New York Digital Game development
New York is a digital game development industry leader, fostering a thriving ecosystem of talent and innovation. The growing game development industry reflects New York State’s investments in invention.
New York State is top-ranked in the digital game development industry, home to top companies and to first-class academic programs and partnerships that are building the talent pipeline.
Recognized as a national industry leader, New York State is fifth in the nation for the amount the industry adds to the economy; fourth in numbers of digital game development companies; and home to six of the country’s Top 50 video game design and development undergraduate and two top graduate programs. The state has invested $20+ million in Digital Game Development at New York University (NYU), Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute (RPI) and Rochester Institute of Technology (RIT)—to build industry innovation, collaboration through mentoring and community outreach—reflecting strategic support for industry growth. These centers have created more than 120 jobs and led to the development of 110+ games.
Internationally recognized companies like Take Two Interactive and Velan Studios got their start in New York State producing and publishing iconic games including the Grand Theft Auto franchise and Knockout City. And virtual reality is making significant strides with studios like New York City-based InkStories winning film festival awards from Sundance to Tribeca. New York also hosts some of the industry’s key events, including Play NYC and Games for Change.
New York State’s $976+ million digital game development industry is on a growth track, supported by incentives and investments in infrastructure that will encourage growth. In 2023, New York State launched the Digital Game Development Program which provides $25 million in tax credits to digital game development projects done in New York State. The Excelsior Jobs Program offers refundable tax credits to companies in exchange for job creation and investment. And New York State has invested in 5G, in Rochester, New York City and Buffalo, to offer 50x greater responsiveness and speed for industry-related applications and technologies.
In 2022, six New York schools were ranked in The Princeton Review’s rankings of top undergraduate programs for game design: New York University; Rochester Institute of Technology; Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute; New York Film Academy; Marist College and Cornell University. NYS is also home to three top digital game development grad programs at New York University, Rochester Institute of Technology, and Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute. Twenty-nine colleges and universities across the state offer degrees and additional colleges and programs offer classes in game development programming.
New York State is home to hundreds of game development companies including Take Two Interactive, Avalanche Studios, WB Games, Games for Change Accelerator, Velan Studios, Second Avenue Learning, Playmatics, Workinman Interactive, Darkwind Media, Wolfjaw Studios, Cosmo D Studios, Rushdown Studios, 1st Playable, Computer Lunch and Fabraz.
Source: https://esd.ny.gov/industries/digital-game-development