Two new Global Gaming Citizens were announced at an E3 Coliseum talk on Wednesday. Vanessa Gill, the CEO and narrative designer at Social Cipher Games, and Damon Packwood, the co-founder and executive director of Gameheads, are the most recent recipients of Facebook Gaming’s Global Gaming Citizen recognition.
The Global Gaming Citizen program recognizes “inspiring stories of people using the power of games to build community,” according to Facebook.
Gill was diagnosed with Asperger’s at a young age, which inspired her to create ‘Social Cipher,’ a game that helps kids with autism practice social skills. The experiences and characters in the game were based off of interviews with families nationwide, according to Gill. You can find more information on “Social Cipher” via its website.
Gameheads teaches low income students and young people of color about game development and the tech industry. Packwood co-founded the company after seeing the way working-class individuals in the Bay Area struggled to find work despite the growth of the tech industry, according to the Gameheads website. The company prepares students for college and careers in the tech and gaming industry with the help of volunteer game developers.
You can find all of E3 2019’s exciting game reveals, previews, interviews, and more right here at Variety.
