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OKRE Fund Case Study: Windrush Tales

Windrush Tales is the first video game to delve into the experiences of Caribbean immigrants in post-war Britain.

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ABOUT

Why did OKRE choose to support Windrush Tales?

Set from 1948 to 1970, the game follows Rose, an aspiring nurse, and her brother Vernon as they navigate the pain and celebration of their new life in Britain. Through a visually engaging illustrated photo album and various different branching storylines, players make decisions which can shape the characters’ journeys. These journeys reveal both the challenges and the rich cultural contributions of the Windrush generation.

Windrush Tales captured the attention of the OKRE Fund because it combines entertainment with educational value, using gaming to offer an immersive experience into a crucial and oft-ignored part of history. Chella Ramanan and Corey Brotherson are both descendants of the Windrush generation, so they led the project with a strong personal commitment to showcasing the truth. This plus the game’s innovative approach to storytelling aligned perfectly with OKRE’s goals of supporting projects with real social impact which both entertain and inspire.

 

LIVED EXPERIENCE

How did lived experience improve Windrush Tales' authenticity?

Lived Experience Focus Groups

  • The project included focus groups organised with Jennifer Allsopp from the University of Birmingham, where firsthand accounts were gathered from discussions and workshops with Windrush era immigrants, their children and their children’s children.
  • This emphasised the generational impact of the Windrush Generation’s experience and ensured that the game would resonate deeply with the lived experiences of real-world people.

Collaborations

  • Corey Brotherson reflected that “the whole experience was so powerful that we came away from it very emotional … there were tears running down my face … it’s very easy to understate how important the game is to us personally”.
  • OKRE was proud to be the facilitator of these special collaborations, enabling the integration of authentic voices and real-world research into the game’s development.

OKRE SUMMIT 2024

OKRE Focus: Windrush Tales

At the OKRE Summit 2024, Abisoye Adelusi then took us on a journey through the creation of Corey Brotherson's “Windrush Tales”; a game focusing upon the trials and tribulations of the Windrush generation. This panel covered the fact that independent games studios are still very much needed to address societal issues which are often overlooked by the larger gaming industry, and how important it is to speak to those with lived experience to create an authentic gaming experience.

Interested in applying for OKRE Funding?

At OKRE, we believe in the power of storytelling to drive social impact. Our mission is to connect the entertainment industry with researchers and lived experience to create content that inspires change and offers genuine insights into real-world issues, without losing that all-important enjoyment factor.

All projects must involve creative collaboration. Strong projects involve creatives working with someone from another sector or community i.e. researchers, people with lived experience or charities working with producers or entertainment professionals.

Andrew Forrest

Head of Marketing & Communications

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