A risk-averse video game industry is failing marginalised devs

July 10, 2026 - 02:44

Nazih Fares has heard plenty of praise for his card battler The Arab League of Misfits. Publishers call it "spicy" and "refreshing." They say they love the characters, the humor, the setting. But when it comes time to write a check, the conversation goes quiet.

Fares, a Lebanese developer based in France, has been pitching the game for over a year. The Arab League of Misfits is a tactical card game built around a cast of misfit heroes from the Arab world. It features a satirical take on regional politics, pop culture, and identity. The feedback is almost always positive. The funding, however, never arrives.

"I've had publishers tell me it's too risky," Fares said in a recent interview. "They say the market isn't ready for a game that centers Arab characters in a way that isn't about war or terrorism. But they also say they want more diversity in their catalog. There's a disconnect."

Fares is not alone. Across the industry, developers from marginalized backgrounds report a similar pattern. Publishers and investors express enthusiasm for unique perspectives and underrepresented stories, but they hesitate when asked to commit money. The result is a growing gap between the industry's stated goals of inclusion and its actual investment practices.

The problem, according to Fares and others, is that the video game business has become deeply risk-averse. After years of blockbuster sequels and safe bets, publishers are reluctant to fund anything that doesn't fit a proven formula. A card game about Arab misfits does not look like Hearthstone or Marvel Snap. It does not have a built-in audience. It does not have a recognizable IP.

"Everyone wants the next big thing, but they want it to look exactly like the last big thing," Fares said. "That's not how innovation works."

The irony is that players often respond well to games that break the mold. Indie hits like Disco Elysium, Hades, and Celeste proved that niche stories and unconventional mechanics can find huge audiences. But those successes are often treated as exceptions, not as signals of a changing market.

For Fares, the wait continues. He has considered crowdfunding, but he worries that a failed campaign could kill the project entirely. He has also thought about scaling back the game's scope to make it cheaper to produce. But that, he says, would defeat the purpose.

"The whole point is to make something that feels authentic," he said. "If I water it down, what's the point of making it at all?"