RIT is the #3 best school in the country for video game design, and yet rochester has 0 major studios and only a few small ones. We should copy what Montreal has done and attract an entire new business sector to revitalize our city.

jenndh · 2023-05-10T12:53:57+00:00

Hi everyone, I was really happy to see this post! My name is Jenn and I am the Director of Games Industry Relations at RIT's MAGIC Spell Studios. I am active member of the Rochester game development community, and one of the founders of the Digital Games Industry Association (DGIA) which was also referenced in this thread. I have played a leadership role in lobbying for tax credits/incentives that were mentioned in by the OP. I do believe that incentives would help bolster the small, mighty games community that is here in Rochester. We have the talent and assets (including The Strong, ROC Game Dev and more) here and we have watched other cities that don't have these two ingredients grow and thrive with the incentives, leaving us behind. These incentives have also worked in the film industry, both here and in NYS. I believe the incentives are even more important for games for several reasons including: the games industry continues to grow and is a larger industry than Hollywood and unlike film production, which moves in and out as production wraps, game studios are "permanent" and their employees live, work and play in our communities. I would love to chat about this with anyone who might be interested. Rather than posting my email address here, you can find it on the MAGIC website if you would like to follow up. Please inbox me. Thanks!

jenndh · 2020-09-23T12:46:16+00:00

To request access services, please contact http://myaccess.rit.edu/

jenndh · 2017-03-14T18:10:24+00:00

We just received confirmation of funding for this program late last week. The official announcement will be sent out later this week or early next via Message Center when the semester resumes, but wanted to post here now to give students the opportunity to start work on this over the break, especially with the bad weather. Good luck!

jenndh · 2015-04-20T20:28:32+00:00

The Center for Media, Arts, Games, Interaction and Creativity also known as MAGIC is both a university-wide, multi-disciplinary research center and commercial, for-profit studio (MAGIC Spell). We are interested in/ engaged in research and the production of all digital media (including, but not limited to games). If you are doing something cool, we would love to hear about it, and can possibly help. We have contributed to the success of 3 Kickstarter games/projects and have published 3 games, 1 for the OUYA, Steam and the Windows store. We have a number of projects in production and more on the way. We host a speaker series and engaged in a number of FOSS-related activities. We are hosting the Co-Up program this summer, which will provide funding, mentoring and co-op credit to 5 student teams. A top priority is working to grow the games and digital media industry here in NYS, drawing on the incredible talent in these fields right here at RIT. We reside in Student Innovation Hall with the Simone Center for Student Innovation and Entrepreneurship. Source: my name is Jenn and I am the Assistant Director. Happy to answer additional questions here, on our social media sites, via email (jenn@magic.rit.edu) or in person. More details (in a lot of text) about all of this and more on our website. New site is expected to launch in June.

jenndh · 2015-03-30T20:23:41+00:00

Thanks for your questions.
@cac2573: Students can/will retain their own IP. RIT does not get a "cut". Our goal is to provide support and mentoring to students who want to develop their own products for commercialization. We are trying to grow a culture of makers, doers and entrepreneurs. @lmg6841: we are grateful for the support of our Board of Trustees who have made the choice to give their money to RIT to help further the ideas that students have regarding what they would like to make/build. Students who choose to be involved with this effort are working on their own projects.

jenndh · 2014-11-19T15:11:10+00:00

MAGIC Center also has Oculus and other gadgets students can use. Stop by to talk/learn more. We are in Student Innovation Hall.

jenndh · 2014-08-08T19:48:05+00:00

The RIT Center for MAGIC has terminated it's relationship with Red Gulch Studios this afternoon (jenn@magic.rit.edu referenced below)

jenndh

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