Wisconsin wants to become a leader in the video game industry

Ben Kvalo feels much better about creating video games now than he did when he was a student at the University of Wisconsin-Green Bay.

“There was no hope or idea that we would actually be able to break into this industry,” he said.

Today, Cuvarro heads a video game publisher based in the same city where he attended college. The publisher's name is Midwest Games, highlighting his goal for the Midwest and Wisconsin to become a bigger player in the video game industry, which is estimated to be worth nearly $200 billion worldwide.

“Now we have hope and opportunity,” he said. “This will allow people to start game studios and work with people like us, publishers, to bring games to market.”

With the rise of remote work, leaders of Wisconsin's burgeoning video game industry are pushing to make the state a reputable hub with talent comparable to coastal tech hotspots.

In recent months, WPR's “The Morning Show” and “Central Time” examined efforts to grow the industry. During their appearances on the show, business and education leaders explained how their public policy efforts will help advance Wisconsin's standing. They also discussed what universities can offer students who want to develop video games.

“I want it back”

Wisconsin's influence on the gaming industry dates back to 1974, when the popular tabletop fantasy game “Dungeons & Dragons” began in Lake Geneva, said Andrew Williams, a professor of art and design history at UW-Stout.

Baldur's Gate 3, the top-rated video game at last year's Game Awards, is set in the world of Dungeons & Dragons and shares its story and setting.

The Midwest lost a major foothold in the video game industry when Chicago-based publisher Midway filed for bankruptcy in 2009 and sold its assets to Warner Bros.

Mr. Cuvalo said nothing was done to fill the void after the fall of Midway. He said about two-thirds of the industry is concentrated in California, Washington and Texas. The breakdown is primarily his four regions around San Francisco, Los Angeles, Seattle, and Austin.

“We lost the tent poles that were Midwest,” Cuvalo said. “We want to bring it back because it has that history.”

Policy aims to expand video game production

This year, the Wisconsin Legislature proposed new tax credits for wages and other costs to attract video game companies to the state. They held a public hearing on this bill a few months ago. However, the session ended before the bill could be voted on.

State Sen. Patrick Testin (R-Stevens Point) said Wisconsin is at war with 49 other states over talent.

“Incentives like this will attract developers and employers to our state and continue to grow this industry here in Wisconsin,” he said during a hearing in January.

Tim Gerritsen, chief operating officer of Lost Boys Interactive, a Madison-based video game developer, said the tax cut could allow companies to hire more workers in Wisconsin.

“In our industry, when you move people, they stay here and become part of the community,” he said. “It's not just that person. The whole family moves together and becomes part of the community.”

Lost Boys Interactive is a fully remote company with approximately 70 employees located in Wisconsin. Many of Wisconsin's workers live in rural areas and need access to high-speed internet, Gerritsen said.

At UW-Stout, Williams studies interactive media and digital games. He said broadband access is “absolutely essential” to expanding video game production in Wisconsin. Developers need access to online licenses, internet power to launch their software, and access to large amounts of file storage, Williams said.

“I work as an art director and environment artist for an educational game company, and we work completely remotely. We have people all over the world,” Williams said. “I can't imagine being able to do something like that remotely and efficiently without a really good, solid infrastructure.”

Students prepare for the video game workforce

Seth Berrier senses the tension among UW-Stout students. Berrier teaches and directs the university's computer science program. He said Wisconsin students are concerned about whether they will be able to make it in the video game industry.

For Berrier, that feeling is especially evident among artists. He said UW-Stout's video game design program stands out because programmers and artists work together in the classroom. But artists are concerned about artificial intelligence.

Berrier said AI is a “seismic event” in higher education and that people in the gaming industry are already using it. Berrier said he has started incorporating AI as part of his programming classes.

“We've tried to approach this from the perspective of, 'This is a tool. You should have it in your toolbox. If you learn how to use it well, you can be one of them.' ” he said.

Wisconsin universities, including UW-Stout, UW-Whitewater, and the University of Green Bay, offer programs that prepare students for the video game business. Kvalo, of Midwest Games, said he wants to work with universities to share skills sought by the industry.

“We are committed to ensuring that our program is properly aligned to the current state of the industry so that we can direct this pipeline of great talent into this growing industry that has the potential to have a significant impact on Wisconsin and the entire Midwest region.” ” he said.

Cuvalo said he empathizes with Midwestern creators who feel the video game industry only makes room for workers in established technology hubs.

“I'm from these places. I'm from Wisconsin,” he said. “I come from a place that has been ignored for a long time.”

Kuvaro said remote work will help diversify the types of games that break through. He pointed to the immense popularity of Farming Simulator. He said agriculture is a subject that traditional industries may not take seriously. But consumers spoke out.

“Different types of games, different opportunities are ahead of us,” he said.