Grand Theft Auto publisher Take-Two may soon bring at least 150 jobs to Las Vegas, as the company is now in talks with the city to open a brand new downtown office.
According to the official proposal documents, the Las Vegas Redevelopment Agency is offering up to $600,000 in incentives to Take-Two if it opens this new branch.
Neither party has revealed what the new office would be for, but the proposed agreement notes that the median wage of Take-Two's Las Vegas employees would be $18 an hour, suggesting the facility would likely be used for QA.
With the exception of companies like Petroglyph Games, Las Vegas isn't typically known as a hub for game development, but this wouldn't be the first time a publisher opened a QA facility in a new city thanks to government incentives. In 2008, for instance, Electronic Arts opened a new QA facility in Baton Rouge, Louisiana after receiving funding from the state.
[Update: Take-Two has accepted the city's offer, and has announced that it will be moving its 2K West QA Testing studio from Northridge, California to downtown Las Vegas. Take-Two expects to complete the move in 2013.]
This is such a great thing for vegas! I am a student studying Game Design here. So this is a game changer (pun intended) I can't wait to hopefully find some opportunity!
Welcome to Sin City, you'll love it here.
But it should be. ;)
GarageGames, Petroglyph, Bally, IGT, a rocking nightlife, no income tax, and cheap housing.
http://www.garagegames.com/company/employment
I finish with my Bachelors in Game Production here in Vegas next month!! Would be so awesome.