Explore games, movies, and TV
The gaming and entertainment arena, while still bearing room for improvement, has begun to highlight the artistic vision and expression of Indigenous communities across the globe. As players and viewers embrace new lenses across a world they often felt they knew well, Indigenous creators have been taking the globe by storm.
With over 476 million Indigenous people across 90 countries, you will find that 5,000 different cultures are represented (United Nations Development Programme, 2021). According to The World Bank (2021), despite making up 6% of the world’s population, Indigenous Peoples protect 80% of the planet’s biodiversity. Even so, there has been minimal acknowledgement of Indigenous communities, their efforts, and their critical role as Earth’s stewards.
Leaving room for a myriad of stories to be shared and experiences to be explored, games, movies, and TV shows are the perfect platforms to reach the masses. It not only exposes non-Indigenous People to a myriad of cultures, but, more importantly, offers communities a chance to see themselves and better understand their cultures and the daily lives of the other Indigenous groups.
We’ve partnered with Microsoft’s Indigenous employee group to curate collections of games, movies, and TV shows that reflect global Indigenous stories, cultures, and artistry. This is part of ongoing work at Microsoft to create more inclusive experiences and elevate content that resonates with communities while increasing awareness of their unique perspectives and experiences. Want to find even more community picks? Simply do a search on “Indigenous” in the Microsoft Store on Windows app.
Impact in gaming
Umurangi Generation
Playism
Set in Tauranga, Aotearoa (Māori-language name for New Zealand) off the back of an impending crisis, major cities are walled off, with the United Nations deploying the military and towering mecha to defend against an alien invasion. From fighter jets beaming overhead, the sound of constant gunfire and wounded soldiers to the advertising boards in-game, everything you see provides more context to the daily lives of those in Tauranga. In the game Umurangi Generation, you’re a courier for the Tauranga Express who gets to travel around Tauranga taking pictures and documenting the world and its reality through the lenses of your camera. Developed by Indigenous Māori creator, Naphtali Faulkner, the game was inspired by the social injustices experienced by the Aboriginal communities of Australia.
Trek to Yomi
Devolver Digital
As a vow to his dying master, the young swordsman Hiroki is sworn to protect his town and the people he loves against all threats. Faced with tragedy and bound to duty, the lone samurai must voyage beyond life and death to confront himself and decide his path forward. Trek to Yomi portrays Japan’s Edo period (1603 to 1867), which is when the nation was under the rule of the Tokugawa shogunate. The game reflects the era’s lifestyle, mythologies, and the Shintō religion, which is inclusive of Indigenous beliefs and practices in Japan. “Trek to Yomi’s” developers worked closely with Edo Japanese historian Aki Tabei Matsunaga to pair a historically accurate story and immersive experience.
Where the Water Tastes Like Wine
Good Shepherd Entertainment
Where the Water Tastes Like Wine is a wistfully imaginative game about traveling the land, sharing stories, and surviving manifest destiny. Wander through a century of American folklore and history, encountering an eclectic cast of characters and exploring their deeply personal tales along the way. This surreal journey into the heart of the country’s past features gorgeous illustration from Kellan Jett and Serenity Forge, blending dramatic 2D visuals with a 3D overworld map of the United States. Recognized for its excellent writing and music, “Where the Water Tastes Like Wine” features the storytelling talent of Elizabeth LaPensée (Anishinaabe and Métis), plus Demian DinéYazhi’, a non-binary Diné artist and activist who wrote for the character Deaaya (Diné).
Indivisible
505 Games
Featuring stunning hand-drawn art and animation combined, Indivisible is an action RPG platformer that combines unique real-time combat mechanics. Immerse yourself in a fantastical world with dozens of playable characters, a rich storytelling experience, gameplay that’s easy to learn, yet difficult to master, and razor-sharp quality. The story revolves around Ajna, a fearless girl with a rebellious streak. Raised by her father on the outskirts of their rural town, her life is thrown into chaos when her home is attacked, and a mysterious power awakens within her. Once her adventure begins, Ajna will learn about herself, the world she inhabits, and most importantly, how to save it. The game represents a myriad of religious and mythological influences from Hinduism to Buddhism to Shamanism.
The Oregon Trail
Gameloft
Since the 1970s, The Oregon Trail game has evolved from a text-based strategy game to a stylized video gaming platform. Detailing the trials of the trail, players can experience the journeys for themselves. As you immerse yourself in the journey, prepare to endure raging blizzards, broken bones, snakebites, exhaustion, starvation, and brace yourself, dysentery. Recognizing that the inclusion of Native Americans has been misleading and without the truth of their experience, the latest iteration of the game features the collaborative efforts of the developers and three Indigenous historians to course correct the direction of Native American stories. Furthermore, the game now depicts playable Indigenous characters and stories while recognizing that for them, the Westward Expansion was, indeed, an invasion.
Interested in more games that feature Indigenous creators, leads, and cultures? Check out our collection.
Impact on movies and TV
The Woman King
Microsoft Movies & TV
Fight or we die. This is the rally cry to warriors of the King’s Guard of the African Kingdom of Dahomey. The Woman King gives a historical account of the
Night Raiders
Microsoft Movies & TV
Set in the year 2044, this science-fiction film follows a
Spirit Rangers
Netflix
They’re here to protect every crook, cranny, and creature. Discover the world of Kodi, Summer, and Eddy Skycedar, a group of young Native American siblings who are tasked with protecting a national park in California. But they have a huge secret. They are Spirit Rangers who teleport into a magical dimension as a grizzly bear cub, red-tailed hawk, and a turtle to successfully finish their missions. Series creator, Karissa Valencia, is of Mexican and Chumash heritage, and has a writing staff comprised of all Indigenous Americans. The animated series is inspired by Chumash and Cowlitz tribes, with Wačíŋyeya Iwáš’aka Yracheta, Isis Celilo Rogers, and Talon Proc Alford in the starring roles.
Prey
Hulu
Prey, a Hulu Original, takes you back to 1719 to witness the origin story of the extraterrestrial race that has wreaked havoc on humanity since the Predator’s franchise 1987 inception. After the uninvited visitors touches down on the land of the Comanche Nation, a young warrior named Naru battles with the highly intelligent and evolved alien in this prequel. She quickly realizes she must watch and learn the moves of her enemy if she has any chance of defeating it. Amber Midthunder takes a star turn as Naru, the story’s hero. The film’s director, Dan Trachtenberg, shot the film in both English and Comanche, with both available on Hulu.
Reservation Dogs
Hulu
Following the lives of four Indigenous teenagers on an Oklahoman reservation, Reservation Dogs is a critically acclaimed teen dramedy created by Sterlin Harjo (a citizen of the Seminole Nation of Oklahoma) and Taika Waiki (Māori). Bored in a rural area, the teens spend their days fighting
For more movies and TV selections influenced by Indigenous creators, leads, cultures, and educational history, visit our growing collection.