Connect with top gaming leaders in Los Angeles at GamesBeat Summit 2023 this May 22-23. Register here.
Nina Freeman, a game developer and host of the Independent Games Festival Awards, drew her loudest applause of the night before thousands of game developers as she expressed sympathy for those “affected by the Muslim travel ban.”
A number of game developers said they could no longer travel to the U.S. for the Game Developers Conference in San Francisco because of the travel ban announced by President Donald Trump.
Her outspoken comment was a contrast to the DICE Awards, where none of the recipients mentioned Trump or the travel ban.
“I urge you to donate to the ACLU,” Freeman said. She got cheers, and the table next to me stood up and yelled, “Fuck Trump” over and over.
Event
GamesBeat Summit 2023
Join the GamesBeat community in Los Angeles this May 22-23. You’ll hear from the brightest minds within the gaming industry to share their updates on the latest developments.
Clearly, the developers aren’t holding back at this event. While Freeman was vocal, none of the award winners brought up Trump or the travel ban. In fact, Brendan Chan, winner of the Seumas McNally Grand Prize for Quadrilateral Cowboy, was choked up. All he said, was, “Thank you.”
GamesBeat's creed when covering the game industry is "where passion meets business." What does this mean? We want to tell you how the news matters to you -- not just as a decision-maker at a game studio, but also as a fan of games. Whether you read our articles, listen to our podcasts, or watch our videos, GamesBeat will help you learn about the industry and enjoy engaging with it. Discover our Briefings.
