Devolver Digital offers to show games by developers blocked from attending GDC

Devolver Digital, publisher of games such as Titan Souls, Strafe and the Hotline Miami series, is offering to help any developers developers prevented from attending this year’s Game Developers Conference by the Trump administrations’ ‘Muslim ban.’

In a press release issued today, Devolver says it is now accepting submissions to “demo games on behalf of creators and developers unable to attend GDC in San Francisco due to the recent ban on travel to the U.S. from certain foreign countries.”

The offer is open to PC or HTC Vive compatible games, which will be given space in an offsite facility not far from the Moscone Center.

“One of my favorite things about games is that they are truly global in nature, transcending borders and cultural differences more seamlessly than other art forms, and working with different people from all over the world with wildly varying backgrounds,” said Mike Wilson, co-founder of Devolver. He went on to stress how that kind of diversity “has been a huge part of Devolver's success and of our personal enjoyment of what we do.

"We are happy to have the opportunity to help create a bridge in some small way for some of the talented developers who will unfortunately be unable to attend this year's GDC."

The move by Devolver comes amidst a flood of support for refugees and others affected by the U.S.’s sudden movement to block or slow immigration from certain countries. Many, including designer and writer Raph Koster, Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella and indie developer Rami Ismail, have spoken publicly against the ban. Others, like the teams behind Kentucky Route Zero and Fez, have offered to convert their game sales into donations to the American Civil Liberties Union, an organization which has seen incredible support in the months following the November election.