In President Donald Trump's first week in office, one of his most controversial orders was the immigration ban that prevents citizens from seven Muslim-majority countries, even those with complete documents and legal visas, from entering the United States.
The move was denounced by major players in the tech industry, including Apple, Facebook, Google, and Microsoft. The American Civil Liberties Union even filed a lawsuit against the White House over the executive order, leading to record fundraising.
Independent video game publisher Devolver Digital, meanwhile, will be dealing with Trump's immigration ban in its own way as the Game Developers Conference draws near.
Devolver Digital Reveals Devolver Underground
Devolver Digital, known for titles such as Hotline Miami and Downwell, said that it will be helping showcase games to the upcoming Game Developers Conference in San Francisco, which were made by companies and creators that will not be able to attend the event due to the enforced travel ban.
The publisher made the announcement on social media, where it said that it is accepting submissions for titles from affected developers. Devolver Digital said that it will be setting up PCs and HTC Vive virtual reality headsets in a nearby off-site location that will be used by the publisher during the conference.
The location, formerly known as Galvanize, will be named Devolver Underground during the Game Developers Conference. The site will be open to attendees and press over the course of the event, which will run from Feb. 27 to March 1.
Devolver Digital To Create Bridge For Blocked Developers
In a statement, Devolver Digital cofounder Mike Wilson explained that the publisher offered to help the developers who will not be able to attend the event due to video games being "truly global" in nature, as they transcend borders and differences in culture better than all other media.
Wilson added that a big part of the success of the company has been due to collaboration with people from all over the world. As such, Devolver Digital is happy to help form a bridge for talented developers to still showcase their projects to attendees and press of this year's GCC, despite being blocked from entering the United States.
The organizers of the Game Developers Conference have offered refunds to developers who will no longer be able to attend the event. Devolver Digital is not the only video game company that has made a statement against the immigration ban of Trump, though, as different firms have expressed their outrage against the executive order.
Devolver Digital Decision Is 'Fantastic News'
Shahid Kamal Ahmad, an independent developer and the former director for strategic content for the PlayStation, will not be able to attend the Game Developers Conference due to the immigration ban. In a statement to Engadget, he said that the decision of Devolver Digital was "fantastic news."
While it is a small statement in an issue that stretches not just within the United States but also across the world, the decision of Devolver Digital to showcase titles by developers affected by the immigration ban shows that it is indeed possible for the world to come together, no matter how small or big the problem.
