NEW ORLEANS – As the U.S. video game industry surges, it has become both an economic powerhouse and a gateway to lucrative careers. In 2024, the industry generated $101 billion in economic output and supported more than 350,000 jobs according to the Entertainment Software Association. Nationwide, gaming industry employment has grown about 2.5% annually since 2020.
That national trend is increasingly reflected in New Orleans, where the gaming sector has expanded significantly in recent years. While New Orleans isn’t yet on the scale of major national hubs, it’s steadily building a diverse ecosystem of game development, quality assurance, and esports operations. According to data from Greater New Orleans Inc., the region’s digital media and gaming sector has experienced steady annual job growth of roughly 3-5% over the past five years.
Signs of this growth are evident in the several gaming businesses that have launched or expanded operations across the city over the past few years. DAQA, a quality assurance and player-testing company, opened a center at the University of New Orleans’ tech campus, “The Beach.” in Nov. 2024. The firm supports more than 25 game-industry clients and began with 15–20 jobs, with plans for further growth.
In addition, Big Fish Games, a Seattle-based mobile game developer, established a talent hub in downtown New Orleans in early 2023.
Digital Media Incentive and Digital Interactive Media Tax Credits
Many companies credit Louisiana’s Digital Media Incentive and Digital Interactive Media tax credits as significant factors in choosing to invest locally. These incentives have not only attracted studios but have helped sustain competitive wages in the city’s gaming sector.
Louisiana’s Digital Interactive Media tax credit offers a 25% credit on qualified in-state labor payroll and an 18% credit on in-state production expenditures, with no overall cap or minimum project size, and credits that can offset state income tax liability, be refunded, or be converted into an 85% cash rebate.
Game-Related Salaries
Historically, Louisiana’s video game industry employed around 226 developers statewide as of 2014, earning an average salary of $88,000. Approximately 40 percent of those jobs were based in New Orleans. In recent years, new projects have added more than 200 full-time direct jobs in the city, plus 60–100 indirect roles.
Local game development salaries typically range from around $55,000 for entry-level positions in QA and production support, to over $100,000 for senior developers, designers, and technical artists. National averages reported by the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics and industry groups like the ESA now range from about $88,000 to $133,000 across various gaming professions. Esports roles, meanwhile, tend to pay somewhat lower, with local salaries like those at Dreamleague averaging around $52,600 annually.
Hands-On Skills
This local growth aligns with broader trends in how people are entering gaming careers. According to Mobile Premier League (MPL), studios increasingly value hands-on skills over traditional degrees—a shift that bodes well for New Orleans, where a grassroots community of developers, artists, and esports enthusiasts is gaining experience through personal projects, game jams, and modding communities.
In its recent guide, MPL highlights that skills learned informally—such as scripting modifications (mods), building prototypes in engines like Unity or Unreal, designing custom Heads-Up Displays (HUDs), or managing large Discord servers—can translate into real career opportunities.
The MPL guide also notes that nationwide, roles like software development, special effects artistry, UI/UX design, esports coaching, and community management are growing, many offering salaries ranging from about $61,000 to over $130,000 annually. These trends mirror the kinds of jobs emerging in New Orleans, where local studios and esports organizations are seeking talent with practical, demonstrable skills.
According to MPL, every hour spent modding, testing game mechanics, or coaching esports teams builds a résumé that studios increasingly recognize.
Universities in New Orleans, including the University of New Orleans, Tulane University, and LSU, have expanded programs in game development, digital art, and animation, helping feed talent into this growing sector. Meanwhile, organizations like Greater New Orleans Inc. and events like GameFête are promoting the city as a regional gaming hub and attracting both investment and talent.
In New Orleans, that means gamers and creators have a growing number of pathways to transform their passion into high-paying jobs.
MPL is a gaming platform in the US offering a variety of games across categories like card games and casual games. Players can compete in these games for an engaging and competitive experience.
