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GAME DEVS OF COLOR INC
BROOKLYN, NY · EIN 863432002 · Form 990 · FY2025 · NTEE O53 · Youth Development · Small ($100K-$1M) · gamedevsofcolorexpo.com
revenue
$182K
expenses
$245K
net assets
$-36K
employees
0
program ratio
65%
mission · from form 990

OUR MISSION IS TO AMPLIFY THE CREATIVE POWER HELD BY PEOPLE OF COLOR IN GAMES. WE DO THIS BY ORGANIZING REVOLUTIONARY EVENTS, UNITING OUR VIBRANT COMMUNITY, AND BUILDING ACCESS TO KNOWLEDGE, FUNDING, AND OPPORTUNITIES.

profile · synthesized from sources

Game Devs of Color is a Brooklyn-based nonprofit dedicated to amplifying the creative power of people of color in the video game industry. It organizes the annual Game Devs of Color Expo, a community-focused event featuring talks, panels, and developer interviews that center diversity, inclusion, and creative innovation. The organization supports developers through knowledge-sharing, community building, and access to opportunities in game development.

named programs · 3 · from sources

What they call their work

Cultural and Sensitivity Consulting Guide
Panel and educational initiative on working with sensitivity consultants to avoid stereotypes and create authentic, diverse game narratives
Developer Community Building
Program supporting the formation and growth of communities for underrepresented developers, including AAPI in Gaming and labor organizing groups
Game Devs of Color Expo
Annual event featuring talks, panels, and developer interviews that highlight diverse voices in game development and foster community among developers of color
activities · 6 groups

What they do

  • Game Community Events & Expos 5 activities
    • Host GDoCExpo Direct and Steam Sale
      Produces the GDoCExpo Direct and a concurrent Steam sale to showcase and promote games developed by people of color, increasing visibility and commercial opportunities for underrepresented creators.
    • Host annual Game Devs of Color Expo
      Organizes the annual Game Devs of Color Expo, a recurring event that showcases innovative games and features speakers, panels, interviews, and full-length presentations by developers of color. The event includes ticketed portions, online streaming, and has drawn over 1,500 attendees and 700,000 Steam event participants in recent years.
    • Host in-person and online watch parties
      Organizes official in-person Watch Parties across North America as part of the Game Devs of Color Expo programming, with 14 events hosted in multiple years to expand community engagement and local access to the expo content.
    • Produce research and historical presentations
      Creates and presents research on the contributions of developers of color, including a documented talk on 50 years of video game history in Mexico highlighting cultural impact and developer contributions.
    • Provide need-based access and scholarships
      Offers need-based tickets to the Game Devs of Color Expo and provides full support—including GDC Festival Passes, travel, and on-site activities—for a cohort of professionals attending the Game Developers Conference in San Francisco.
  • Artist Support Grants 1 activity
    • Award grants to game developers of color
      Funds game developers of color through grant programs including the Humble Bundle Game Creator of Color grant and other funding initiatives, awarding over $34,000 in total and raising more than $400,000 in support.
  • Impact Investing Knowledge & Technology Platforms 1 activity
    • Develop and maintain community technology tools
      Iterates on and ships features for a React-based Electron app based on community and leadership feedback to support organizational and event-related technology needs.
  • Community Safety and Conduct Enforcement 1 activity
    • Ensure community safety and inclusion
      Provides a safe, inclusive environment at events by offering multiple reporting channels for safety concerns—both in-person and via digital forms—and fostering spaces free from harassment or judgment.
  • Professional Job Board & Career Placement Services 1 activity
    • Operate job board for developers of color
      Runs a job board that connects developers of color with employment opportunities in the gaming industry, hosting listings for 45 days to support recruitment and career advancement.
  • Professional Association Capacity Building 1 activity
    • Support affinity groups and professional networks
      Provides capacity-building support to emerging communities such as AAPI in Gaming, facilitating growth to over 3,000 members and enabling partnerships with organizations like IGDA for roundtables, meetups, and industry engagement.
financials · form 990 · fy2025
revenue
Total revenue$182K
Contributions & grants$182K100%
Program service revenue$00%
Investment income$10%
Other revenue$0
expenses
Total expenses$245K
Program expenses65%
Admin / overhead35%
Fundraising0%
Salaries & benefits$22K
Grants paid out$27K
Largest expense lineProfessional Fees
balance sheet
Total assets$2K
Cash$2K
Investments$0
Liabilities$38K
Net assets$-36K
Liquid reserves0.1 mo
4 years on record · 2022–2025 · YoY revenue -16.9%
leadership · form 990 part vii · fy2025

Who runs it

paid leadership · 4
NameTitleHours/wkCompensation
BRIAN S CHUNG SECRETARY 9 $21K
BRIAN CARR MEMBER 9 $693
GYONGJU LEE TREASURER 3 $208
CATHERINE SMALL PRESIDENT 3 $178
relationships · 33

Who they work with

  • Amazon Gaming Partner — Partnered with Game Devs of Color to support events and opportunities for developers of color.
  • Benevity Funder — Platform enabling corporate donation matching
  • Benevity Funder — Platform enabling corporate donation matching for Game Devs of Color.
  • Cozy Comet Games Partner — Referenced in discussion of worker cooperative models in game development.
  • GDoCExpo Partner — Staff responsible for approving recordings and broadcasts of presentations.
  • GDoCExpo Sponsors Partner — Provides free job listings and other benefits to sponsors of the Game Devs of Color Expo.
  • Game Developers Conference Partner — Organizes scholarship recipient participation in GDC events and activities.
  • Gamerpacs Partner — Named Ko-fi member supporting the organization
  • Gamerpacs Partner — Organization recognized as a Ko-fi member supporting Game Devs of Color.
  • Givebutter Funder — Platform used for processing tax-deductible donations to Game Devs of Color.
  • Givebutter Funder — Platform used for tax-deductible individual donations
  • Humble Bundle Partner — Co-created the Game Creator of Color award to provide funding and visibility for developers of color.
  • IGDA Partner — Collaborated with AAPI in Gaming to host a GDC roundtable and a large meetup.
  • Jaiden Funder — Individual supporter recognized as a Ko-fi member contributing to Game Devs of Color.
  • Kenney Partner — Named Ko-fi member supporting the organization
  • Kenney Partner — Organization recognized as a Ko-fi member supporting Game Devs of Color.
  • Kirsten-Lee Naidoo Funder — Individual supporter recognized as a Ko-fi member contributing to Game Devs of Color.
  • Ko-fi Funder — Platform used for monthly memberships supporting grants, events, and programming
  • Ko-fi Funder — Platform used for monthly memberships that support Game Devs of Color programming and grants.
  • MagzThaWriter Funder — Individual supporter recognized as a Ko-fi member contributing to Game Devs of Color.
  • Medal Partner — Collaborates with Medal, as indicated by the company card and job posting context.
  • Meta Partner — Partnered with Game Devs of Color to advance diversity and inclusion in gaming.
  • Microsoft Partner — Hosted the inaugural Game Devs of Color Expo event at its headquarters in New York City in 2016.
  • NYU Partner — Partnered with Game Devs of Color to expand access and opportunities for developers of color.
  • Niantic Partner — Collaborated with Game Devs of Color to support inclusion and opportunity in the gaming industry.
  • Nintendo Partner — Partnered with Game Devs of Color to expand reach and create opportunities for developers of color.
  • Oculus Partner — Collaborated with Game Devs of Color to support inclusion and innovation in gaming.
  • Think Ten Media Group Partner — Named Ko-fi member supporting the organization
  • Think Ten Media Group Partner — Organization recognized as a Ko-fi member supporting Game Devs of Color.
  • USC Partner — Collaborated with Game Devs of Color to support inclusion and professional development for developers of color.
+ 3 more
strategies · 5

How they approach the work

Named approaches extracted from this org’s sources. Where others share an approach, follow it to see the full set of orgs running it.

  • Community-Driven Access Building
    methodology: community-driven_access_building
    By organizing community-led events and initiatives, the organization builds access to knowledge, funding, and professional opportunities for developers of color, because collective participation fosters trust, visibility, and shared pathways to resources that are otherwise inaccessible due to systemic exclusion.
  • Community-Led Showcase and Knowledge-Sharing Model
    methodology: community-led_showcase_model
    By using community-led roundtables, showcases, and global knowledge-sharing events, the organization amplifies underrepresented talent and builds collective expertise, because peer-driven platforms increase relevance, trust, and participation among developers of color who are marginalized in mainstream industry spaces.
  • Decolonizing Game Design as a Creative and Inclusive Practice
    methodology: decolonizing_game_design
    By challenging embedded capitalist and colonial values in game design—especially in genres like cozy games—the organization fosters more authentic, inclusive, and emotionally resonant player experiences, because reimagining design frameworks allows creators of color to center cultural values of care, community, and survival.
  • Equity-Centered Amplification Through Removal of Financial Barriers
    methodology: equitable-access
    By waiving submission fees, compensating speakers, and linking participation to grant opportunities, the organization increases equitable access to high-impact platforms, because removing economic disincentives enables under-resourced creators of color to participate, showcase work, and advance professionally without exploitation.
  • Hybrid and Open Access Platform for Global Inclusion
    methodology: hybrid-digital-access
    By combining hybrid digital platforms with free access to recorded educational content, the organization increases global accessibility and engagement, because removing geographic and financial barriers allows underrepresented creators worldwide to learn, connect, and participate in industry discourse.