HB Studios grows with new Halifax video game design office

The largest video game developer in Atlantic Canada is getting even bigger.

HB Studios has announced it will open an office in Halifax later this year. The new space will allow the company to hire six to 10 new staff members, as it prepares for a series of upcoming game launches.

"We're looking at adding a secondary space," said Josh Muise, head of creative at HB Studios. "We'll bring a couple people down tokind of carry the torch forward and use it as a recruitment opportunity."

This expansion marks a return to the city for the company. It previously had an office in Halifax, but closed it in 2012.

Muise said while many staff members appreciate the small-townfeel of their Lunenburg-basedheadquarters, some new hires may appreciate an urban lifestyle. The new location will be located on Bayers Road in Halifax.

Immersive games in the works

The current staff of approximately80 software engineers and artistsisworking on four separate game titles, including a sequel to a golf simulator, a new snowboarding game, an unannounced projectand a gamethat uses virtual reality goggles.

The goggles allow the playerto feelimmersed inside the game. Sensors track the user's head movements and adjust the visuals displayed inside the goggles, allowing the user to artificially look around a virtual space.

"It's really an exciting time," Muise said. "Getting your hands on tech that you've been dreaming of since you were a kid. There's something really neatabout that experience."

New games coming soon

While the virtual reality game does not have a planned release date, HB Studios will unveilits snowboarding game, called Infinite Air, later this year.

The game is a joint venture with Maximum Games, and features a collaboration with professional snowboarders like Canadian Mark McMorris.

Company officials say they started 16 years ago with console-basedgames and have decided not to stray into the mobile space.

"We've stuck with consoles, which has always been our strength here," Muise said."While other studios may have focused on mobile, or moved into different spaces, we've stayed in what's got us here. And that's doing very well for us."