Independent Games Festival starts with a plea for supporting game devs

Shawn Pierre, the chairperson of the Independent Games Festival, opened the Independent Games Festival Awards with a plea to support game developers. Pierre had some heartfelt words for the audience, which has been hit hard by layoffs, studio closures and other ills that have made life tough for game developers lately. “I’m sure that many of us have been overwhelmed by a lot. Last year, many of the folks on the stage spoke about how unfairly our peers have been treated. And it is honestly a shame that regardless of how much may have improved, it needs to get better,” Pierre said. “The fight for fairness, for responsibility, for treating people as people, not as numbers, is something that needs to continue.” He said the struggles that independent developers face from discovery to funding are ever present, and it is difficult to think about what lies the next on the horizon. “But watching all of you work every day, whether It’s full or part time or in between other applications, watc ... Read full article.