HB Studios grows with new Halifax video game design office

Atlantic Canada's largest video game developer is growing even larger. HB Studios has plans for a Halifax office, to work in conjunction with its Lunenburg central headquarters.

New Halifax location will allow developer to hire a half-dozen additional staff members

Brett Ruskin · CBC News · Posted: Jul 14, 2016 3:32 PM EDT | Last Updated: July 14, 2016

HB Studios' head of creative, Josh Muise, speaks at the company's headquarters in Lunenburg. He says some new hires might enjoy the more urban setting in Halifax. (Brett Ruskin / CBC News)

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 to kind 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-town feel of their Lunenburg-based headquarters, 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 approximately 80 software engineers and artists is working on four separate game titles, including a sequel to a golf simulator, a new snowboarding game, an unannounced project and a game that uses virtual reality goggles.

A virtual reality headset is worn by a staff member at HB Studios in Lunenburg. (Brett Ruskin / CBC News )

The goggles allow the player to feel immersed 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 neat about that experience."

New games coming soon

While the virtual reality game does not have a planned release date, HB Studios will unveil its 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-based games 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."