Where Do We Go From Here? 

 

My heart breaks at the sight of another senseless tragedy. We’ve seen them all before. I’ve considered—what if I wind up in the wrong place, at the wrong time, with the wrong skin color? These thoughts weigh heavy on my heart. I keep asking myself: where do we go from here? We are faced with the sobering truth that inequality manifests itself brutally and at the cost of human life, and it seems insurmountable. But getting paralyzed by the gravity of the problem won’t change anything—we need to take action. 

 

Video games play a vital role in shaping culture. At Kowloon Nights, our guiding philosophy is to change the power dynamic for creators, and our commitment to this mission must extend further than ever. 

 

In order for diverse voices—in particular Black creators—to affect the dominant artistic medium of the 21st century, they need access to capital. 

 

The struggle to find the resources and opportunity to create something original is part of my own story. From having my clear expertise disregarded in pitch meetings, to having deals fall apart due to pressure from hostile funding partners, and even being personally singled out within a studio and punished for speaking my mind—the color of my skin has been intertwined with my own journey as a creator in the industry. 

 

Because of the oftentimes difficult journey that Black creators face in bringing their original projects to life, we’ve decided to take action. 

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We are announcing the Fairchild Initiative—a $2M fund dedicated to projects led by Black creators and studios. 

 

Kowloon Nights was founded on the idea of empowering creators to create memorable games and stories, and the Fairchild Initiative carries the same ethos. I am proud to lead this initiative with a focus on empathy, infrastructure, and mentorship—supporting black-owned studios on their path to success.

 

A word about the name:  the cartridge for one of the first video game consoles — the Fairchild Channel F — was designed by Jerry Lawson, one of the founding fathers of our industry. A pioneer who blazed his own trail, Lawson can be credited as the creator of the video game cartridge—at a time when there were virtually no African-Americans in the industry. His story is one that the industry too often forgets—and an example of what happens when opportunity and talent intersect to create something great. 

 

It is my hope that the Fairchild Initiative will enable the next generation of Black creatives to bring projects to life that make the world just a bit brighter and a little more hopeful. 

 

Onward,

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Kendall Deacon Davis

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FAQ

 

Who can apply?

Any development studio majority-owned by Black creators, without any geographical limitation, working on a PC/Console title. 

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What type of funding are you offering? 

The initiative can provide Project Funding under the same terms as Kowloon Nights. 

For new studios, we can also offer funding via SAFE notes. 

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How will the $2M be allocated?

Our target is to deploy $2M but does not have any limitations. Investment size will vary depending on the project or studio. There are no restrictions on how much we invest per project or in each studio. 

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Who makes the investment decision?

Kendall Deacon Davis will run the initiative with the support of the Kowloon Nights team. The evaluation criteria for projects will be the same as the rest of the fund.

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How will the project be treated within Kowloon Nights?

Every team signed will be part of Kowloon Nights and will receive the same level of support. 

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Will you expand this initiative to other marginalized groups?

The Fairchild Initiative was set up to support Black creators. While we don’t have anything specific to announce at this time, it is important to us to continue to uplift and elevate marginalized creators. If you are a creator who is part of a marginalized group you should get in touch with us.