Here’s a video that I was excited to publish for Black History Month. It’s a chat with Afrime Studios cofounders Crandon Dillard and Erik Reynolds. Afrime Studios is a majority Black-owned developer out of South Carolina. The company’s upcoming game, Unyverse, is a role-playing game (RPG) that features a unique Afro-futuristic setting and a combat system that incorporates fighting game mechanics.
This Unyverse interview was important to me for two reasons. First, there aren’t many Black-owned game studios in the United States. I’m a big fan of what Afrime Studios is trying to do in terms of representation, creating a world based on Afro-futurism, and (hopefully) making a kick-ass RPG. I’m genuinely excited to play Unyverse and I hope that the company does well.
Secondly, I’ve known Erik Reynolds for a long time. He was on the PR and marketing team of several videogame publishers that I’ve worked with over the last few decades. While I no longer play in the videogame journalism world, Erik and I have been in the same fantasy Premier League for the last six (I think) years. He’s a Tottenham Hotspur supporter, so part of his life will always be sad. Hopefully this video makes him happy.
Topics discussed in the video below include:
- How a chance Uber ride led to the formation of Afrime Studios.
- Navigating the industry as a majority Black-owned business.
- Unyverse gameplay details and Afro-futurist concepts.
- What Unyverse’s character creator means for African and African-American gamers and developers.
- What’s next for Afrime Studios.
I’d love to hear what you think of Afrime Studios and the Unyverse game. Do you think the company will succeed? What do you think of Unyverse attempting to add fighting game elements to a role-playing game? Kindly share your thoughts in the comments section below when you have a chance.