.
Only 10% of Workers In the Games Industry Are BAME
Research from trade body UKIE [The Association for UK Interactive Entertainment] suggests that around 10% of people working in games are Black, Asian or minority ethnic (BAME). That’s far lower than the working age population and very noticeable when looking at senior positions.
The co-director of Bristol Digital Futures, Professor Susan Halford, says: “Gamers are often positioned as passive consumers of tech products created for them, not by them. This project aims to explore how more people can have a stake in the future of the industry.”
Supermassive Games is working closely with the university for this project. That’s the studio that brought us the horror delight ‘Until Dawn’ and ‘The Dark Pictures Anthology’. The successful candidate will work closely with the studio and other gaming networks while doing their active research.
“The specific events of 2020, that highlighted the importance of the Black Lives Matter movement, motivated us to identify how we could make a difference as a business,” says Pete and Joe Samuels from Supermassive Games. “We’re excited to be funding this Supermassive Games PhD Studentship, and to be supporting the researcher throughout their studies.”
If you are interested in applying for the PhD, you can do that on the University of Bristol website. The closing date for applications is 1st August with interviews beginning on 1st September.
Featured Image Credit: University of Bristol