Zynga, a Take-Two Interactive subsidiary, announced the launch of Access All Areas, an immersive virtual studio. The company stated that the platform will offer educational tools and career resources to foster diversity and inclusion in gaming.
Zynga shared that the inspiration came from its subsidiary, NaturalMotion, the web-based platform that also supports mobile and is designed to assist educators, parents, and children – especially those from underrepresented communities in the U.K.
The Access All Areas platform takes users on a self-discovery tour of a virtual studio. Users will be allowed to enter various virtual rooms to discover what happens behind the scenes, listen to real professionals talk about their gaming roles, follow a game’s timeline from pre-production to launch, and more.
During the educational journey, users will also identify the fundamental skills required for a career in gaming and learn how various STEM and STEAM skills can apply to multiple roles in design, artist, data science, analytics, and software engineering.
Kerrie Neale, Co-Founder of Access All Areas and Senior Director of Analytics at NaturalMotion, commented:
“We built Access All Areas in conjunction with partners and experts to increase awareness about gaming careers and to broaden access for everyone, especially young creative minds from different backgrounds.”
“Today’s launch is the result of passionate work by our teams to deliver an innovative digital space that educates students on all aspects of gaming, from transforming a game from idea to product to discovering various pathways into a gaming career. We welcome everyone to explore and experience the diverse talent pool that goes into creating amazing games.”
The company shared the features of All Access Areas as follows: Universal access, web-based hosting with mobile support, 360 interactive virtual environment, interactive hot spots, career resources, educational tools, and community groups to connect with peers.
