Microsoft recently made a big announcement at the Louisiana Entertainment Summit. Microsoft’s Xbox Game Studios is partnering wit Unity technologies plus the Greater New Orleans, Inc., Louisiana Economic Development and New Orleans Business Alliance to host a game development camp.

The Xbox Game Studios Game Camp will begin in April and last for six months in New Orleans, Louisiana. The news announcement was also posted on the official Xbox news website.

The location may come as a surprise to some, but Louisiana has a growing entertainment industry. “Louisiana continues to be a premier destination for entertainment production, and that includes our growing digital media sector,” Governor John Bel Edwards said. “We are happy to welcome Microsoft’s Xbox Game Studios to Louisiana to host this exciting Game Camp in New Orleans. Video game development and other digital media production are an important part of our state’s entertainment program, and this is a fine opportunity for aspiring young developers to hone their skills with some of the best in the business.”

inXile Games, which is part of Xbox Game Studios, is located in New Orleans. The developer moved to the area in 2015 and employs more than 40 residents from the area.

Undead Labs’ Studio Head Jeff Strain also recently announced that he plans to open a video game-focused vocational school, that he will personally fund.

The Game Camp is a hands-on event for those who want to get more involved in the gaming industry. The camp is open to developers, no matter what their skill levels are. The camp is seeking “including artists, musicians, project managers, and individuals from many other disciplines.”

At the event, those in attendance are broken into teams depending on their disciplines. They work together in a shared studio space, along with mentors from Microsoft and Unity. There are various projects to complete throughout the six months of the program.

At the end of the program, the participants will present their games with professionals from the industry.

Those interested in signing up can o to the official Xbox Game Studios Game Camp website to sign up. Registration opens on March 9.

The Xbox Game Studios Game Camp in New Orleans will be held from April 21 to September 24, 2020.