Philadelphia isn't known as a prominent technology and video gaming hub, but City Council Majority Whip Isaiah Thomas wants to change that.
The councilmember argues that the gaming industry can boost the city culturally and financially, and he wants residents to learn about the industry's potential at the PHL Gaming conference on Sept. 14. The conference will have educational panel discussions about the gaming industry and how it can grow in Philly.
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"When you look at different industries all across the country, gaming is one of the few industries that really doesn't have a home, and Philadelphia wants to be the city that says welcome to the gaming industry and to the gaming community," Thomas said Tuesday at Localhost, a gaming center at 401 North Broad St.
Localhost will be the venue for PHL Gaming, which is sponsored by 1Philadelphia and Google. According to Nicodemus Madehdou, the CEO of Philly-based game company JumpButton Studio, the first PHL Gaming expo last year had over 200 attendees.
Thomas and Madehdou recognized the growth of the larger gaming industry, and they want to see Philly become a part of that growth.
"We have to make sure we empower youth in this (gaming) space and ecosystem so they don't miss out," Madehdou said.
According to Thomas, the goal of PHL Gaming is to educate, entertain and engage, providing a platform for entrepreneurs of the gaming community "in a way that only Philadelphia can."
While there is an active independent video game development community in the Philadelphia area, developers on the East Coast often move to other tech and game industry hubs on the West Coast.
"We know that the talent level is here," Thomas said. "The appetite is here."
Thomas cited that cultural industries such as music and food are thriving in Philly.
"And so what does it look like to marry those industries with the gaming industry and have it be mentioned the way we mention health care, biotech, food festivals and arts and culture?"
While Thomas didn't mention specific solutions, he argued that it is the government's role to incentivize the gaming community to stay in Philly and drive business locally.
"At the end of the day, it's a business, and the beautiful side is that we'll be able to teach young people that this is a business and give professionals who are already entrenched in the industry a platform," Thomas said. "But government has to step up and say that this is a priority to us and be able to put some skin in the game to let folks know what we're willing to do to make this industry a home."
And should gaming grow in Philly, Thomas said the city will benefit greatly.
"The gaming community is that type of multibillion-dollar industry, and if Philadelphia becomes one of those home bases for the gaming industry, from a revenue perspective, it can put the city in a position where we can be much more proactive and have resources that we'll offer the most vulnerable."
Along with industry panels and educational opportunities, PHL Gaming will also allow attendees to, well, play video games. Thomas is especially looking forward to sports games.
"I'm more of a Madden and college football guy because I know the players," he said.