Georgia Continues to Lead in Gaming, Virtual Reality and Digital Entertainment
Recent esports and virtual reality company locations have helped further solidify Georgia’s leadership in the thriving world of digital entertainment.
The recent global pandemic has created opportunities for many in the virtual reality (VFX) space, and Georgia continues to capitalize on its strong technology infrastructure and entrepreneurial spirit as the state emerges as a leader within these sectors.
For example, French-American company Fun Workout VR Fitness recently announced the opening of their first North American showroom and headquarters in metro Atlanta. As the exclusive U.S. distributor for Icaros, Fun Workout offers cutting-edge home workout technology combined with fitness equipment for a unique exercising experience, with options that include flying, swimming and motorcycle steering simulations. The Icaros Home and the Icaros Cloud Home are made specifically for individuals looking for an effective and efficient workout without heading to the gym.
Fun Workout continues to invest heavily in leading VR fitness technologies, including their Icalethics app. The company plans to open additional showrooms across the state and create unique jobs and opportunities for Georgians.
In addition, on October 21, local investors officially acquired Ghost Gaming, an esports team that competes in leagues and games such as Rocket League, Fortnite and Smite. As the epicenter of innovation and culture for the Southeast USA, Atlanta makes the perfect fit for “gaming culture” thanks to its world-class talent, significant gaming industry presence and education pipeline.
Skillshot Media’s Todd Harris partnered with Andrew Steinberg, formerly with the Atlanta Hawks, to recruit the Ghost Gaming to Atlanta. The project will bring 15 jobs, and investors anticipate the company will grow quickly, which will help create additional jobs over the next few years.
As the future trends toward digitization, Georgia has become a nucleus for companies expanding within this space. This is no more evident than at the intersection of digital entertainment and Georgia’s world-renowned film production ecosystem.
For example, film production stages recently invested in VFX capacity and game engine development to recruit the future of film production. Georgia’s talent-rich gaming workforce coupled with the state’s emergence as a film production hub presents numerous growth opportunities within the virtual reality entertainment space.
Georgia’s skilled workforce and unrivaled support for the digital gaming industry has helped create more than 12,000 direct and indirect gaming jobs and has generated a $550 million impact on the state. These factors, combined with Georgia’s unwavering support for the film industry, continue to lead to investment ventures with game-changing companies.
~Posted November 19, 2020