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Gaming Software Developer Takes Root in I.C.

Posted on: Thursday, 22 December 2005, 18:00 CST

By Dave DeWitte, The Gazette, Cedar Rapids, Iowa

Dec. 20--Three former University of Iowa students have returned to Iowa City, intent on building their 5-year-old gaming software development company into a mecca for inspired game developers.

Attracting game developers to Iowa, which has largely missed the boom in game development, is key to the success of Budcat Creations.

Budcat will officially move its operations from Las Vegas to 332 S. Linn St., Iowa City, on Jan. 1. The company employs eight, and expects to hire 24 software engineers, digital content artists, and management staff over the next three years.

"All of our clients will be out of state," said managing partner Isaac Burns, 32. "We just need to find the talent and attract them to Iowa."

Budcat has played a role in such leading game titles as Madden 06 for PC, a video football game, and Psychonauts for the Playstation 2, a story-based game.

Burns, 32, graduated from the University of Iowa College of Engineering. He ran into former Iowa Citian Jason Andersen in 1998 when both were working at EA Tiburon in Maitland, Fla.

Two years later, Burns and Andersen left EA Tiburon to start their own gaming company in Las Vegas. They were joined three years later by Andersen's brother, Jeremy.

Burns and Jason Andersen began programming during high school. In addition to development experience, they accumulated industry contacts during their work for West Coast software companies. Jeremy has focused on the business side of the gaming software industry.

Iowa City Area Development helped Budcat evaluate the local work force and tap into training resources at Kirkwood Community College before returning to Iowa.

"It's a new type of business for the Technology Corridor that is using the highest level of sophistication and technology in their industry," ICAD President Joe Raso said.

Raso said the University of Iowa Center for Computer Aided Design is creating new opportunities and world-class simulation through projects like Virtual Soldier, which could conceivably benefit Budcat directly or indirectly.

Budcat is named for "Bud," a cat formerly owned by one of its founders. Bud wasn't especially important to the founding of the company, but the partners liked the name.

"When we signed up for the URL (Web address) it was available, and we went with it," Burns said.

The company has had as many as 15 employees, and a payroll of $1.5 million.

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Copyright (c) 2005, The Gazette, Cedar Rapids, Iowa

Distributed by Knight Ridder/Tribune Business News.

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SNE, 6758,

Source: The Gazette - Cedar Rapids, Iowa

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