Zynga announces partnership with the It Gets Better Project
With Pride Month just around the corner, Zynga Inc, a wholly-owned publishing label of Take-Two Interactive and developer of games such as Star Wars: Hunters and FarmVille, has announced today a partnership with the It Gets Better Project. The It Gets Project is a nonprofit connecting LGBTQ+ youth worldwide.
As part of the collaboration, zPride – a Zynga employee resource group for LGBTQ+ employees – and Take-Two will contribute a combined $50,000.
Unlike previous years, this time Zynga will launch its very first Pride Month website as part of its ‘Play with Pride’ campaign. It will feature join activities in the It Gets Better Project, and highlight in-game events.
Description: Zynga’s zPride members will join It Gets Better Project on Twitch tomorrow (Wednesday, May 31), 9:30 – 10:30 am PT. They’ll be discussing personal experiences with queer narratives in video games and the impact that we all can have on pushing them further! The It Gets Better Project is a nonprofit that connects LGBTQ+ youth across the world through storytelling, education, and building a global community! Over the past 10 years, more than 70,000 people have shared their stories of how #itgetsbetter https://www.twitch.tv/itgetsbetter
There will also be a panel later on today from Zynga’s zPride members over on the It Gets Better Project Twitch page from 9:30 am to 10:30 am. These members will discuss their personal experiences with queer narratives in video games, and the impact they can have. They’ll also go into more detail on how they are creating a more inclusive and welcoming environment in gaming and beyond. These will all be available to watch on Zynga’s blog and socials.
“We are very excited to collaborate with a partner like Zynga to expand our support for young people in the LGBTQ+ community through gaming,” said Morgan Cohn, Strategic Partnerships Manager at the It Gets Better Project. “Zynga has done impressive work making gaming feel more inclusive, and this partnership highlights how the LGBTQ+ community can make a positive, lasting impact by bringing diverse experiences to the industry.”
Overall, there will be 15 games participating in Zynga and the It Gets Better Project activations. This includes games such as Dragon City, FarmVille 3, Two Dots, Words with Friends 2, and a whole lot more.
“Inclusivity doesn’t just happen – it has to be intentional, which is why the annual Play With Pride initiative is so important to us,” said Lad Geake, zPride Co-Lead. “It’s our love note to the LGBTQ+ community around the world who enjoy our games, and a celebration of the identities of the developers who make our games.”
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