Skins in the Game

Skins in the Game” is an introductory, educational short created for the participants of our Skins workshops on Indigenous Storytelling and Digital Media. It draws an arc from the earliest, clunky, misrepresentations of Indigenous people in video games, to the current, exciting moment when Indigenous artists and developers are experimenting with new ways of storytelling through interactive media. Director Biography Aboriginal Territories in Cyberspace (AbTeC) is an Indigenously determined research-creation studio-lab whose goal is to ensure Indigenous presence in the web pages, online environments, video games, and virtual worlds that comprise cyberspace. Since 2008, led by Jason Edward Lewis (Kanaka Maoli) and Skawennati (Kanienkehaka), we have co-produced digital artworks, taught workshops and made space for Indigenous people physically, virtually and intellectually. Our multi-faceted projects have won awards, including the SSHRC Impact award in 2025, and Best New Media at imagineNATIVE Film + Media Arts Festival in 2013 and 2011. Our animated short, Tsi Tiotonhontsatáhsawe, screened at Maoriland, Los Angeles Skins Film Festival, imagineNATIVE; and our documentary, Past Future Forward, screened at Hawaii International Film Festival in 2022 and Maoriland Film Festival in 2024. Previous Awards: Skahiòn:hati: Rise of the Kanien’kehá:ka Legends (2013) awarded for Best New Media in 2013 at imagineNATIVE Film + Media Arts Festival Otsì:! Rise of the Kanien’kehá:ka Legends (2011) awarded for Best New Media in 2011 at imagineNATIVE Film + Media Arts Festival. TimeTraveller™ awarded for Best New Media in 2009 at imagineNATIVE Film + Media Arts Festival Honorable Mention for What They Speak When They Speak to Me in 2011 at imagineNATIVE Film + Media Arts Festival Director Statement This short video documents the evolution of Indigenous representation in video games, starting in 1971 with the now infamous title, Oregon Trail, right up until today’s diverse offerings, often produced by Indigenous creatives. We made this video as a part of the curriculum for our Skins Workshops in Storytelling and Digital Media, which teaches Indigenous youth how to use digital tools to tell their stories and represent themselves, their hopes and dreams, their lives. We wanted to teach them this new and little-known history, have them better understand why these workshops matter, and, most importantly, show our youth how their lived experience is a valuable bundle in their journey to becoming storytellers in any media. As we did the research, we realized that this information is not exactly easy to find with a simple google search, and so, we designed it for a larger audience, making it a standalone video that does not require the context of the workshop to learn from and enjoy. Two original animated characters, Vanny and Abi, both young Indigenous game devs themselves, deliver informed content from their critical yet sassy perspectives. With plenty of game play footage from favourite and not-so-favourite video games over several decades, this movie is as fun as a trip to the arcade.