A Theory

I always share with people that, when we started Gameheads, it was a theory—the theory that teaching game design, development, dev ops, and mixed media will increase engagement and participation from those in marginalized communities. From there, the students would be able to permeate into the industry across a variety of disciplines. This theory was born during the 2014 tech industry boom in the Bay Area, where Gameheads was founded. Coding was emphasized as a way for the working class to find footing, but I felt it wasn’t for everyone. 

My background as a gaming journalist allowed me to see the potential of game design. When you dissect a game, you have art, animation, project management, coding, sound design, motion capture, level design, QA, and more. Essentially, these different parts form an entertainment industry that needs to be diversified like its Hollywood counterpart for content to grow.  I saw the opportunity and need for talent from kids from the East Bay, as well as those who identify as women, LGBTQ+, non-binary, etc.  

In the last ten years, Gameheads have grown to become a crucial bridge between those marginalized communities and the gaming industry. I couldn’t have done it alone and am thankful for the opportunity to share some of the success we’ve achieved with the support of Sony Interactive Entertainment (SIE). Without the support of partners like SIE, Gameheads’ theory would never have become a reality.

Small Team, Pivotal Results

The Gameheads theory started with the creative work of just 12 students and an incredible game about grief using Media Molecule’s Little Big Planet creator features. To all our surprise, the game won the ESA LOFT Innovation Fellowship held at the White House, after I encouraged them to submit it into a competition. Not only did they have a chance to present their game to the National Hispanic Caucus of State Legislators, they also received $1,000 in seed capital, and even got free tickets to E3. Seeing their enthusiasm, I casually asked if they wanted to continue learning and of course, received an overwhelming response. From there, we started to see explosive growth and I quit my day job a year after that pivotal day.

Gameheads students visit the SIE campus

Since that day, partners like SIE have helped shape what the Gameheads curriculum offers and are instrumental in providing our students with crucial real-work opportunities and hands-on resources. We typically have two or three students participate in SIE’s Apprentice Pathway Program, a workforce development program that provides apprenticeships to the underserved. 

Fly N’ Fresh Suit Pack

Fast forward to today, one of the most thrilling collaborations for our students has been working on is for Marvel’s Spider-Man 2. During the game’s production, Insomniac Games reached out with the opportunity to place Gameheads students with their staff during the summer. 

“Gameheads has been a partner of SIE for many years, and our team at Insomniac Games couldn’t have been more excited to bring on three of their apprentices,” said Bryan Intihar, Senior Creative Director at Insomniac Games. “Each apprentice made meaningful contributions to the game and our studio, providing this awesome opportunity to support and elevate the Gameheads Mission. Further, the partnership allowed Gameheads students to create a special suit pack for Marvel’s Spider-Man 2, with each suit representing the kind of creativity we love to see from our games.”

Alongside the apprenticeship opportunity, in collaboration with Disney and Marvel Games, Insomniac Games approached us about an amazing social impact initiative: Designing a suit for each of the titular Spider-Men to wear in Marvel’s Spider-Man 2. Part of our mission is to give marginalized youth the tools, skills, and knowledge to succeed in the gaming and tech industry. Thus, the opportunity to work with a prolific team like Insomniac Games was already invaluable and the ability to give our students exposure to be credited for a high-profile masterpiece was another huge step up. 

Six of our students worked on this project for roughly six months, creating two Spider-Man suits that released as the Fly N’ Fresh Suit Pack1 . The designs for the suits were inspired by the 50th anniversary of Hip Hop, a rich culture that is deeply influential among our students. This project is something our students will carry with them forever (they’re also in the game’s credits) and is also a proud moment for all of us who keep Gameheads going. It was an especially proud moment for all of us at Gameheads when the pack launched and I was especially thrilled when some of the students continued to extend their time at Insomniac Games even after launch. 

“We loved providing insight and hands-on experience for how things are done in the industry through Insomniac’s partnership with Gameheads,” said Johnson Truong, Art Director at Insomniac Games.  “Interacting with the team, providing feedback, and watching the students step up and deliver was great to see. The students met those challenges, and delivered work in the manner of working professionals, all while bringing their own energy and interest to the process. Damon from Gameheads was a steady hand in helping keep the team focused, getting the work done, and collaborating with Insomniac.”

Investing in Future Growth 

Aside from our students taking part in specific game development, we’re thrilled to be one of the partners of SIE’s Global Social Justice Fund. In 2021, we opened the Video Game Center in Oakland, CA, partially funded by an initial donation we received from SIE and the Social Justice Fund. Initially apprehensive about expanding with heavy overhead cost, SIE’s monetary funding as well as overall partnership and support through its DEI team have made us feel comfortable and confident that we could invest and grow. 

The center is two buildings and features areas dedicated to empowering and educating. There’s a state-of-the-art virtual production studio equipped with VR headsets, a green screen, and more. The Art, Animation, and Engineering lab features equipment for game production including graphic tablets, a DJ turntable set, high-end laptops and more, and is designed as a space where students can receive instruction from experienced developers. There’s also the Gameheads Library, where students can check out over 3,000 video game titles as well as books about design, art, coding, project management, leadership, multiculturalism, and more.

Gameheads’ Video Game Center

Conclusion / A Reality

On August 24, we hosted a showcase at Northeastern University’s Mills campus in celebration of our 10th anniversary. It was truly a watershed moment. We had 400 people in our space to celebrate the creation of our 100th video game, including PacaPomo, our best commercial title from the Gameheads Fellowship. Our students even created a massive poster featuring every video game character from all the games we’ve made over the decade. 

Seeing all of these incredible things during the celebration, alongside recognized partners like Insomniac Games, and SIE, was an overwhelming realization that our theory worked. Everything we’d envisioned and worked toward had come to life and it was incredible to see the fruits of our labor in the lives we’ve impacted and the community we’ve built. It validated all of the hard work we put into Gameheads over 10 years. Thank you for the first decade and for many more decades to come! 

  1. PlayStation sold the Fly N’ Fresh Suit Pack for $4.99 per pack in the United States from March 7, 2024 through April 5, 2024, with sale proceeds donated to Gameheads up to $1 million via its fiscal sponsor, Community Initiatives. ↩︎