Anyone who’s spent time in an arcade is guaranteed to have played a game that can be traced back to Chicago, whether it’s Mortal Kombat, Rampage, Spy Hunter or NBA Jam.
Midway Games, which was behind these classics and countless others, went out of business in 2009, but not before leaving a robust Chicagoland gaming scene in its wake. Veterans from Midway have gone on to found a number of new studios, and local companies continue to publish quality games for PC, consoles, arcades and mobile devices.
Here are some Chicago game companies to keep an eye on.
Top Video Game Companies in Chicago
- NetherRealm Studios
- Barbaroga
- Iron Galaxy Studios
- Jackbox Games
- Lightstream
Top Video Game Companies in Chicago
Wishbone Club develops gamified engagement platforms that deliver games, treasure hunts and trivia to health insurers and health-conscious brands. By playing Wishbone Club experiences, users can earn sweepstakes entries, instant prizes and exclusive offers — all while accessing curated wellness tips and resources designed to support healthier lifestyle choices.
High Voltage Software, a subsidiary of Keywords Studios, develops games spanning multiple genres and platforms, including work on Fortnite: Save the World, Saints Row: Gat out of Hell and Tom Clancy's Ghost Recon Advanced Warfighter 2. The Hoffman Estates-based studio also collaborated with NetherRealm on the Mortal Kombat series.
Lucky Lincoln Gaming is a licensed video gaming terminal operator in Illinois that provides and manages gaming equipment and terminals for entertainment venues. The company also offers venue owners real-time data analytics to track earnings and performance, as well as operational strategy services to optimize layout design and terminal usage.
Jackbox Games is a video game developer known for The Jackbox Party Pack series, which feature multiplayer games with interactive smartphone gameplay such as Drawful, Quiplash and Fibbage. Available for consoles, PCs and mobile devices, Jackbox Games releases new The Jackbox Party Pack game collections annually.
SteelSeries manufactures gaming peripherals such as headsets, mice, keyboards and mousepads, as well as operates software that enables gameplay capture and performance training for gamers. The brand also partners with e-sports teams and professional gamers to develop tournament-ready gaming products.
Babaroga is a video game developer known for titles in the Five Nights at Freddy’s and Hello Neighbor franchises, as well as titles across sports, puzzle and strategy genres. The company has created licensed games for major publishers such as Electronic Arts and Bethesda Softworks, with works available to play on PC, console, mobile and VR platforms.
Lightstream builds cloud-based live streaming software that enables gamers to customize their streams with guest panels for multiplayer gameplay, overlays, alerts and custom branding. Its platform supports streaming to Twitch, YouTube, Facebook and custom real-time messaging protocol (RTMP) destinations, with features designed for console gaming, podcasts, talk shows and live events.
Allwyn North America is the private manager of the Illinois Lottery, which operates FastPlay digital games and the Illinois iLottery platform alongside over 7,000 retail points of sale in the state. The company develops and supplies lottery technology, games and services to expand player engagement and generate revenue for the state of Illinois.
Vivid Seats operates a virtual marketplace for live event ticket resales, where users can buy and sell tickets to concerts, sports games, theater and other entertainment events. The company also operates Game Center, a mobile gaming feature within the Vivid Seats app where users play daily games to earn points and rewards toward ticket purchases.
Iron Galaxy Studios develops and co-develops games across multiple platforms, with work including co-development on Spyro Reignited Trilogy, Crash Bandicoot N. Sane Trilogy and Skyrim, alongside support work on Fallout 76 and Overwatch. The Lincoln Park-based studio also creates original properties like Killer Instinct, Divekick and Rumbleverse.
Raw Thrills develops arcade games and simulators for commercial venues, including the titles Jurassic Park Arcade, Stranger Things Arcade and Fast & Furious Arcade. Its subsidiary, Play Mechanix, is also known for creating the Big Buck Hunter arcade game series.
