‘We were effectively props’: young stars of game development feel let down by the ‘gaming Oscars’

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admin Nov 12, 2025 0

‘We were effectively props’: young stars of game development feel let down by the ‘gaming Oscars’

Video games have long struggled with diversification and inclusivity, so it was no surprise when the Game Awards host and producer Geoff Keighley announced the Future Class programme in 2020. Its purpose was to highlight a cohort of individuals working in video games as the “bright, bold and inclusive future” of the industry.

Considering the widespread reach of the annual Keighley-led show, which saw an estimated 154m livestreams last year, Future Class felt like a genuine effort. Inductees were invited to attend the illustrious December ceremony, billed as “gaming’s Oscars”, featured on the official Game Awards website, and promised networking opportunities and career advancement advice. However, the programme reportedly struggled from the start. Over the last couple of years, support waned. Now, it appears the Game Awards Future Class has been wholly abandoned.

This is the second year in a row Future Class has not announced a new cohort: there are usually 50 inductees across various games industry disciplines, including writing, development, journalism and community management.

“We were effectively props,” game producer Dianna Lora, who was inducted into the first Future Class in 2020, said over video call. “Once we got to the Game Awards (most people flew in from other countries, which was expensive), we showed up, and it felt like we were pushed to the side door … We found out later that Keighley had a party in another room with all the influencers and industry people. You know where Future Class met that day? At a Starbucks.”

“No one from official leadership even showed up until the meet-up was basically over,” Future Class member and Retcon

“They fought for everything the 2023 class got: the Future class mixer, [them] putting us up in a hotel for two nights, covering the flight … everything that I got was a result of my previous classmates,” writer and 2023 inductee Emma Kidwell said of previous Future Class inductees. More recent inductees praised the mentorship opportunities.

But 2023 also saw a high-profile clash between the Future Class and Keighley, which members believe accelerated the programme’s demise. In November, in the wake of increasing media coverage of the humanitarian crisis in Gaza, more than 70 Future Class members

A few members wondered about the sponsorships associated with the programme (a video highlighting a 2023 inductee was presented by Old Spice) and if they were just being “tokenised” to help the programme make more money. (Presenting a one-minute trailer at Keighley’s 2024 summer games showcase reportedly cost $250,000, and sources say the Game Awards is even more expensive.) “They didn’t mention us at the 2022 Game Awards, except for a huge sponsorship that they apparently got in the name of the Future Class, which none of us were told about, and certainly didn’t see any money from,” said Negrón.

At some point, the Future Class page was removed from the Game Awards site, meaning there is no official archive of its members. “Not only are they discontinuing the programme, but they’ve also eliminated any way for us to claim the honour that they provided,” Checo said.

“Marginalised people need accolades because it pushes them to at least be on the same starting level that you or I might have,” said Kidwell. “Now people can’t put that on their résumés.” Negrón was curious about the thought process behind it all, saying: “Don’t gather some of the most brilliant activists in the industry, treat us like crap, and then expect us to do nothing about it.”

Many believe Future Class’s failure will serve as a cogent reminder that allyship without proper support is simply performative. And for some, not all is lost. Midnight Hour founder Elaine Gómez said the “camaraderie and community that was created by bringing nearly 200 developers and creatives from underrepresented communities together” was the best part of it all. Meanwhile, the official Future Class Discord is still going – and more active now than it has been in the last year or so.

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Author: 360 Technology Group