Household video game name Atari is looking to offer more inclusive games for its audience -- the first being Pridefest, a social-sim game coming to iOS and Android mobile devices and tablets that lets players plan and manage their own gay pride parade.
In Pridefest players will have the opportunity to pick their parade location, customize parade floats with decorations, and spruce up their selected area with attractions and entertainment with the goal of keeping their selected city prosperous and happy. Solving challenges and completing quests will unlock new parade and festival options along with other bonuses. Pridefest will include various social features seen in other social sim games, such as the ability to visit the cities of friends.
Atari announces Pridefest after attending and sponsoring the second GaymerX convention, a LGBT gamer convention that celebrates equality and diversity in gaming. Matt Conn, founder of GaymerX, says Atari's support is a step forward in bringing equality to gaming.
"Gaming is the largest entertainment sector in the world, and Atari is one of the most recognizable and iconic brands," Conn said. "To have them support our conference and cause, as well as bring an LGBTQ-themed game to market is a huge step toward equality in gaming. It's extremely important that we see these large publishers like Atari stepping up to the plate, and I'm excited that they have the courage to take the first step in supporting the community."
Todd Shallbetter, Atari's Chief Operating Officer, said in a press release that Pridefest will just be the first offering from an Atari that looks to provide a variety of inclusive games to its players.
"We are excited to be developing Atari's first LGBT-themed game that will give players of all backgrounds the chance to play a fun and unique game that represents a passionate cause," Shallbetter said. "We will continue offering a variety of games that are inclusive for all Atari fans and Pridefest is another example of how we are doing that."
Last month Shallbetter told Polygon much the same, saying Atari was looking to reach out to the LGBT community.
"It's something we feel very strongly about here, institutionally," Shallbetter said. "We like to think of ourselves as a very inclusive brand, as a very inclusive company. ... And we seek opportunities, and this is an opportunity that we think could be beneficial to us as a company - commercially, as well as just, it's the right thing to do."
Currently the game has no trailers or screenshots, only a logo, so expect to see more of Pridefest in the coming months.
