ID@Xbox Developer Acceleration Program Celebrates Games from Across the African Diaspora

Please give us a brief description of your game.

Black Spades is a card game rooted in the African American community’s heritage of classic card game, Spades. Yep, that’s right! Spades the way your friends and family play at home, college, reunions, and holiday get-togethers – with Jokers, Wild Deuces, Reneg calling, and more!

From the beginner playing at home, to the expert playing across the nation, Black Spades was created to get you straight to the action with no gimmicks. Designed with authentic rules, realistic gameplay, and heavy social interaction, Black Spades has become a standout offering for Spades enthusiasts.

What sets your game apart?

Black Spades is the first and only game published on any platform that features Spades rules and terminology found in the African American culture. Our mission is to help preserve and extend the history of Spades within African American culture, and to become the only digital entity to house the most comprehensive collection of African American Spades rules.

Black Spades is a cross-platform online multiplayer game. Xbox users can play against other players on various devices, such as mobile phones, computers, and handhelds.

Here is a list of our key features:

Reneg Calling (Play the wrong suit and kiss those 3 books goodbye. If you get caught.)
Live Voice Chat (talk yo’ stuff in realtime!)
Partner Play (Choose or find a partner to play multiplayer matches with you)
Locations (Play in different locations to win exclusive tables, coin jackpots, and become the mayor!)
Leaderboards with bonus prizes! (Daily, Weekly and Monthly)
Goals (Flex your skill, and luck, to win the big jackpot)
Smack Talk!!! (Choose from over 20+ phrases.)
Custom soundtrack (Featuring an original track by “David Banner”)

How has the Developer Acceleration Program impacted your game creation journey?

As an indie developer and publisher, the Developer Acceleration Program has been instrumental in helping us bring Black Spades to Xbox. Their belief in the game –combined with their extensive resources and financial support – made it possible to successfully transition Black Spades from mobile to console.

Konsole Kingz took a nontraditional path to Xbox game publishing, and DAP ensured that path was not only viable but achievable. Through their monthly Green Room sessions, they consistently demystified the Xbox development and publishing process, clearly outlining the tools, requirements, and best practices needed to launch successfully on the platform. It’s a ton of information to take in, but they deliver it in bite-size chunks.

What’s ahead for your game?

Black Spades has joined the Xbox Insider Program to help us test, refine, and polish the game before we launch in the summer. Please reach out to us via Black Spades’ social media handles to request access to the demo and give us your feedback on X, Instagram, or Facebook.

Wishlist Black Spades on all Xbox platforms. Lastly, download Black Spades on your mobile device now, create an account, and play a few games. You’ll be ahead of the game and launch day ready!