Austin wants to make Central Texas the new hub for the video game industry, but with big-name companies on the West and East coasts, it's not an easy task.
That's why local companies want to change their focus.
Some local executives believe the future of gaming lies in what most of us already use every day -- smartphones and tablets.
On Wednesday, a collection of local game industry experts gathered at Austin's DeVry University for a roundtable discussion on what's next in their industry.
"We're over $1 billion industry just here in Austin," said Jennifer Bullard, executive producer at Game Sound. "The gaming industry is several billion dollars within the United States and of course global, to continue to build a digital game is a key aspect."
Right now, California dominates the gaming industry, and that is due to one big factor: investors.
To create a game or start a gaming company, it takes money. And for many investors, they like to keep a close eye on things. Yet with Austin far away, it's not as appealing to come here.
Local gaming experts said the solution is to think small.
"Lots and lots of small companies with five and 10 employees who can build incredible, successful games," said Frank Coppersmith of Game Salad.
One major road block the gaming industry in Austin faces right now is finding game creators.
"Talent, you have to be able to find great people. And for a startup company, we really don't have the resources or the time to train," said Coppersmith.
The full story reported by KXAN TV's Casey James can be accessed here.
