The video game industry has grown enormously in recent years. From arcades to the growth of consoles and PC games to the disruption of mobile gaming, the Boston area is full of gaming companies and jobs in gaming. They range from the creators of major publishers to studios that help build titles for other brands. Here are 9 to keep an eye on.
Top Video Game Companies in Boston
- Warner Bros. Discovery
- Demiurge Studios
- Harmonix Music Systems
- Zapdot
Global media and entertainment conglomerate Warner Bros. Discovery includes dozens of brands, including Warner Bros. Games Boston, which was founded in 1994. The subsidiary is focused on developing free-to-play mobile games including Game of Thrones: Conquest. Headquartered in New York City, the company employs over 34,000 people worldwide.
Demiurge Studios creates mobile, console and PC games with a focus on building memorable characters and deep interaction systems. The company, based in Cambridge, was founded in 2002 and joined SEGA Networks in 2015.
Unity Technologies is a real-time 3D development platform used in applications for gaming, automotive, film and other industries.
Harmonix Music Systems is best known for its music-focused titles “Dance Central” and “Rock Band.” The company was founded by two MIT graduates in 1995 and found breakout success with the launch of “Guitar Hero.” In 2006, MTV owner Viacom acquired the company. During that time it launched the Rock Band and Dance Central franchises. Viacom sold the company in 2010, and Harmonix has gone on to beef up its existing franchises, including a virtual reality version of Rock Band.
Crate Entertainment has been around since 2008, but didn’t release their first game until this year. Originally, the project was a one-man operation aimed at creating deep gameplay in original fiction settings. The company grew to 10 employees from some of the country’s top studios and publishers and purchased the rights to the defunct Iron Lore Entertainment, continuing projects that company left unfinished.
Proletariat was built from the rubble of Zynga’s Boston studio, which closed in 2012. The five co-founders had worked on everything from “Rock Band” to “Lord of the Rings Online.” Now, they’re focused on indie games and have pushed the envelope in new gameplay, developing a game that streamers on platforms like Twitch can play with their followers. The company now has more than 25 employees.
Video games are for everyone, and FableVision is focused on games for children. The company has partnered with Nick Jr., Smithsonian, National Geographic Society and others in its 20-year history. Children’s book author and illustrator Peter Reynolds founded the company, and the team now also includes animators and edtech experts.
Many big names are getting into gaming, but they can’t dedicate the resources to building a game on their own. Instead, they turn to Zapdot, which creates interactive games for entertainment and commercial projects. The company has built games for console, mobile, web and desktop platforms. Zapdot has worked with large media companies like BBC America and other local studios like Dejobaan Games.
Many people have a vision for a great game, but just don’t have time to learn the tools to build it. Muzzy Lane provides a platform for creating educational games, so institutions can reach learners with engaging content. The platform is used by McGraw-Hill, National Geographic and the Corporation for Public Broadcasting, among others.
Educational games don’t have to be just for kids. Lantana Games builds puzzlers that teach users about art and historical dramas with classic 2D gameplay. The company was founded in 2009 and originally released free titles. Its first commercial title, “Children of Liberty,” was released in 2014.
