El Paso, Elsewhere was a big game for indie studio Strange Scaffold when it launched in September 2023. The Max Payne-like, narrative-driven vampire shooter centered a Black male character in the leading role, something you don’t see too often in the games industry. Well, Strange Scaffold founder Xalavier Nelson Jr. isn’t too happy about that reality, criticizing the industry in a recent speech for the “sudden silence” he’s repeatedly seen when it comes to supporting projects by Black devs.
said during the speech, captured in videos he posted to X , “they are glad-handed to death and told how important their work is and how valuable it is while resources and visibility are placed elsewhere.” Nelson Jr. thanked everyone for supporting him, Strange Scaffold, and El Paso, Elsewhere, but he wasn’t done dragging the games industry quite yet. He also slammed the industry for “rolling in profits” while thousands of developers lose their jobs left and right.