Last week, The Game Developer reported that the organizers of The Game Awards, hosted by Geoff Keighley, have announced that they will not be continuing their Future Class initiative this year. This decision has left the program, which was established in 2020 to showcase emerging talents in the game development industry, facing an uncertain future. Furthermore, individuals who were previously featured in the initiative are unable to access the webpage confirming their participation.
Several developers who were part of the Future Class initiative and are still members of its dedicated Discord server have shared their thoughts with The Guardian about how the fate of the program has affected them. They have also highlighted discussions with The Game Awards’ organizers, including Geoff Keighley, regarding improvements they wanted to see in the program and a request for the 2023 edition of the show to address the ongoing conflict in Gaza.
One of the concerns raised was the negative experiences faced by nominees in the early years of the Future Class initiative during the show. “We were essentially treated as props,” noted game producer and 2020 class member Dianna Lora. Examples included feeling sidelined during a Starbucks meetup, being seated behind camera risers obstructing views during the main show, and limited mentorship opportunities through brief Zoom chats with industry professionals.
While recent nominees have reportedly had more positive experiences, their efforts to have a statement read out during the 2023 Game Awards in support of Palestine and calling for a ceasefire in Gaza were disregarded. Keighley, who did not respond to The Guardian’s inquiry, allegedly appeared displeased during a subsequent call where suggestions were made for more female presenters and acknowledgment of developer layoffs.
Many members are frustrated, particularly after the removal of the Future Class archive from The Game Awards’ website. Some are questioning whether their advocacy for program improvements and addressing key issues led to the initiative being put on hold. “Since we spoke up, it seems like they decided it was too much trouble and abandoned it,” said Lora, while community manager Natalie Checo added, “We were essentially penalized for advocating for ourselves, which was the very reason we were recognized.”
Despite the challenges, members have stayed connected as a community on Discord. While The Game Awards’ Future Class may have had its shortcomings, it has managed to bring together like-minded individuals with admirable goals.
