I’ve got a bit of a double connection to this story, so I was excited when I heard about this yesterday.  I started in the game industry as an EA tester, and my day job now is with one of the companies (TurboSquid) that was integral in bringing the entertainment tax credit to Louisiana.   What could “EA tester” and “Louisiana” have in common, you might ask?  Well, the city of Baton Rouge and EA announced the formation of a QA testing facility set to open in the near future.  This is huge for Baton Rouge/Louisiana, and a smart play for EA.  By partnering with a university like LSU, EA will have access to a steady stream of ideal testers – educated, young, technically savvy, sports-minded students.  Students who get a job at the facility will have an excellent opportunity to see what really goes into making a game, and will be able to evaluate a great potential career path.  QA is a great “foot in the door” job within the industry, and can be a beneficial move for students looking to work in any specific discipline – programming, art, production, etc.

Great news for everyone involved!