The Mississippi Band of Choctaw Indians has made an investment in the youth of the Tribe by becoming a financial partner in the recently released video game, Beyond Blue.

The video game is available for PC, PS4, Xbox One, and Apple Arcade and was developed by E-Line Media.

“The investment in Beyond Blue came out of our concerted effort to focus on STEM education and training throughout the Tribe. We see that as the key to our future success,” John Hendrix, Director of Economic Development, said in a news release. “We connected with E-Line Media because of their involvement in Never Alone, a game created in partnership with the Cook Inlet Tribal Council in Alaska.”

“We are pleased to be a partner in this game, as we feel it is a sound financial investment. But more importantly, this partnership has given us additional knowledge and insight that is extremely beneficial as we develop our own Choctaw video game, which we are working on now with E-Line Media.”

Beyond Blue features eight dives where players use advanced technology to document the different species they encounter, track changes to the ecosystem, and unravel the mystery of a pod of whales that have experienced a brand new addition to the family.

Embracing the same development process that was used to create Never Alone, E-Line’s BAFTA award-winning game about Alaska Native culture, the company partnered with BBC Studios, OceanX Media, world-class game makers, and some of science’s leading ocean experts to craft an experience that immerses players in the beauty and awesome wonder of the ocean.

As one of the United States’ original first nations, the Mississippi Band of Choctaw Indians is the only federally recognized American Indian tribe living within the State of Mississippi.

With over 11,000 members, Choctaw lands cover over 35,000 acres in 10 counties. Providing permanent, full-time jobs for over 5,000 Tribal-member and non-Indian employees, the Tribe is a major contributor to the state’s economy.