Take Us North, a narrative-driven game that follows migrants & asylum seekers crossing the US-Mexico border, nears Kickstarter goal
Take Us North, from Anima Interactive – a new socially conscious indie games studio, is nearing its Kickstarter goal and needs your support! Take Us North is a narrative-driven game that offers a unique and empathetic perspective on the journeys of migrants and asylum seekers crossing the US-Mexico border.
The campaign is aiming to raise $30,000 USD by Saturday, July 12, 2025, to bring this timely and impactful story to players worldwide. As of the date of this article, the campaign stands at 80% funded.
Take Us North immerses players in a compelling narrative, exploring the challenges and hopes of individuals navigating an arduous path toward a better life. Players will experience the emotional depth and difficult decisions faced by the game’s characters as they strive for survival and a brighter future.
“We believe games and interactive media have the power to dissect complex subjects, tell meaningful stories, and foster empathy in unparalleled ways,” says Karla Reyes, Founder & Creative Director at Anima Interactive. “With Take Us North, we want to shed light on a critical global issue and invite players to step into the shoes of and walk alongside humans who are often unseen, unheard, or misunderstood. We’re excited to share this project with the world through Kickstarter and invite our community to join us in bringing these vital stories to life.”
Take Us North has garnered early support from Microsoft Xbox, Cinereach (a media incubator behind Academy Award Nominees like Beasts of the Southern Wild and Marcel the Shell with Shoes On), and Clever Endeavour Games. They’ve had opportunities to present a demo of the game at the United Nations and at festivals around the world including GDC, London Games Festival, Gamescom LatAm, A MAZE in Berlin, and Tribeca Festival in New York.
Renowned games industry leaders such as María Sayans (CEO of Ustwo Games) and Chandana Ekanayake (Co-Founder & Creative Director of Outerloop Games) have also publicly endorsed the project.
The team is working in close collaboration with migrant shelters in Mexico, humanitarians, academics, and experts in migration in order to ensure their portrayal of this topic is sensitive and authentic.
The Kickstarter campaign will offer various backer rewards, including exclusive content and handcrafted goods made by migrants and asylum seekers in a partner shelter.
“At Casa de la Misericordia shelter in Nogales, Mexico, the residents engage in activities such as embroidery and textile making as a way to process trauma and heal” remarks Reyes. “We’re thrilled to share these beautiful artisanal works handcrafted with love with our backers.”
At a time when immigration policies and enforcement are rampant in the US, Take Us North could not be more timely. “Our work to humanize and dignify migrant and immigrant stories is more urgent than ever,” Reyes remarks.
They say don’t judge someone until you’ve walked a mile in their shoes, well with video games you can do just that. Take Us North provides an amazing way to humanize and show the lived experience of asylum seekers and migrant stories. Putting a face, a name and a lived experience to this issue is vital in fighting the battle for rights, representation and, above all, human dignity.
Please consider supporting this hugely important and impactful game by backing Take Us North on Kickstarter.
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