The underrated video game industry in Colorado

Game development is not the first thing that pops into people’s minds when they think of Colorado. Nevertheless, the Centennial State does indeed have a thriving video game industry. The growing sector is spearheaded by a few prolific names that deserve a closer look.

Leviathan Games

Leviathan Games is a highly underrated software development company from Boulder, Colorado that specializes in video game development. So, why is Leviathan Games so underrated?

They have mostly worked behind the scenes for companies as big as Konami, Capcom, EA, Sony, Microsoft, Apple, Google, Disney, and Warner Brothers to name just a few. The tallest establishments tend to cast the longest shadows but their silent contributions in popular video gaming titles are undeniable.

IllFonic

IllFonic hails from the small city of Golden in Colorado, but the game development team has since expanded to two more states. Now they have one office in Austin, Texas and another in Tacoma, Washington also.

IllFonic is more focused on direct, first party game development and, despite some initial hiccups, they have become a fan favorite studio for creating fast paced online multiplayer, action-horror games that do things differently.

The title that brought IllFonic to the forefront is their 2017 release, Friday the 13^th: The Game. Despite the initial hiccups, the game has since been updated to almost perfection and has its own cult following.

IllFonic released Predator: Hunting Grounds in 2021 and that’s the title that truly showcased how far they have come from 2017. The graphics in Hunting Grounds are remarkably detailed, but the game can also run well on PCs without a graphics card. If you are wondering how that is even possible, click here to know more about it.

Pavonis Interactive

Anyone fond of the XCOM 2 series of games should be familiar with the name Long War Studios. After all, they did develop and release the Long War and Toolbox mods for the XCOM 2 games that actually attracted more players than even the classic hit original itself. So, how is Long War Studios related to Pavonis Interactive? 

It’s the same development team with a different name. They are going beyond mods now and focusing on developing their own games these days. Look out for their upcoming game, Terra Invicta for the PC on Steam. It’s a much awaited space battle simulation/strategy game which will be arriving later in 2022.

These are just three of the more well-known names within Colorado’s game development sector, but they are by no means the only ones. Colorado has a distinct software development segment which caters to the needs of the much bigger companies based all across the United States and even outside of it.

The segment here is unique in its capability to serve even the biggest names in gaming industry. Nevertheless, there is still much room for growth inside the Colorado gaming development sector. More local studios need to venture out and release games in their own name, following in the footsteps of IllFonic and Pavonis.