Louisiana has a proud heritage and legacy across a range of different interests, cultures, and industries. While things like unique takes on southern cuisine and an obsessive love for football come more readily to mind for most, the state actually has a very cool gaming legacy too. With some amazing game studios that call the Bayou state home, Louisiana can also lay claim to some serious game development credentials as a result.

From New Orleans to Baton Rouge, it isn’t just music and film that shine among the entertainment genres that Louisiana boasts. Video game development has quietly taken hold there, as well, and while major publishers often steal the spotlight, the state is home to smaller studios and startups producing very impressive work.

Many platforms that focus on digital entertainment thrive there. Among the standout Louisiana sites catering to iGaming, online casino platforms are proving particularly popular. Growing interest in iGaming has resulted in a range of tech-driven growth there. The best sites available locally have become renowned for fast payments, expansive gaming libraries, and reliable offerings that cater to both quality and security for players.

Among Louisiana gaming studios, one of the more established names is Pixel Dash Studios. Based in Baton Rouge, the studio has been active since around 2011. It specializes in both single and multiplayer offerings using Unity and Unreal. Avid gamers will recognize titles like Road Redemption. A popular motorcycle combat game, it debuted on Steam but was later made available on consoles.

The success of the studio is a testament to the potential local indie studios have to reach global audiences. Meanwhile, in New Orleans, Microsoft-owned inXile Entertainment maintains a studio focused on console and PC RPGs. It was established during the company’s acquisition in 2018. While it has different branches, the local one supports huge releases and is known for hiring locally. They’ve also benefited from Louisiana’s generous digital media tax credit program, which refunds 25% of eligible payroll and 18% of production costs.

Another New Orleans name that definitely deserves a mention is TurboSquid. It may sound a little weird, but don’t let that name fool you; this company doesn’t release games but instead provides specialized 3D modeling that is widely used in game development. As one of the best 3D model sites of 2023, their digital marketplace influences global content creation.

Crop Circle Games, also in New Orleans, launched in 2021 under Prytania Media. They focus on cooperative gameplay and community-driven design, though few titles have shipped publicly. With a small but devoted team, they aim to build multiplayer games reflective of local storytelling traditions.

Nerjyzed Entertainment, once based in Baton Rouge, made history in the 2000s with Black College Football: BCFX—the first video game focused on HBCU teams. They secured Louisiana tax incentives but faced financial trouble and shut down around 2010.

High Voltage Software, meanwhile, grew its already fairly large footprint to include New Orleans. It added 80 positions and took advantage of the state’s incentive program in the process. It focuses on porting and engine development, providing added local scope for console titles.

In more recent times, the launch of Possibility Space in New Orleans back in 2021 was more of a disappointment. It was meant as a AAA-quality studio and had ambitions of developing original titles. Unfortunately, it closed within three years, having never developed a single game.

On the indie side, though, Norco (by the collective Geography of Robots) gained attention as a point‑and‑click adventure. It’s set in the near future and takes place in a Louisiana petrochemical town. Merging local history and environmental awareness, it’s been praised for atmosphere and narrative authenticity.

Support for local networks is also a huge help. For example, IGDA Baton Rouge offers monthly meetings and networking events that connect developers with gamers and other tech enthusiasts. Louisiana Game Developers also promote community collaboration, including Discord-mediated meetups.

Louisiana’s tax incentives, which are up to 43%, continue to anchor investment in interactive media. That support, along with co‑working spaces and university partnerships, provides fertile ground for new studios.

There are still challenges, though. For one, funding gaps make true, globally disruptive competition a pipe dream for now. There are also issues with talent retention. As a deep south state that’s known more for local culture and charm than being a tech hub, states like California and New York are usually where seriously talented Louisianian techies head to really make a name for themselves.

It’s true that Louisiana will likely never be able to compete properly with the production and output levels of global tech hubs like Silicon Valley. However, these local gaming studios show just how much potential and talent the state has. Adding local charm and diversity to the mix has also seen Louisiana quietly building a solid portfolio, and the state certainly deserves credit for its achievements in the industry to date.