Louisiana Technology Park has attracted six gaming clients

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Louisiana Technology Park in Baton Rouge has netted six video game developers so far

Louisiana Technology Park has attracted six gaming clients to its nonprofit Baton Rouge incubator, and two are polishing video games for release this summer or early next year.

Tech Park officials soon discovered that while video game production was growing in other parts of the nation, it was in its infancy in Louisiana, said Stephen Loy, executive director at Louisiana Technology Park.

He said two of the biggest problems facing the industry in this state were lack of facilities and equipment.

“We started Level Up Lab two years ago with a $75,000 grant from the Delta Regional Authority,” Loy said. “It’s kind of an incubator for video game companies.”

The lab also is available for development of mobile apps and other digital products, he said.

Lacking some of the professional tools needed to transform their ideas into smooth video scenes and sounds, they make use of the Level Up Lab at the technology park’s business incubator.

Jones said use of that space and equipment is granted by Louisiana Technology Park in return for a $150 monthly fee and 10 percent of the game’s gross sales.

As for those baby steps being taken by the students of After Hours Lab, Loy, the tech park director, said, “I think this is great. This is what they love to do. If it weren’t for LSU and Level Up Lab, who knows what they would have done?”

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