EIN Presswire | Newsmatics

Rainbow Quest!, an Asbury Park, NJ based nonprofit, offers the game industry a unique solution to meet the huge demand for familly-friendly LGBTQ+ games.

NEW YORK, NY, UNITED STATES, February 27, 2024 /EINPresswire.com/ -- The gaming industry is about to get a whole lot more inclusive with the introduction of Rainbow Quest!, a new LGBTQ+ family-friendly board game, at the upcoming GAMA (Game Manufacturers Association) trade show in Louisville, KY, to be held March 4 - 7.

Earlier this month, the New York Times published a report by GLAAD, which found LGBTQ+ gamers spend more money on video games than their non-gay counterparts, but only 2% of those games include gay characters. In the survey of over 2,000 adults in the United States, 20% of Generation Z (ages 18-24) identify as LGBTQ+, a significant increase from 12% in 2016. This exponential growth in LGBTQ+ identification highlights the need for more inclusive representation in various industries, including the board game market, where such representation is even more rare. The handful of existing board or card games currently available are either 'party games,' offering little more than shock value, or build upon stereotypes that are no longer reflective of the LGBTQ+ community. The rare attempt at 'family-friendly' games consists only of trivia questions without the important elements of social and emotional learning that were thoughtfully designed into the Rainbow Quest! activity. At a time when an 'epidemic of loneliness” has been noted, Rainbow Quest! is a much-needed addition to an industry that could be embracing the importance of uplifting and affirming games with a pro-social message. Research on the game's psychosocial impact on emotional well-being, reductions in suicidal ideation, and community building is being conducted at the University of Lynchburg, VA, by Professor Dr. Eve Hlaing.

The GLAAD survey draws attention to the growing yet untapped market for wholesome board games, especially in schools in the many states where an inclusive curriculum is required. The creators of Rainbow Quest! recognized this need and have worked tirelessly to develop a game that not only provides engaging entertainment but also promotes an educational opportunity to learn the history, culture, heroes, and milestones of this significant market segment.

Attendees of the GAMA trade show can look forward to experiencing Rainbow Quest! and encouraging the movement towards a more diverse and inclusive gaming industry.As the motto of Rainbow Quest! says, 'Towards a Better World for Everyone.' The motto reflects the game's narrative, in which players collaborate to advance from the 'bleak, colorless world' towards the colorful 'better world for everyone.' Appropriate for ages 11 and up and developed by a research and development team led by a psychologist, the nine challenges along the colorful path are meant to engage both brain hemispheres and encourage multiple forms of interpersonal expression and communication skills.

Rainbow Quest! games are widely used across the United States, with the largest rollout recently implemented by the New York City and Ellicott City, Maryland Departments of Education. The game’s appeal for teachers and administrators is not just for being an out-of-the-box, ready-to-use resource for the inclusive curriculum but for the social and emotional learning that helps students catch up with interpersonal relationship skills following COVID lockdowns. Post-COVID, teachers are continuing to report unprecedented rates of absenteeism, and those students who report for class often reject any engagement with teachers or peers. Conversely, teachers using Rainbow Quest! in the classroom enjoy having students clamoring to participate and fully engage with whoever is taking a turn.

The game features cross-cultural information about the history and culture of different backgrounds and identities, allowing players to learn about LGBTQ+ milestones and heroes of the community and about their fellow students on more than a superficial level. The creators, who identify as LGBTQ+, have worked tirelessly to ensure that the game is wholesome enough to withstand scrutiny by 'parental rights' groups, such as the oft-defeated 'Moms for Liberty,'. Such groups seek to censor curricular and reading options that portray any mention of sexual orientation or gender identity as obscene. In reality, most students, via PG-rated programming, arrive for school already understanding that to be gay is to be ridiculed, bullied, beaten, suicidal, and shameful. At every election cycle, candidates use anti-LGBTQ+ misinformation across broadcast media to drive voter turnout but hypocritically support so-called 'Don't Say Gay' laws that forbid educators to address these hateful messages, only exacerbating the problem.

Around the globe, the gradual repeal of some legal penalties against the LGBTQ+ community has resulted in the emergence of many new ethnic and regional identities. Recognizing this expanding market, Rainbow Quest! is always adding new content and plans to offer the game in multiple languages. Rainbow Quest! distributes invitations for new content at the NYC Pride March and other Pride celebrations to capture more expansive information about milestones, heroes, and cultural experiences of these emerging identities. This work is ongoing, and new content submissions are always welcome through the website.

According to lead game designer Dr. Brian Kaufman, game publishers dismissed the LGBTQ+ community as a 'small, niche market' that wasn't worth their attention at the New York International Toy Fair as recently as 2018. Since that time, what has been described as a 'demographic tsunami' has been emerging, where 25% of the population are now describing themselves as members of the LGBTQ+ community. Kaufman says that because bullying and suicide remain real threats to students, and with LGBTQ+ families ostracized in many of the states where they live, Rainbow Quest! is an essential transformative game offering dignity, understanding, and authentic pride to those who play.

The creators of this game are excited to showcase their product at GAMA and are confident that it will be well-received by gaming publishers and distributors who they hope will agree that Rainbow Quest! is not only hilarious and memorable but a game that is apt to educate, build community, and promote inclusivity in the gaming world and beyond.

Let's celebrate diversity and inclusivity in gaming together! For more information on this new LGBTQ+ family-friendly game, visit the nonprofit website, RainbowQuest.Org, email info@RainbowQuest.org, or make an appointment to meet with game creator Dr. Brian Kaufman at GAMA in Louisville, KY, from March 3-7, 2024.

Brian Kaufman
Rainbow Quest
+1 855-277-4263 ext. 801
bkaufman@rainbowquest.org
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