Black Panther: Wakanda Forever is on its way to our theaters, and as part of the movie’s promotion, Marvel has partnered with Xbox to inspire the next generation of gaming and tech leaders.
According to an HBCU Connect survey, 95% of HBCU students and alumni are interested in a career in the gaming industry. Yet, only 2% of video gaming industry professionals are Black. The Marvel and Xbox partnership aims to narrow the gap between these two figures.
Code your own Marvel game
Fans around the world are being invited to channel their inner Shuri and build their own playable Black Panther-inspired game using Microsoft MakeCode.
MakeCode is a free learn-to-code online platform where anyone can create code for everything from robotics to Minecraft, and now, Marvel. The free learn-to-code platform offers a beginner-friendly interface so users can build their skills, progressing from block-based coding to languages like JavaScript and Python.
Read: The Gaming Industry’s On Track To Reach $222B Value: Here Are Black Innovators Who Helped Change The Sector
In addition to the MakeCode curriculum, the partnership involves giveaways of custom Black Panther-inspired Xbox Series X consoles and amplifying the stories of Black professionals in STEM through Project Amplify.
On Monday, Xbox also hosted the first-ever Wakandan HBCU Lecture from Howard University’s Chadwick A. Boseman College of Fine Arts. Professor Jacoby DuBose hosted the inaugural event, which also included a panel of Black gaming and STEM innovators.
By taking advantage of the excitement around Black Panther, Marvel and Microsoft hope to make the next generation of gaming professionals better reflect the diverse range of people who enjoy them.
