Ben Kvalo has left Netflix and his position there as lead project manager of games to start a new publisher based in the Midwest.
“We are a publisher looking to challenge the games industry by supporting underrepresented regions and under-supported developers. Diversifying ‘where’ games come from will change the fabric of the industry. Great games can come from anywhere and we are out to prove that” said Ben Kvalo.
The new company does not yet have a name. Its location in the Midwest makes it something of a standout, as most game publishers are still located in general tech hubs like California.
“There’s a unique opportunity to tap into the Midwest as an emerging market with unlimited potential,” added Kvalo. “Not only is Chicago the third largest city in America, but there are incredible developer hubs in Madison [Wisconsin], Columbus [Ohio], Minneapolis [Minnesota], Ann Arbor [Michigan] and more. At the moment, those developers lack funding and support to elevate their unique and incredible games to a new level. We aim to change that by providing funding, marketing and support.”
Before Netflix, Kvalo also worked at major games companies like 2K and Blizzard.