We wish our team, community, and the industry at large a happy Pride month from Crystal Dynamics! While we celebrate Pride in June across the United States, as a studio it’s our mission to continually work towards equity and authenticity year-round.  

Pride isn’t something to recognize in one minute, or one month. It’s more than any one moment – it is a continuous celebration of acceptance for our differences and our choices no matter what they are. It’s about appreciating each other for who we are and where we are on our journey. It’s about respecting one another and allowing each of us to share our authentic best selves in the world in each of our own distinct ways. – Scot Amos, Studio Head, Crystal Dynamics  

This year, in honor of Pride the studio is donating to Trans Lifeline in support of the imperative work they do.  

As a 501(c)(3) non-profit offering a grassroots hotline and microgrants, “Trans Lifeline is a trans-led organization that connects trans people to the community, support, and resources they need to survive and thrive.” Since their creation, Trans Lifeline has trained 600 operators to answer over 100,000 calls from trans individuals in need and offered nearly $1.5 million in funds for causes important to the trans community. To learn more about the systemic injustices trans citizens face, support specific campaigns, and find educational resources, check out Trans Lifeline’s blog. 

Over the years we’ve supported other great organizations in celebration of Pride, all with important, intersectional missions within the LGBTQ+ space. If you’re considering a donation to a worthy cause, we recommend any of the below organizations:   

• It Gets Better Project 
• Marsha P. Johnson Institute 
• Regard 
• LGBT Foundation 
• The Outside Project 
• The Trevor Project 
• Human Rights Campaign 

There are many ways to celebrate PRIDE beyond donating, however! Check out some of our past programs to follow queer content creators, listen to LGBTQ+ panels, and more. 

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7 Trans & Non-Binary Content Creators you should definitely be Following  

Last year we highlighted trans and nonbinary creators in the gaming space who are creating incredible queer content and making a huge impact on the LGBTQ+ landscape. Each opened up about a video game that impacted their identity in unique ways!  

Crystal Convos #3: Examining Pride in Gaming 

In celebration of Pride, we ran an LGBTQ+ dev panel to chat about career advice for folks looking to break into the industry and sharing our favorite queer representations in gaming! 

Rock M Sakura’s Lara Croft-Inspire Drag 

For two years in a row, we hired RuPaul’s Drag Race Contestant Rock M Sakura to create some Lara-Croft inspired drag, and hilarity ensured. You can catch a VOD of our second livestream below.  

PRIDE Tomb Raider Community Spotlight Series 

Eight members of our LGBTQ+ community shared their stories & raise awareness for important causes, such as the Marsha P. Johnson Institute, Trans Lifeline, and the LGBT Foundation.