POC in Play highlights South Asian talent with SAHM 100 list

Racial equity and inclusion organization POC in Play has revealed a list of 100 South Asian professionals to highlight and promote South Asian talent in the games industry.

To celebrate South Asian Heritage Month, POC in Play created the SAHM 100 initiative in partnership with BAFTA Games.

From July 18 to August 17, BAFTA highlighted South Asian professionals under the hashtag #SAHM100. The project can be found on its website as it showcases the 100 selected individuals.

With the list, POC in Play intends to inspire young talent to join the industry.

POC in Play North lead Dr. Satish Shewhorak said, “This is only the second year of South Asian Heritage Month, but we wanted to make sure videogames were included as a vital piece of British and worldwide culture.

“And importantly, to celebrate the talented and creative South Asian developers who are often hidden behind the scenes, to help connect them and inspire future generations of games developers.”

Shewhorak added that South Asian individuals make up less than 3% of the game developers in the UK and very few games star them. Visibility is important because it shows that the industry is a welcoming place and offers a viable career path for younger South Asian developers.

Additionally, POC in Play hosted a South Asian in Games panel as a part of South Asian Heritage Month where representation in games and industry careers were discussed.