Xbox Celebrates Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage Month

We began the Asians at Xbox group two years in the past, hoping to supply an area for our group to attach and assist one another. We additionally needed to contribute to the necessary mission of making a secure place the place everybody on the planet can expertise the thrill of gaming, whereas advocating for and amplifying the beautiful, groundbreaking content material made by our group. At this time, we’re celebrating AAPI Heritage Month at Xbox for the primary time. We’re grateful for the platform, and for being a part of a gaming group that promotes inclusivity and illustration.

Chances are you’ll marvel, why the primary time? Why now? The horrifying occasions which have taken place in latest months concentrating on our Asian American and Pacific Islander group have deepened our efforts to assist and rejoice the group. Asian xenophobia just isn’t new, however in 2020 we started to see many COVID-19-related hate crimes in opposition to members of the AAPI group, notably concentrating on the aged and girls. These assaults are scary and reprehensible, however we stay sturdy and vigilant in our efforts to lift consciousness, take motion, and rejoice our heritage and contributions with the assist of our Xbox household. The battle in opposition to systematic racism is one all of us face, and we stay united in power and partnership with our allies to advance efforts to forestall and in the end remove all types of bias, discrimination, and racism, together with anti-Asian hate.

Xbox shall be supporting the Asian American and Pacific Islander group, together with staff and gamers, by way of partnerships and initiatives that tackle points that traditionally and uniquely affect the AAPI group. We’ll proceed to champion content material and causes that mirror the variety of at the moment’s players and empower these throughout the business. We echo the sentiment of a quote from actress Sandra Oh: “I’m #ProudToBeAsian”

We invite you to hitch us on this celebration of tradition and contributions from the Asian American Pacific and Islander group. Listed here are among the methods Xbox plans to honor these communities this month:

Xbox Performs

Xbox shall be dedicating our livestreaming content material in celebration of Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage Month by that includes Asian and Pacific Islander protagonists in video games, builders, and content material creators/streamers! Comply with us at Twitch.television/Xbox so that you don’t miss any of the motion!

• Week of Might 3 – AAPI Group Appreciation Week
• “Let’s play and watch video games with the AAPI group on the forefront”
• Week of Might 10 – AAPI Group Takeover Week
• “Meet new & acquainted faces within the AAPI gaming group”
• Week of Might 24 – AAPI Group Appreciation Week
• “Let’s play and watch video games with the AAPI group on the forefront”

Xbox Ambassadors

Within the Xbox Ambassadors group, we’re devoted to sharing and amplifying group voices. So, in celebration of Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage Month, we requested those that establish as Asian and Pacific Islander within the Xbox Ambassadors group how video games with numerous illustration have impacted them and to share their tales about being a member of a gaming group.

Listed here are their tales: https://blog-ambassadors.xbox.com/ 

Microsoft Rewards on Xbox

Microsoft Rewards Members in america can earn and donate factors to Asian American Advancing Justice | AAJC and Asian Pacific Coverage and Planning Council (A3PCON) by way of Xbox. All Microsoft Rewards donations shall be matched by Microsoft all through the month of Might in commemoration of Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage Month. 

Xbox players can earn Microsoft Rewards factors in varied methods, akin to taking part in or buying video games after downloading the Microsoft Rewards app on Xbox. Earn factors and redeem them for actual rewards. Be a part of at the moment and donate by way of Xbox.

Minecraft

Mojang Studios shared assist for the AAPI group with a $100,000 donation to Advancing Justice | AAJC and shall be highlighting AAPI group voices later this month.

Xbox Recreation Membership

The Xbox Group Recreation Membership is a weekly solution to play, share, and focus on video games collectively as a group. In celebration of AAPI Heritage Month, for the complete month of Might, we’re that includes video games starring or created by people who establish as Asian or Pacific Islander. Test in weekly to find your subsequent favourite sport and use #XboxGameClub to inform us about a few of your favourite video games that includes members of this group.​

Collections Curated by Asian American and Pacific Islander Communities

Throughout Might and past, we’re highlighting video games, films, and TV chosen by Asian and Pacific Islander communities at Microsoft that commemorate the huge range of East Asian, South Asian, Southeast Asian, Native Hawaiian, and Pacific Islander identities.

Try a number of highlights from the total video games assortment that includes creators, protagonists playable characters, and character creation choices:

• Outer Wilds – Try this otherworldly open world thriller from Japanese American Mobius Digital founder Masi Oka. You would possibly acknowledge him from Heroes!
• Raji: An Historical Epic – This distinctive journey sport designed by Archival Singh is about in historic India and impressed by Hindu and Balinese mythology.
• Prey – Play as a masculine or female model of Asian protagonist Morgan Yu on this futuristic house journey as you uncover the secrets and techniques of an area station orbiting the moon.
• Marvel’s Avengers – Kamala Khan lastly makes the leap from comics to gaming as a star of the story, and we rejoice the groundbreaking visibility she and her story arc brings to Pakistani American and Muslim identities.

Standouts from the full films and TV assortment that includes creators, leads, instructional views, and  household leisure embody: 

• “Moana” – Disney’s first film with a robust Pacific Islander younger girl and protagonist shines because the product of analysis and partnership with anthropologists, cultural practitioners, historians, and extra from Polynesia.
• “Loopy Wealthy Asians” – An unimaginable milestone for Asian American and Asian illustration on digital camera and behind the scenes. The gifted worldwide solid expands visibility of a variety of Asian identities not usually seen and is directed by John M. Chu.
• “Minari” – This Oscar-nominated movie directed by Lee Isaac Chung tells the story of Korean immigrants in rural Arkansas and we respect its exploration of Asian American identification and expertise.

View the entire collections on the Microsoft Retailer on Xbox, the Microsoft Retailer on Home windows, and the Xbox App on Home windows in america and Canada. After Might 31, guests to each the Xbox and Home windows Shops can discover APPI group picks by looking for “AAPI Heritage Month” and associated phrases. 

Play. Join. Influence: Be taught extra about all that Xbox and Microsoft are doing in celebration of Asian American Pacific Islander Heritage Month at our Xbox Group Hub and Microsoft’s AAPIHM Group Hub.