Popular indie game distribution service itch.io has voiced its support for the Black Lives Matter movement and ongoing protests via the release of the “Bundle for Racial Justice and Equality.” Over 500 creators of indie games have contributed their work to the bundle, which offers an unprecedented 740 items for a low, low minimum price of only $5. Additional donations above and beyond the $5 price are also welcomed.
All proceeds from sales of the bundle will be donated, with donations split 50/50 between the NAACP Legal Defense and Education Fund and the Community Bail Fund. When the package was first announced, itch.io hoped to earn $100,000. Within just a few hours, that total was handily surpassed. Currently, sales of the bundle have raised over $2,000,000, with donations ranging from $5 to $5,000.
We reached out to our community and an unprecedented number of creators donated over 740 projects to be part of what we believe is the largest bundle ever.
The Bundle for Racial Justice and Equality is now available #BlackLivesMatterhttps://t.co/JCCnqMF6yz
— itch.io (@itchio) June 6, 2020
The bundle contains not only games in all genres — RPGs, puzzlers, Metroidvania, shooters, visual novels, and more — but several other exciting offerings. Inside this one-of-a-kind bundle, purchasers will also discover tabletop RPG manuals, novels, apps, desktop widgets, and tons of free sprite, scenery, and music assets that they can use to create their very own video game.
Highlights include beloved adventure game Night in the Woods, supernatural thriller Oxenfree, and procedurally generated survival adventure Overland. Additionally, the bundle features several titles focused on LGBTQ characters and characters of color, such as Signs of the Sojourner, which was reviewed here on GameLuster. The work of many Black indie developers is also featured.
All games and other items will be available as direct downloads. Steam keys and other external keys will not be included.
The Bundle for Racial Justice and Equality is available for purchase until June 15. You can purchase it here. If you, like me, are somewhat overwhelmed by the sheer amount of games in the bundle and aren’t quite sure where to get started, the itch.io team has provided a handy recommendations list, which can be found here.
