The business of video games in Pennsylvania

Charles Premont, left, of Le Lien MultiMedia interviews Mike Maas, President & CEO, ami Entertainment during the Foundation's last International Press Tour of the Creative Services industry.

Robots that dance? Video games played with your brain? What sounds like a futuristic dream has been made possible by the creative talents of Pennsylvanians in the video gaming industry.

During the Foundation-sponsored International Press Tour of the Creative Services industry, Canadian reporter Charles Premont of Le Lien MultiMedia magazine conducted video interviews with Pennsylvania-based businesses from that sector.

Although many other companies were visited during the week-long press tour, these videos really capture the creative genius of Pennsylvania-based businesses whose work entertains, enlightens and enriches millions of people around the world on a daily basis.

Thanks to Le Lien MultiMedia for permission to post these videos.

ami Entertainment

Did you know the popular video gaming system MegaTouch, which boasts more than 5 billion plays a year, is a Pennsylvania product? Mike Maas, President and CEO, ami Entertainment in Bristol, Bucks County, talks about MegaTouch and other company products.

SilverTree Media

See how SilverTree Media in Pittsburgh uses local talent to create products for a variety of big-time clients including Disney.

Videogame Growth Initiative (VGI)

Philadelphia has a strong presence in the world of gaming thanks to the passion of the founders of the Videogame Growth Initiative.

Schell Games

Schell Games, a Pittsburgh-based game studio, produces a very wide range of interactive entertainment – including video game rides for Disney at its parks in Orlando and Anaheim.

NextFab Studio
NextFab Studio is a space built in the Science Center in Philadelphia, where entrepreneurs, craftsmen and artists of the city can prototype their inventions. Whether to use a 3D printer or robot machining, NextFab Studio provides not only equipment, but expertise for its clients as well.

Electric Owl

Electric Owl, a Pittsburgh-based company, specializes in video toys for the waiting rooms of hospitals, airports, department stores and markets in 27 states.

Dance, robot, dance

Drexel University students are researching how to get a robot to dance like a human.

Recaptcha

Luis von Ahn, assistant professor of computer science, Carnegie Mellon University, Pittsburgh, helped invent Captcha, those distorted letters that you must type to ensure there is a human user and not software. Not content with his first invention, he decided to invent Recaptcha, a process that allows users to help digitize books.