11:16 AM CDT on Tuesday, August 23, 2005

Thanh Truong / WWL-TV Reporter

With the boom in the New Orleans film industry, are video games the next big thing?

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Andrew Wisdom, co-founder Turbo Squid.

State lawmakers seem to think so, and are now offering tax breaks to attract what some might call an unconventional industry.

“By our calculations it would attract something in the order of 3,000-plus workers permanently to the state of Louisiana; all of whom would make an average of $75,000 a year,” said Andrew Wisdom, who, along with his brother Matthew, founded Turbo Squid, a sort of marketplace which sells 3D digital products and software.

“For the longest time I felt like we were the only fish in the pond, and now it looks like we might have a few more people here,” said Matthew.

WWL-TV

Lawmakers are now offering 20% tax breaks to bring video game companies to Louisiana in an effort to bloster the state's economy and job market.

The video game industry is a multi-billon dollar money machine, and the Wisdom brothers are trying to bring it to Louisiana.

Similar to the now popular film industry in town, the digital and video game fields are now offered a 20% tax break from the state. For years, a bulk of the gaming industry has resided in Silicon Valley in California. But like the situation with Hollywood, state lawmakers are hoping the tax incentive will lure game developers to the south.

“It's big business, it's a growing business and these are good, high paying jobs, the type of jobs that can keep a lot of our young people in the state when they graduate,” said State Representative Steve Scalise (R-Metairie).

But should the state invest in an industry that traditionally has catered to teenagers and young people?

“If you answer that question by saying did you realize that the average game player is 26-years-old with an average income of $50,000 a year, and that total game sales in North America exceeded Hollywood ticket sales this year, then I think people then understand that it' not just about kid's play," said Andrew.

WWL-TV

Matthew Wisdom, co-founder Turbo Squid.

At a time when the state is searching for ways to keep the economy alive, the Wisdoms say video games can do just that and allow local talent to work in their hometown.

“We didn't pick New Orleans just to have a successful company. We wanted to be here and to have a whole group of people like us that can move here for the economic opportunity in New Orleans and Louisiana would be the greatest success I could ever hope for,” Matthew said.

The Wisdom brothers said the video game and digital media industries in New Orleans are very young, but with the new tax break and several universities either planning to offer or already offering video program courses, they say that may soon change.