Makers of video game Insurgency set up shop in Inglewood, attracted by city's diversification fund - Calgary Herald
A Denver-based video game developer that has chosen Calgary as the location for its new studio says the city's $100 million economic diversification fund was a major factor in its decision.
New World Interactive president Keith Warner poses for a photo in what will be their new development studio in Inglewood. The Denver-based video game developer chose Calgary for its new location in part because of the city's $100-million economic diversification fund. Al Charest / Postmedia
A Denver-based video game developer that has chosen Calgary as the location for its new studio says the city's $100-million economic diversification fund was a major factor in its decision.
Keith Warner — president of New World Interactive, the award-winning developer of the multi-million selling Insurgency video game franchise — said his company has not yet applied for grant money from the Opportunity Calgary Investment Fund, which was established by city council in 2018 to benefit companies and non-profits proposing projects that will create jobs, spur diversification and expand the property tax assessment base.
But he said he is hopeful his company will benefit from the fund, as well as the Alberta government's tax credit for companies in the interactive digital media business. He said the potential for receiving public sector support was one of the primary reasons the company chose Calgary over its next choice, Toronto.
"We made the decision (to move to Calgary) predicated on a fairly high degree of confidence it would happen," Warner said. "If we don't get it (government support), what it means is we will grow considerably slower."
The new Calgary studio, dubbed New World North and slated to open in Inglewood in May 2019, comes in anticipation of what the company believes will be sustained growth after the successful PC launch of Insurgency: Sandstorm and an upcoming console version slated for 2019. Employees working at the Calgary location will provide post-release support for Insurgency: Sandstorm as well as development support for an unannounced future title.
Still image from the video game Insurgency Sandstorm.
Warner said the Calgary studio will start with 15 employees, most of whom are already working for New World Interactive in other locations. But he said over the next three years he hopes to expand to up to 50 employees.
"That will be predicated on getting the necessary support that we really do hope for and I would argue we need in order to achieve our objectives," he said.
While Calgary has a very small pool of talent when it comes to video game design, Warner said New World wants to do everything it can to grow the sector, from working directly with post-secondary institutions to fostering talent through incubator programs.
"If the talent pool doesn't yield what we want, then we'll look at bringing in what we need. But I'm not looking to bring in non-Canadians," Warner said. "I want to hire as many Canadians as I can, and primarily as many Calgarians as I can."
Gamers play Insurgency Sandstorm at Electronic Expo in Los Angeles, Calif., on June 12, 2018.FREDERIC J. BROWN / AFP/Getty Images
New World Interactive is "significant enough" in the gaming sector that its arrival — the first such company to locate in Calgary — could trigger other companies to follow, said Megan Zimmerman, business development manager for Calgary Economic Development.
Zimmerman said she believes Calgary's high quality of life and lower cost of living were also factors in New World Interactive's decision.
"You hear about gaming in Vancouver, and certainly that's the hub for a lot of gaming, but you know, technology companies like this can be quite location agnostic," she said. "That's the sweetest part of this for us. They (New World) are very committed to being a part of the ecosystem and helping us grow this opportunity in digital gaming and creative industries in Calgary."
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