The People’s War Radio Show, Episode #30: Video gaming, black representation and capitalist exploitation

This November, Sony and Microsoft will be releasing their newest gaming consoles, Playstation 5 and the XBOX Series X. It's estimated that by 2024, Sony and Microsoft will sell over 100 million of these new gaming units.  

Africans are overrepresented as gamers but underrepresented as creative workers in the industry. Approximately 7% of whites and 11% of Black young people define themselves as gamers, but Africans are only 3% of the video game industry’s high tech workforce.

We talk with Ushindi Watu, old school gamer from New Jersey, "I've been in arcades and pool halls since pinball", and Iquan X, St. Petersburg college student and avid gamer, about:

• Derogatory representation of African characters in video gaming
• Tech industry dependency and exploitation of precious minerals, like coltan and copper, from Africa
• Challenges faced by young Africans seeking to use their technology knowledge and skills for positive change and creative expression

The People's War radio show is produced by WBPU FM in St. Petersburg, FL and hosted by Dr. Matsemela Odom and Muambi Tangu.