NEW ORLEANS — Plan A Games, a California-based mobile gaming investment and analytics firm, is establishing a new engineering studio in New Orleans to build its data platform for analyzing free-to-play mobile game performance.
The move marks the company’s first dedicated presence in the city and adds another tech-focused employer to the region’s expanding software, gaming and digital media ecosystem, while reinforcing New Orleans’ reputation as a destination for creative talent.
“Plan A Games is excited to join New Orleans’ expanding digital media and game development community,” said Gary Rosenfeld, CEO of Plan A Games. “By developing our data platform here and collaborating with partners like GNO, Inc., LED, and Tulane University, we’re proud to contribute to the momentum that’s positioning Louisiana as a leader in gaming and technology innovation.”
Plan A Office Takes Shape at The Shop
The new studio is located at The Shop, a coworking hub in the Warehouse District that has become a landing place for early-stage tech and creative companies.
The Shop also houses a mix of organizations at the center of the region’s startup and investment environment, including The Domain Companies, The Idea Village, Bridges Fund Management, the NO/LA Angel Network, The NOLA Project and GNO, Inc.’s Bridge program.
By sharing space with accelerators, investors and entrepreneurial support groups, Plan A Games will be working in close proximity to potential collaborators and deal partners, positioning its New Orleans team inside an existing network of founders, funders and creative professionals.
How the Platform Works
The expansion builds on Plan A’s model of financing the marketing campaigns that attract new players to mobile games — a major cost driver in the free-to-play industry. The company earns its return from the future revenue those new players generate for the developer.
The New Orleans team is developing the data platform that informs these investment decisions by analyzing user behavior, player engagement, user acquisition trends, campaign performance and revenue potential. The platform is designed to strengthen the company’s network of partners, support more sustainable game portfolios and accelerate Plan A’s future growth.
Hiring and Workforce Growth
Since launching the New Orleans office this summer, Plan A Games has hired two recent graduates of Tulane University’s School of Engineering to join the platform team, with plans to add four to six additional roles in the coming years.
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 by about 2.5% annually since 2020.
That national trend is increasingly reflected in New Orleans, where the gaming sector has expanded steadily in recent years. While the region is not yet on the scale of major national hubs, it is building a diverse network of related tech businesses. According to Greater New Orleans Inc., the metro area’s digital media and gaming sector has seen consistent annual job growth of roughly 3% to 5% over the past five years.
“Plan A Games’ decision to build its data platform in New Orleans is another sign of our region’s growing strength in digital media and software,” said Michael Hecht, President and CEO of Greater New Orleans, Inc. “By developing a cutting-edge platform, hiring local engineers, and partnering with Louisiana investors, Plan A Games is demonstrating exactly the kind of innovation and commitment that’s driving our game development sector forward — and helping power the next generation of high-wage, high-tech jobs.”
Investment and Incentives
The firm has also secured investment from two Louisiana-based groups — Boot64 Ventures and Innovation Catalyst — further anchoring its presence in the state:
- Boot64 is a Louisiana Opportunity Capital lender, deploying funds through state-created Opportunity Zone and Opportunity Capital frameworks that encourage private investment in local startups.
- Innovation Catalyst, an independent nonprofit venture development fund, provides seed investment and support for early-stage Louisiana companies.
Together, these private capital sources help form the broader innovation environment in which Plan A Games is expanding — one that is also shaped, separately, by LED’s incentive programs.
Plan A is expected to participate in the state’s Digital Interactive Media & Software Development program, which offers performance-based tax credits of up to 25% for eligible production and development expenses.
“It’s a global game, and Louisiana is playing to win,” said Josh Fleig, Chief Innovation Officer at Louisiana Economic Development. “Plan A Games is joining a growing network of digital media companies and creative professionals that are strengthening Louisiana’s economy. By establishing operations in the Southeast Region, the company adds new energy and expertise to our creative technology sector and reinforces the state as a place where tech companies can grow and thrive.”
Industry Background
Founded by industry veterans with more than five decades of combined experience in mobile free-to-play gaming, Plan A Games manages investments in high-performing titles and provides data-driven support to developers. Its leadership team has helped scale game titles that have generated billions in revenue and hundreds of millions of downloads worldwide.
