Midwest Games expands!
Earlier today, Wisconsin-based "Midwest Games" announced an expansion to their leadership and board teams. Formed in August of this year, Midwest Games announced itself to the world as an alternative and access point for talent and studios across the midwestern region, along with other underrepresented regions. Founded by Ben Kvalo, previously senior management at Netflix, Kvalo is joined by former XSET Co-Owner Rob Martic III, Jennifer Corbett, former Vice President at Crunchyroll, and Chris Klimecky from ProbablyMonsters, who will serve as Chief Project Officer. Midwest Games currently has one project announced: Ra BoomBoom from Gylee Games in Cincinnati.
As mentioned, Midwest Games is expanding in a big way with the addition of Alyssa Walles, a name behind the scenes, but she played a vital role in the launch of the Walt Disney Gift Catalog and the Sony Playstation and played a part in negotiating national sports league agreements for the Backyard Sports series. Walles currently serves as executive director of the International Game Developers Association Foundation (IGDA Foundation). Which is a globally charitable organization providing development programs to underrepresented and marginalized developers. From the press release: "It is an honor to be part of this talented team that is changing the landscape of where games originate,” said Walles. “Together, along with developers in this region, we will push the boundaries of creativity and champion the growth of opportunities in the Midwest.”
Gina Joseph is also coming on board, bringing nearly 20 years of experience. A marketing and business strategist, Joseph has closed major partnerships with companies like Google, Meta, Microsoft, and Amazon. "As the first Afghan American woman in the US to hold a board role for a games publisher, I am deeply aligned with the company's mission,” stated Joseph. “Midwest Games has a mission that the gaming industry needs, which is innovation driven by inclusivity in how games are created and where they come from. The industry will undoubtedly flourish if we invest in more inclusive teams and underrepresented communities. It's a win-win for the industry and the communities it serves. It's time to change the notion that tech innovation only comes from metropolitan cities in the US, and Midwest Games is here to expand the industry's footprint. I am excited to be part of this journey, contributing to a future where creativity knows no bounds and the gaming landscape is truly representative of the diverse talent across the Midwest and beyond."
Finally, the name most of you will be familiar with is the one and only Larry Hyrb, formally Xbox Live's Major Nelson, who is joining as part of the Midwest Games advisory board. Being the face of Xbox Live and the voice for the Xbox community, Hyrb has had his hand in a number of different projects and experiences across the board. From advising on games like Halo 2 and 3, Sea of Thieves, and Kinect Sports. Hyrb was the community leader for the Xbox brand for 20 years. Hyrb only recently left Xbox earlier this year but seems ready to get back into the swing of things, helping a new group of individuals and community grow.
Personally, I'm so excited to see this company start the growth they will eventually have. One of the main reasons we started BadlandsBacklog was due to the lack of community and other gamers being sparse and hard to come by. Nobody really thinks of states like North Dakota, Minnesota, or Illinois as birthplaces for major games and tech growth. Every company like Midwest Games that pops up not only helps strengthen the people and communities here but also shines a new light on highly talented people with different views and stories they can tell or translate from living in these different localities.