World Building: Cleveland is a zine that centers the connection Clevelanders have with video games and begins the conversation on how games can build community within our city.
"World building" is a term used in game development to describe the process of constructing the overall makeup of the game's universe. Within the world are characters that shape, influence, and transform that world with their own narratives. The title of this project is a commentary on how we as individuals shape our home, Cleveland, and how we intend to influence the world around us.
People in Cleveland have a strong passion when it comes to games. I wanted to capture that passion specifically by drawing BIPOC as characters from their favorite video games. This is to commentate on white hegemony in the games industry, white hegemony in character design, and to challenge my own abilities as an artist by illustrating a diverse selection of individuals of various backgrounds.
Games are notorious for bringing people together. They are a powerful tool for building relationships and community. With this project I want it to start a dialogue about the importance of games, it’s influence in our lives, and how games can influence our city moving forward. For those outside of Cleveland, I want this project to bring attention to how many different individuals in our city engage with the beauty of video games.