Aspiring Higher
His pitch was compelling. His mission was uplifting. And his video game, Da Paper Boy, was an absolute blast. When Leroy Jones gave his 1 Million Cups presentation on 3D Dojo Studios, he had the crowd assembled in Hatch Innovation Hub’s event space riveted. It’s hard to imagine there was ever a time when Jones thought he couldn’t become a video game developer.
“Growing up, survival was all I knew. I’d been raising myself since I was 13, and no one at my high school gave me guidance on pursuing higher education or advancing my career. Young people like me — we were expected to end up one of two places: in jail or on drugs,” explained Jones. Determined to forge a different path for himself, he set his sights on college. An undergraduate degree would unlock more possibilities for his future, he reasoned, including the chance to pursue a work in the field that interested him most: science.
He overcame obstacle after obstacle — persisting even when a lack of parental support and admissions catch-22s threatened to suspend him in educational limbo indefinitely — until he’d gotten himself enrolled at Miami Dade Community College. While there, he did create more opportunity for himself, but not in the ways he initially expected to. He found that in addition to biology, he had an affinity for graphic design, and this led him to complete a six month training in the discipline.
An Entrepreneurial Spirit
“I was also reading books on entrepreneurship, which I had a lot of interest in, too,” said Jones. After opening his first business, LJ Designs in 2016, he went door to door pitching his graphic design services. “I got seven clients during my first month in business. My second month, I got 16. My third, I got 42. My fifth, 73. I stopped counting at 286.” LJ Designs took off, a testament to Jones’ unique combination of talent, business acumen, and genuine investment in his clients’ wellbeing.
“In everything I do, I aim to go above and beyond. I was cultivating real relationships with my clients, not simply giving them designs.” These relationships would prove invaluable for Jones’ second business venture, but not until he gave landing a job in the gaming industry a try. Video games had always been a passion of his — since he was a kid, they’d been a means of escape, a vehicle for learning, and a place where he could cultivate connection. Jones broadened his skill set to include 3D design, then began applying to open opportunities at studios across the nation.
The Dark Side of Game Development
It wasn’t too long before he realized that while the gaming community was inclusive and supportive, the gaming industry was not. “Being a Black man that grew up where I did, I’m no stranger to prejudice. But the outright racism I experienced while applying for jobs at many studios was on another level. I was criticized for my hair, for the way I speak; I was told I was intimidating. Many times I’d make it all the way to the video or in person interview and then be given some made-up reason for why I didn’t get the job,” he recalled.
Though he hadn’t expected this kind of treatment based on his experience as a gamer, it didn’t necessarily surprise Jones. He’d noticed a distinct lack of ingenuity in the titles produced by big-name studios, and this experience revealed why. “There’s not much that’s actually new out there these days,” he explained. “But then, when there’s no diversity in your creative teams, you’re not going to get innovation.” The prospect of working within so oppressive a culture was far from appealing, so Jones decided to do what he’d done his whole life: Create his own way.
A Better Way To Build Better Games
“I started 3D Dojo Studios in June 2020 because I knew I wasn’t the only one facing discrimination in the industry. I wanted to show there’s a better way to build games while creating opportunity for all of the people being unfairly overlooked,” said Jones. During phase one of his company launch, he focused on growing a community of creators and game enthusiasts. The network he’d cultivated through LJ Designs served as the perfect launching pad, enabling him to acquire 200 engaged community members quickly.
Then, Jones moved into phase two of business development: team building. He held workshops and art challenges that gave him insight into who was ready to help him build 3D Dojo’s debut title. After assembling a cohort of talented professionals who needed game development experience, Jones got to work on phase three: creating his studio’s first game. Around the same time, he and his wife decided to move to Asheville. “I’d done a lot of research on the city, and I knew that there was a big push to promote Black business there. My wife and I also felt very welcome in Asheville, so I believed it would be a good place for 3D Dojo Studios’ headquarters.”
Support from Hatch Innovation Hub Partners
Upon moving, Jones connected with Bruce Waller at Black Wall Street, who invited him to give a presentation in the organization’s event space. This brought Jones into contact with Jeff Kaplan, director of Venture Asheville, and Erika Gifford, community manager at Hatch Innovation Hub, who signed him up for his 1 Million Cups presentation.
The collaborative partnerships among Asheville’s entrepreneur support organizations facilitated Jones’ development of a robust and supportive WNC professional network. “1 Million Cups, for example, enabled me to make some really interesting connections. It also was very motivating and encouraging,” said Jones.
As he enters the final stages of development for Da Paper Boy, Jones has begun raising money for his brick and mortar headquarters, which he intends to double as a gaming lounge for locals. He hopes to provide area youth with a sorely needed venue for recreation and connection while introducing them to career opportunities within the industry. Jones is proud to have founded Asheville’s first Black-owned video game development studio, and he’s excited about what his company’s growth can do for the city. If you’d like to learn more about 3D Dojo Studios, visit 3ddojostudios.com.