Play Underground Games (PUG!) studio is a new studio composed entirely of up and coming LGBT+, BIPOC creators that are currently developing an unannounced game.
This past week they won first place at the 2024 Ubisoft Indie Series competition.
We believe that games are an artful, meaningful medium and self-publishing is powerful.
We fight for a world where nobody is afraid to craft and share their wonderful, weird worlds.
We tell diverse stories that center black, brown, and gender-diverse experiences; possessing a passionate hope that these tales will resonate with people like us.
We take our craft seriously, and we never stop having fun.
MEET THE TEAM!
Jyudeh Max Jarrett (they/them)
Music Director/UI Designer/Programmer
A black, African British, non-binary graphic designer and music producer with a passion for working on pop, ambient, and video game tracks.
Produce solo music as Jyu and in a band w/ Funk-é called Catdog, collaborating w/ August and Farouk as well as many other artists.
Led the design of a video game magazine with that same team (Play Underground Mag, and its myriad of projects).
Fūnk-é Joseph (they/them)
⁺Game Director, Narrative Lead, Producer, Writer. ⁺
A black, non-binary Caribbean-Canadian creator based in Toronto who loves stories and sound.
Creative consultant at Focus Entertainment for the past year+ and has shipped 12 games as a communications editor including Plague Tale: Requiem, Warhammer 40K: Boltgun, Aliens: Dark Descent, and Dordogne.
Written, edited, produced, and hosted for: VICE, IGN, MTV, Giant Bomb, Toronto International Film Festival, Kinda Funny, GameSpot, PC Gamer, Fanbyte, Paste Games, the Art Gallery of Ontario.
Creative consultant at Focus Entertainment for the past year+ and has shipped 12 games as a communications editor including Plague Tale: Requiem, Warhammer 40K: Boltgun, Aliens: Dark Descent, and Dordogne.
Written, edited, produced, and hosted for: VICE, IGN, MTV, Giant Bomb, Toronto International Film Festival, Kinda Funny, GameSpot, PC Gamer, Fanbyte, Paste Games, the Art Gallery of Ontario.
Haven Daniels-Taylor (He/Him)
⁺ Character Artist ⁺
Black American freelance illustrator and comics artist creating dynamic and stylish work with a focus on the black queer experience.
Worked on two previous visual novels; ValiDate: Struggling Singles in your Area (2022), and Pesterquest (2019).
Currently an artist for as well as one of the lead writers on the comic Homestuck: Beyond Canon.
August Polite (He/Him)
⁺ Animator, Background Artist ⁺
Worked on animating and editing films that have screened at Sundance, Rotterdam, and the Glas animation festival.
Worked on animated music videos for indie music artists such as Orion Sun and Shamir
Produces music as “August”, often collaborating with Funk-é and Jyu on songs as well as cover art/visuals.
Farouk Kannout (they/them)
⁺ Project Manager, Narrative Designer, Writer ⁺
Arab and Muslim filmmaker, writer, game designer, and music producer whose family originally hails from Syria in the Middle East.
Loves learning and teaching people about history, watching the birds, and making beautiful things.
One of the lead editors of a video game zine and multiple podcasts with friends Max and Funk-é that showcased diverse criticism on indie games, media, and pop culture. (Post-Post, PUG!Zine and Twig!).
Arab and Muslim filmmaker, writer, game designer, and music producer whose family originally hails from Syria in the Middle East.
Loves learning and teaching people about history, watching the birds, and making beautiful things.
One of the lead editors of a video game zine and multiple podcasts with friends Max and Funk-é that showcased diverse criticism on indie games, media, and pop culture. (Post-Post, PUG!Zine and Twig!).