The USA is one of the leading countries in the gaming industry, earning around $45 billion in revenue every year according to a Newzoo report. This puts it within touching distance of China’s $45.8 billion in the first place. The key difference is that there are 209 million gamers in the US as opposed to 744 million in China. This highlights just how much the USA is flourishing.
The question is, where is the best place in the USA for development studios to operate and find success? Many would say that looking at up-and-coming gaming regions like New Jersey could be the way forward in 2023.
Is California too Saturated for New Game Developers?
There are various states in the country where budding developers could look into setting up shop. California is a hotbed for some of the world’s major studios, for example, with the likes of Naughty Dog, Rockstar Games, and Electronic Arts all operating in the state. The latter is the fifth-largest game company in the world according to revenue figures listed on Zippia.
The region is well-known for being one of the best places in the country for tech companies, and there’s no doubt that game studios have a good chance of getting recognised if they exist there. However, the market in California is also quite saturated, so some would say that it’s best for new game companies to look into states where there isn’t quite as much competition.
New Jersey is one such region. There are already some well-known developers in the state, but it hasn’t become overcrowded with the competition just yet. Some of the best-known studios in the Garden State include Vicarious Visions, Barnstorm Games, and Gameloft. Some of the top studios started there, while others set up offices in the state to get a foothold in the growing gaming industry in the region.
New Jersey’s Forays into Online Gaming Could Give it Edge
Some of the best-established game companies and the most successful in the USA are those involved with console offerings. In recent years, there has also been a rise in the number of mobile game developers in the country as that offshoot of gaming blew up in the 2010s.
The USA has been a bit behind the rest of the world in the iGaming market, with online casinos not accessible everywhere in the country. This is set to change over the next decade, though, with New Jersey leading the charge. Online casinos are available in the state, and new sites keep cropping up all the time. For instance, PlayStar’s New Jersey launch recently happened, and the new site is offering a 100 per cent deposit match bonus of up to $1000 to new players. That offer highlights the competitiveness of the market in the state already.
With online casinos on the rise, it would be reasonable to assume that there will soon be a noticeable increase in the number of iGaming development studios in the USA. These will open offices in well-known and established gambling hubs, such as New Jersey. This, in turn, will get the attention of larger game companies that may seek to get involved by buying out or forming partnerships with smaller studios.
New Jersey is a welcoming state for game developers, and it’s becoming a good place for collaboration and partnerships between studios. With the rise of the iGaming industry, interest in developers opening offices in the region is going to increase.