The video game industry is estimated to be worth around $17 billion, but the people getting the biggest slice of that pie are places like the Silicon Valley and Seattle.

Destiny 2 is one of the more popular video games out right now, with as many as 1.2 million people around the world playing the game at the same time. The group that helped create the newest expansion pack to the game that was released just last week, is based right here in New York.

“We’re in a world where the games continue to live and breathe for years upon years and it requires a lot of people to make that,” Brent Gibson, Creative Director at Vicarious Visions, said.

With the expansion of games like Destiny 2 and more, Vicarious Vision has been able to hire over 30 people in the past year, helping to contribute to upstate’s economy.

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“Being a part of creating the Northeast center of the gaming industry is a really big honor, and it’s not an easy thing to do,” Gibson said.

It’s not easy when cities across the world are all looking to expand their own tech communities since these companies offer lasting high paying jobs that can contribute back into the economy. New York’s high taxes could be hurting its competitiveness.

“I’ve also talked to other leaders in the industry here in the Capitol Region that are looking at Vancouver Canada, that are looking to not only leave the state but leave the country,” Assemblyman John McDonald (D-Cohoes), said.

Assemblyman McDonald was pushing for a video game developer tax credit to be included in this year’s budget. He says the credit can help not only keep jobs here in New York, but also expand them, by giving a small tax break to companies looking to move here.

“They not only come to the region, they stay, they live, and they become a part of it and yes they are taxpayers as well.”

“Some of the best schools in the area, and we have the Adirondacks in our backyard, these are all luxuries you can only find in upstate New York,” Gibson said.