Just a day after local and state officials celebrated the announcement of a Seattle-based game testing company’s plans to establish a Baton Rouge office, officials today are touting the announcement of a Chicago-based tech firm’s plans to open an office in New Orleans.
High Voltage Software Inc. plans to have a video game development studio up and running in New Orleans as early as next month. Louisiana Economic Development estimates the project will create 80 direct jobs as well as 116 new indirect jobs; it says the company selected Louisiana for its new studio after a competitive eight-month site selection search that included potential locations in Georgia, Florida and Texas.
LED says it has been working to bring the company here since October of last year, and that the state is providing High Voltage with an incentive package that includes a performance-based $150,000 grant to reimburse relocation expenses, along with workforce development assistance via its LED FastStart program. The company also is expected to take advantage of the state’s Digital Interactive Media and Software Development Incentive, which provides a 35% tax credit on payroll for in-state labor and a 25% tax credit for qualified production expenses made in Louisiana.
High Voltage will lease a suite in the Place St. Charles building in New Orleans’ Central Business District and plans to begin hiring immediately. Founded in 1993, the software company has shipped 95 game titles and worked with more than 25 major brands, including Star Wars, Toy Story, Batman and SpongeBob SquarePants. Since its foundation, High Voltage has grown into one of the largest third-party game developers in the world, LED says.
“Today’s announcement is great news for New Orleans and our entire state,” Gov. Bobby Jindal says in a prepared statement. “Software development, information technology and digital media companies are flocking to Louisiana because of our rapidly growing technology workforce and strong tech business climate. Some of the world’s most-respected technology companies are proud to call Louisiana home and many leading digital media companies continue to grow in our state and help us grow our economy.”
LED has more details on today’s announcement, which follows the announcement Tuesday that a Seattle-based game testing company called qalytics is moving into the Louisiana Technology Park on Florida Boulevard. —Steve Sanoski
