FunPlus announces a year-long partnership with Gay Gaming Professionals

The gaming industry has long been a space for creativity, imagination, and entertainment, captivating millions of individuals worldwide. As the industry continues to evolve, it becomes imperative to foster an environment that embraces diversity and inclusivity. We are announcing a partnership with Gay Gaming Professionals (GGP), hoping to create significant strides to promote and celebrate the LGBTQ+ community within the gaming world.

We want to share some details about the mission and goals of this partnertship through an interview with Gordon Bellamy, CEO of Gay Gaming Professionals.

• Can you share with us the mission and goals of Gay Gaming Professionals and how it aims to promote diversity within the gaming industry?
  
  Our missions and goals at the Gay Game Professionals are designed to promote diversity inside the game industry. Specifically, focus on three phases: empowerment, expertise, and entrepreneurship. What I mean by that is that we have programs like our Scholars Program, which are about giving a sense of belonging for young people in the space, whether that be by attending events like GDC or the mentorship they receive from companies like FunPlus. We also focus on expertise. So in the case of FunPlus, we will be providing videos showing some of their top creators sharing their unique take on the craft with the world and with entrepreneurship. Well, that takes many forms, too. Whether it be sort of owning your craft and owning your time in a company, or launching your own business to make your own FunPlus someday.

• How does the partnership between FunPlus and Gay Gaming Professionals align with your respective organizations’ commitment to diversity and inclusivity?
  
  The partnership between FunPlus and Gay Gaming Professionals really is a great example of our shared commitment to diversity and inclusivity. So, in this case, we’re not only going to be helping cultivate the next generation through our mentorship program, through our scholarship program, but we’re also going to be highlighting outstanding employees from the FunPlus Community and their excellence in their craft, through videos that you’ll see on Twitch and YouTube throughout the year. 

• In what ways do you believe this partnership will positively impact the gaming community, particularly LGBTQ+ gamers?
  
  I believe the partnership between GGP and FunPlus will positively impact the gaming community, and specifically the LGBTQ + gamer community. I think it’s so important that we see reflections of ourselves not only in the games we play but also in the people who create them. It’s meaningful. Games are art, and art is an expression of self. And the things that we’re going to be doing with FunPlus are going to be showing that games are made for and by everyone. 

• Could you provide some insights into the specific initiatives or projects that will be undertaken as part of this partnership to foster a more inclusive gaming environment?
  
  So we have some very specific initiatives with FunPlus and GGP to foster a more inclusive gaming environment. So we begin at the collegiate level, where our students in our Scholars program will be working one on one with developers from FunPlus in a mentorship relationship so they can begin that path forward, moving with the conviction that comes from the support, the encouragement, and the very specific knowledge that leaders like developers at FunPlus can provide. We’re also specifically going to be focusing on content from the development community at FunPlus, which is powerful not only In the diversity of identity, but diversity of location. So FunPlus has studios all around the world, and we’re going to be able to showcase developers from all around the world through YouTube and Twitch over the course of the year. 

• How do you envision the collaboration between FunPlus and Gay Gaming Professionals contributing to raising awareness about LGBTQ+ representation in the gaming industry?
  
  I envision that the collaboration between FunPlus and GGP will raise awareness about LGBTQ + representation across the industry. I think there’s nothing like video content for people built to enjoy and learn – where they are when they’re ready – about just how wonderfully diverse and collaborative our industry is

• What are some challenges that LGBTQ+ individuals often face in the gaming industry, and how can this partnership help address those challenges?
  
  There are some challenges that LGBTQ + people face across the gaming industry, and we’re hoping this partnership is going to address some of those challenges. I think one of those is simply a sense of belonging in your uniqueness. We’re going to be showcasing so many wonderful, unique voices from FunPlus, and I think that is just going to be additive because it’s always meaningful for people to discover more people like themselves. Or like people who are so different than themselves that are on the same path of game creation

• How will this partnership encourage other gaming companies to prioritize diversity and inclusion in their practices?
  
  I think this partnership is going to encourage other gaming companies to prioritize diversity, and inclusion in their practices, because, once again, it can be hard to do the work yourself, to be the first penguin, as it were. But when you see positive behaviors like what FunPlus is doing, then you can model and make it your own. It can be easier to micro-innovate and to have your own take on something that you already respect, that’s already out there. 

• In your opinion, why is it important for gaming companies like FunPlus to actively support and advocate for the LGBTQ+ community?
  
  In my opinion, it’s critical and important for game companies like FunPlus to actively support and advocate for the LGBTQ + community. We are everywhere. We are their workers. We are their players. We’re the families who are sharing these experiences across the world. And that advocacy just gives everyone more of an opportunity to participate in the fun.

• Looking ahead, what are the shared goals of FunPlus and Gay Gaming Professionals in terms of creating a more inclusive and diverse gaming industry, and what impact do you hope to achieve together?
  
  Looking ahead, it is so great that we have these shared goals between FunPlus and GGP for creating a more inclusive and diverse gaming industry. I know the impact is that there’s going to be a generation that follows where it’s simply default to celebrate the power and joy of inclusiveness in both the creation and the play of games.

This partnership between Fun Plus and the Gay Game Professionals represents a significant step towards fostering diversity and inclusivity within the gaming industry. Through empowerment, expertise, and entrepreneurship, this collaboration aims to create a more inclusive gaming environment, where individuals from all backgrounds can thrive. By highlighting exceptional talent, raising awareness, and overcoming challenges, we want to pave the way for a future where diversity and representation are celebrated and cherished by all.