Schell Games

[{"content":{"text":" When people think of video game development hubs, cities like San Francisco, Seattle, or Montreal often come to mind. But in southwest Pennsylvania, Pittsburgh offers something truly unique; a combination of world-class education, affordability, artistic grit, and innovation that makes it the ideal HQ for a visionary studio like Schell Games. "},"id":"17c6fcab-c524-4448-9592-4daf24d18f41","isHidden":false,"type":"textBlock"},{"content":{"level":"h2","text":"Steel Roots. Tech-Forward Future","customid":""},"id":"cf5b9404-3914-4bf5-ad06-cfd443ccd4ee","isHidden":false,"type":"headingBlock"},{"content":{"text":" A city once known for its industrial prowess, Pittsburgh has reinvented itself as a hotbed for technology, education, and creative industries that keeps the city humming without all the smog. The city's northside has become a hub of the aerospace industry at the same time as the East Liberty neighborhood has evolved into AI Avenue , a collection of 20 emerging artificial intelligence companies, anchored by Google, Carnegie Mellon Cloud Lab , and Duolingo . Schell Games, founded by Jesse Schell , a Carnegie Mellon University professor and former Disney Imagineer, perfectly embodies this transformation. The studio blends high-concept design with cutting-edge VR\/AR tech and meaningful educational experiences, drawing from the city\u2019s rich ecosystem of innovation and imagination. Sure, LA and San Fran can boast about tech and entertainment, but they come with steep costs of living and a hyper-competitive job market. Pittsburgh, in contrast, offers a high quality of life, lower overhead costs, world-class healthcare, and an authentic collaborative culture. Here, we cultivate creativity instead of crunch. "},"id":"215fa8cb-7079-4fab-92b9-69c400ce0263","isHidden":false,"type":"textBlock"},{"content":{"location":"kirby","image":["file:\/\/rpJlhpF5H62Xexva"],"src":"","alt":"Skyline view of Pittsburgh with Schell Games in the foreground","caption":"Not bad for your office view","link":"","ratio":"","crop":"false"},"id":"53afc95f-dd2a-4beb-b297-f6a3f22d5311","isHidden":false,"type":"imageBlock"},{"content":{"level":"h2","text":"Talent Pipeline","customid":""},"id":"54cc2413-8156-40d2-a801-06979e9aac21","isHidden":false,"type":"headingBlock"},{"content":{"text":"Pittsburgh, in particular, has been an excellent place, because with the number of universities here and the focus on both technology and art, there's a lot of great talent in town","citation":"Jesse Schell"},"id":"e396b6e8-f97b-49fb-b4ab-5ea87765a37b","isHidden":false,"type":"quoteBlock"},{"content":{"text":" Pittsburgh isn\u2019t just lucky\u2014it\u2019s strategic. Home to Carnegie Mellon , a world leader in robotics, computer science, and entertainment technology, the city gives Schell Games direct access to top-tier talent. The Entertainment Technology Center (ETC) at Carnegie Mellon is practically a pipeline to Schell Games, with many talented studio alumni passing through its halls. Compare this to a city like Austin, where talent is strong but spread thin across dozens of tech giants and startups. In Pittsburgh, there's a tight-knit and deeply invested community, leading to loyalty, long-term collaboration, and a unique creative identity. (quote above credited to Spotlight PA ) "},"id":"2321bb9c-467d-4169-8629-eb70623697d4","isHidden":false,"type":"textBlock"},{"content":{"location":"kirby","image":["file:\/\/LfolfWD9drAt3xxd"],"src":"","alt":"Schell Games in Station Square with Mt. Washingotn in the background","caption":"Our famous Incline? Our best biking trail? All right beside our office","link":"","ratio":"","crop":"false"},"id":"ba4bc545-8f20-4aeb-aae7-1fe46c40604b","isHidden":false,"type":"imageBlock"},{"content":{"level":"h2","text":"Gaming, Together","customid":""},"id":"1b0236fc-b2a0-4870-9e48-c87c5125f89a","isHidden":false,"type":"headingBlock"},{"content":{"text":" Pittsburgh is small, but mighty. And that includes the gaming community. There's arcades around the city from retro to modern. There's competitions ranging from collegiate eports teams to Pinburgh, one of the largest pinball tournaments in the country. And, according to gamedevmap.com , there are 17 different developers and publishers around the greater Pittsburgh region. And you'd be amazed at how often these groups are working together and supporting the indie community. For instance, the Pittsburgh chapte r of the IGDA (International Game Developers Association) works with the ETC at Carnegie Mellon annually for the Global Game Jam. Head to Bit Bridge' s annual Halloween Showcase and you'll see some incredible up-and-coming developers putting their work on display, supported by Schell Games and other top studios in the region like Mega Cat . Cue the High School Musical soundtrack, because we're all in this together. "},"id":"058c6b23-7b04-45a0-9712-304d976bb18f","isHidden":false,"type":"textBlock"},{"content":{"location":"kirby","image":["file:\/\/0s4BV1hDFmB9ReKw"],"src":"","alt":"","caption":"Schell Games setting up shop beside fellow game studios and indie devs. One big happy family!","link":"","ratio":"","crop":"false"},"id":"16caaf98-568d-457f-b5c2-53730141231d","isHidden":false,"type":"imageBlock"},{"content":{"level":"h2","text":"Innovation with our Neighbors","customid":""},"id":"040fb75d-4064-4b36-ab1b-ea43b970706d","isHidden":false,"type":"headingBlock"},{"content":{"text":" Unlike Silicon Valley, where startups chase IPOs as much as ideas, Pittsburgh fosters a culture of building things that matter. It's a city where you'll see cross-industry innovations and educational tech that doesn't get created anywhere else. Schell Games thrives in this environment, creating titles like Night Shift for the University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine that has made an impact by helping reduce on diagnostic errors by physicians in emergency departments. And although we've made games and experiences for partners across the globe, a lot of the things we're most proud of are right in our own backyard. From the Daniel Tiger's Neighborhood attraction at Idlewild to Daniel Tiger's Stop & Go Potty , developed in conjunction with Fred Rogers Productions and PBS Kids , we're always looking to help out our neighbors. "},"id":"564ca64d-56eb-4a6b-a5b6-d8c6ca5ff337","isHidden":false,"type":"textBlock"},{"content":{"level":"h2","text":"Grit Meets Artistry","customid":""},"id":"8ad00ae4-199d-433a-989c-13a6ba086408","isHidden":false,"type":"headingBlock"},{"content":{"text":" The home of Andy Warhol , Mary Cassatt, August Wilson and many others, Pittsburgh's deep artistic heritage is emblemized in Schell Games' playful yet purposeful design style. The company\u2019s office, housed in the former Pittsburgh Terminal Train Station, is a metaphor for the whole city: industrial bones turned creative engine. In cities like Vancouver or Toronto, art and tech often sit in separate silos. But in a city the size of Pittsburgh, these industries often find themselves collaborating and intersecting in interesting ways. Schell Games doesn't just build games; we build experiences that are part science lab , part theater , and all heart. "},"id":"abaf1cc3-36a8-457e-96c6-b9d61ffd51ea","isHidden":false,"type":"textBlock"},{"content":{"location":"kirby","image":["file:\/\/qygTR3Ik8X1n8LPZ"],"src":"","alt":"Station Square, home of Schell Games, in Pittsburgh, PA","caption":"","link":"","ratio":"","crop":"false"},"id":"e315ad94-924d-497d-96e3-83c8c80ac6ac","isHidden":false,"type":"imageBlock"},{"content":{"level":"h2","text":"20+ Years Strong in Pittsburgh","customid":""},"id":"42f8c81e-0799-437a-b4da-7fad08fc9bff","isHidden":false,"type":"headingBlock"},{"content":{"text":" Schell Games could have set up shop anywhere. But by choosing Pittsburgh, we picked a city that reflects our values: smart, grounded, passionate, and always evolving. It\u2019s a place where meaningful games get made, and more importantly, where they\u2019re made better together. With its walkable neighborhoods, diverse cultural communities, and low cost of living, Pittsburgh makes it easier for creators to live, work, and thrive . It\u2019s the kind of city where developers can afford homes, raise families, and still push the boundaries of interactive media. Other cities? Great for launching a career. Pittsburgh? Great for building a life. "},"id":"080f62be-a1da-4439-bcc3-283c5545228f","isHidden":false,"type":"textBlock"},{"content":{"location":"web","url":"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=VZ0AXEhygFg","video":[],"poster":[],"caption":"","autoplay":"false","muted":"true","loop":"false","controls":"true","preload":"auto"},"id":"94f18df5-c47a-4ba0-8c0c-44e37a9b1f29","isHidden":false,"type":"videoBlock"}]

Pittsburgh: The Perfect Home for Schell Games

July 3, 2025 · insights

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