Non-profit community interest company Into Games is seeking to raise £100,000 this year to confront class disparity in the UK gaming sector, noting that jobseekers from a working-class background are eight times less likely to get a job in the industry.
The company’s mission is front and centre: "We’re raising £100,000 to make 2024 the year we move the needle on social mobility in the UK games sector."
Overcoming boundaries
Into Games was founded in 2019 and has since connected 100,000 young people with sector professionals, given people from a low-income background hundreds of free places to UK game career events, and upskilled over 100 schools across the country.
These initiatives have served to confront the inequality between class backgrounds in the UK, where more than 30% of game staff are from selective, independent or fee-paying schools; this is five times the UK average.
Going into 2024, Into Games is looking to support at least 160 school opportunities, reach 20,000 young people and create an open-source educational pack. Relaunching the Videogames Ambassadors with fellow UK non-profit Ukie will also provide a new online platform for schools and game sector staff.
Furthermore, January 2024 marks the launch of Into Games’ £30,000 bursary for working-class young people, designed to fund equipment, events and training. The funds will be distributed in quarterly releases.
"We're raising £100000 to finally move the needle on social mobility in games," Into Games posted on LinkedIn.
"Game Plan 2024 is our strategic roadmap - it lays out for all of our friends, followers, stakeholders and partners to see transparently our ambitious impact plans to support our mission of building a fair and inclusive pathway into the games and immersive industries.
"This will help us build the foundations for a future where anyone, no matter their background, can learn about and access opportunities in the UK games industry. And, we're calling on the games sector to join us on that journey!"
Riot Games recently announced the latest milestone of its Social Impact Fund, having now raised $50 million in support of nonprofits, communities and organisations around the world.
