[Game Changer] Meet Video Game Activist Shawn Alexander Allen

Allen created his gaming company, Nu Challenger, in 2012 and has a big vision of what he wants the company to be for video game aficionados and novices. “When someone is waiting for you [in the gaming world], its like ‘a new challenger awaits.’ It kind of has grown into this metaphor—just constantly having to get past expectations and break down new barriers,” Allen explains. “As a whole, I want Nu Challenger to help marginalized people who aren’t often seen in the game space. I want to grow my studio to a place where we can have paid internships for people to learn art and game design.” In the meantime, Allen is still fulfilling his dream of creating his own game—Treachery in Beatdown City. In a setting that includes racism, profiling, and gentrification, the main character—President Barack Obama—is kidnapped by Ninja Dragon Terrorists in East Fulton, Manhattan.

When it comes to those who want to get their start in the gaming world, Allen advises them to always practice what they love. “We need your thoughts and your talents,” Allen says. “And even though the industry doesn’t look like you, you can’t let that be a detractor.”

–written by Paulana Lamonier