By Mike Worth and Chad Breitenfeld
Philly is undoubtedly well known for its unrivaled cheese steaks, fanatical sport fans and of course, Trading Places. In the not too distant future, Philadelphia may be equally well known as the East Coast destination for the Interactive Software Entertainment Industry or in laymen’s terms, video game production, in all shapes, sizes and applications.
When video games first were produced, Japan (Nintendo, Konami, Namco-Bandai) was the epicenter of the industry. American studios seeking to be as close as possible to the industry epicenter, naturally established themselves on the West Coast. With Europe now emerging as a video game studio powerhouse and the rise of technologically savvy East Coast developers, video game companies are now looking to the East Coast to set-up shop. In fact, three of the most popular (and best-selling) games in the recent past have not come from San Francisco, but from Boston, Maryland, and Raleigh/Durham. Philadelphia, with its’ deep tech-savvy talent pool, internet entrepreneurs, and its’ strong artistic and cultural heritage, is a natural “next hot spot” for the rapidly expanding video game industry.
Several other factors contribute to the growing recognition that Philly is it. The City of Brotherly Love is located between 5 major video game cities, which give easy access to professionals looking to establish new studios. Philly’s location also ensures a strong sense of community in the video game industry, as Philly can sponsor industry events and conferences, and easily attract individuals from other established communities in the business corridor. Furthermore, Philly’s rent and cost of living are over 30% cheaper than the high cost-of-living areas like Los Angeles, New York, and San Francisco, which translates to start-up costs that are considerably less. Moreover, Philadelphia’s already vibrant creative community means that video game developers will be able to settle in a city with a rich culture, great social life, and strong artistic presence. Finally, Philly has over 40 universities within 30 minutes (including Drexel and University of Pennsylvania, both of which have Game Design and Programming degrees), which means that incoming studios will have a wealth of interns and entry-level employees to mine for their projects.
Several co-supporting sectors in the Philadelphia Region agree. Game Music Inc. Founder, Mike Worth (www.gamemusicinc.com) and Philadelphia Chapter Leader of the International Game Developers Association, Hardi Bhatt (www.igda.com) planted the seed for the Philadelphia Video Game Initiative (PVGI), with ample nourishment from 6 other founding members. Essentially, PVGI’s mission is to promote, support and grow the video game industry in the Greater Philadelphia Region. Though still very much in its infancy, the PVGI has achieved considerable momentum in an incredibly short period of time and is now perched on the precipice of a state-wide movement.
“As the game industry grows into new downloadable and subscription based markets, Philadelphia is a perfect choice for studios to take root,” Says PVGI Co-Founder Mike Worth. “Our strong blend of technology and creativity, our deep university support, and the incredible culture and history of Philly make this a perfect city for the video game industry.”
Chad Breitenfeld, founding member of PVGI and Director of Business Development for Philadelphia-based digital marketing agency Splat Productions, Inc. (www.splatworld.tv) adds, “The more people we speak with, the more we recognize that this initiative truly has the broad support necessary to make it a raging success. Outside of Philly’s appealing urban culture and easy access to technical and artistic talent, the PVGI incubator concept requires ample support, notably from both the city and the state. Initial meetings held with both parties have shown clear support for creating incentive-laced packages for both relocating and/or co-locating studios, as well as exploring similar considerations warranted for retained talent.”
Game Music, Inc. produces musical score for video games and Splat Productions, Inc. produces 3D art assets and marketing services for, among others, video game publishers. Game Music Inc. has already had considerable success with a number of high-end titles and Splat Productions is currently producing serious game content for the defense contractor vertical.
Clearly, Philadelphia is not merely waiting for existing video game companies to set-up studios in the region. Several studios have already formed in the area, and are creating titles from small iPhone and flash applications, to large, full-featured MMORPGs (Massively Multi-player Online Role Playing Games). True to Philadelphia’s commitment to excellence, the studios’ first set of games have been exceptionally well received. Flash and iPhone studio, CipherPrime, has received critical reviews (and 17,000 downloads) for Auditorium. Independent studios such as Space Whale Studios and Final Form Games leveraged local talent and are in the process of putting together their first set of games.
One of the flagships of the rapidly growing Philadelphia video game community is Burst Online Entertainment, which is creating its’ first persistent world (a virtual world that continues to exist after the user has left the game, incorporating any changes made on a permanent basis). Damon Alberts, President of Burst Online Entertainment L.L.C., chose Philadelphia for its rich culture, tech-savvy talent pool, lower cost-of-living, and proximity to the 5 other major east coast gaming cities. “The Greater Philadelphia region is a great place to live, work, and play. With affordable office space in Center City Philadelphia, our employees have access to all the vibrant neighborhoods, arts, music, and culture the city has to offer. They can also easily head to the beach, mountains, or hop a quick train to NYC, DC, or Baltimore for the weekend.”
Mr. Alberts has also enjoyed access to the bright young minds coming out of the region’s universities and the assistance provided by the region’s many business development programs. “Starting a MMORPG development company is no easy task. Fortunately the people here are extremely helpful and excited to see the game industry grow in the region”.
Philadelphia is a city that always defines itself on its’ own terms. It embraces its strong sense of individuality, its blend of technology and artistic entrepreneurship, and its rich and enjoyable culture. Now that it has set its’ sights on growing the video game industry, you can expect to see a lot of new and exciting news coming out of the City of Brotherly Love.
