The weather can be harsh, particularly during winter in the northern regions, the communication infrastructure leaves much to be desired and the depth of the talent pool can't compete with the coasts.
But Stardock Entertainment, developer of PC games such as Galactic Civilizations and publisher of strategy gems including Ironclad's Sins of a Solar Empire, has been able to thrive despite these shortcomings--and Michigan, realizing the importance of companies like Stardock--wants the game maker to stay put.
Tax credits amounting to $900K have enabled the company to open a second studio that is in the very early stages of a cross-platform RPG inspired by Baldur's Gate-style games. The new studio, about 8,000-9,000 square feet in size, is a floor located within the building where Stardock currently operates. There will be around 50 new employees added to the company through the expansion, bringing the total headcount to over 100.
Stardock CEO Brad Wardell explains how he was mulling over expanding the studio a year ago. "My friend Chris Taylor [owner of Wash. State-based Demigod developer Gas Powered Games] is always saying how great Seattle is, and I go out there and that place is awesome, there are lots of people."
The state of Michigan caught wind that Stardock was considering expanding in another state.
"They came to us and said look, what are your problems with Michigan?" Wardell rattled off some of the barriers of Stardock's location: a shallow talent pool, the weather and the communication infrastructure (Stardock's offices use a Comcast cable connection).
There wasn't much Michigan could do about the weather, but the state was receptive, coming to Stardock with a package that outlined plans to improve communication infrastructure, incentives to hire from local colleges and breaks on relocation costs when recruiting out of state.
"If you're having to pay a guy a salary of $50K, $60K, $75K, and then you have to pay extra for relocation costs, the tax credit can make the difference. It can take away the cost of moving expenses."
He adds, "The goal here isn't to bribe companies to Michigan. It's to make Michigan more competitive to other states."
Stardock is currently working with Gas Powered Games, and will publish the developer's PC game Demigod later this year. Upcoming games developed by the studio include the strategy title Elemental: War of Magic, the MMORTS dubbed Society and the unnamed cross-platform RPG that will be in development within the new Stardock studio.
Stardock is also a developer of PC consumer software like WindowBlinds and Object Desktop. With the release of Demigod and the addition of a new games studio, Stardock aims to take advantage of a more profitable business in games.
As for the fruits of the new studio, which Wardell hopes will be fully operational by summer, its debut game is still a ways off. "I would be surprised if the new RPG came out in the next three years," the chief exec says.