Gaming Industry in Worcester, MA, Taking Success to the Next Level

Jeff Adkins

Local universities with game design degrees, networking opportunities and the Massachusetts Digital Games Institute make it an easy decision for Petricore and other pioneers to be a part of the growing gaming industry in Worcester. 

Gaming Industry in Worcester Enjoys Deep Talent

It’s easy to imagine that the Christmas that Ryan Canuel unwrapped a PlayStation began his quest to found a video game design studio. But for Canuel, CEO of Petricore in Worcester, his journey in the gaming industry started in a less predictable place – acting and lighting high school plays. 

“I always enjoyed entertainment of all forms,” he says. “But when I played larger, story-heavy games like Mass Effect and Dragon Age, I saw a future of entertainment that would be bigger than movies and TV,” he says. 

Canuel’s journey would take years of hard work and mentorship from the team at the Massachusetts Digital Games Institute, aka MassDigi, based at Worcester Polytechnic Institute. The myriad opportunities to learn, network and succeed in the industry have made Worcester an innovation hub. 

“Worcester, between WPI and the other colleges and universities in the area, has a depth of talent that’s hard to match anywhere else in the country,” says Timothy Loew, MassDigi co-founder and senior adviser. 

MassDigi

Plenty of Digital Opportunities 

Founded in 2011, MassDigi has been based at WPI since 2021 and operates in conjunction with WPI’s Interactive Media and Game Development (IMGD) program. Both IMGD and MassDigi focus on student-led initiatives and entrepreneurship. 

“From day one, the main goal of the organization has been to support the growth of the state’s game development ecosystem, be it through student programs, community events, mentoring or startup advising,” Loew says. 

Cross-institutional collaboration has also fueled Worcester’s growing industries of interactive media and digital entertainment, says Gillian Smith, director of WPI’s IMGD program and MassDigi. 

“We’ve maintained very close relationships with other area colleges,” Smith says. “For example, we are sponsors for the annual JoyArt intercollegiate arts competition, which brings together students from WPI, Northeastern, Lesley, Fitchburg State and Clark.” 

MassDigi’s 12-week Summer Innovation Program has helped students launch more than 45 video game titles. Many graduates work for studios or found their own. 

“Snozzy Kazoo is another big success for Central Massachusetts,” says Monty Sharma, MassDigi co-founder and senior adviser. “Their game Turnip Boy Commits Tax Evasion was one of the hot indie titles at release, and they were funded to make three more games.” 

Worcester’s proximity to Boston helps students connect with larger studios there. But the close-knit creative community in the Heart of the Commonwealth has an uncanny power to bring together students, educators and entrepreneurs. 

For example, Canuel attended MassDigi before its move to WPI, so Smith didn’t work with him as a student. But, she says, he remains very active with the organization. 

“His studio is really inspirational for our students and recent alumni who are looking to start their own business,” Smith says. “And he has also hosted a number of MassDigi students as visitors and even interns, providing them with some of their earliest professional experience.” 

The Core of Petricore 

Since its founding in 2015, Petricore has grown from four founders to 12 employees. The company aims to be a leader in mixed- and augmented-reality gaming. 

“We’ve worked on original games with partners such as Snapchat, Google and Meta,” Canuel says. “Currently, we’re building Mythic Realms, a mixed-reality role-playing game that blends a digital adventure into your room. It’s planned to release at the end of this year in the Meta Quest line of headsets. We’re also building a small game for the Apple Vision Pro.” 

Still, it’s not an easy industry to break into. Canuel is grateful for additional opportunities he received from the Worcester Regional Chamber of Commerce, including the StartUp Worcester and Leadership Worcester programs. 

Looking back, Canuel sees MassDigi’s mix of hands-on training, collaboration and networking as foundational to being able to start a company and pursue new possibilities. 

“I didn’t really see a potential in myself until I met Monty at MassDigi. As a mentor, he was the one who encouraged me to try starting Petricore and helped us land our first few projects,” he says. “I can 100% say we would not be in business today if it were not for MassDigi.”