Such is the draw of the development scene in San Francisco that many international games companies based elsewhere have made the city their second home.
One of the latest outfits to move to the Bay is GREE, the Japanese mobile gaming social network that's enjoyed rapid expansion over the last few years.
However, GREE faces some major challenges. It's social gaming platform faces mounting competition, not only directly from Japanese rival DeNA and the leagues of chat apps now deploying games within their networks, but also now a much larger Silicon Valley player, Google.
Google Play Game Services will introduce achievements, leaderboards and matchmaking for Android games, and it will even offer some cross platform functionality between Android and iOS a move that both justifies the direction GREE has been moving in recent years, as well as challenges it.
See you at the crossroads
If Google Play Game Services allows developers to build in social and multiplayer elements in their games independently, why would they look to sign up to platforms like GREE?
The firm's San Francisco base, of course, is a fundamental weapon in GREE's arsenal as it looks to ingratiate itself with western devs. Indeed, according to VP of marketing Sho Masuda, the city was an "obvious choice" for GREE.
"From top talent to an incredible community to all the resources we needed to grow in this market, San Francisco had all the elements we were looking for to offer us the best opportunities for success," says Masuda.
"To be honest, we didn"t consider other locations as our first gateway to the global market. We had our sights set on San Francisco as soon as we decided to expand globally and knew it offered us the most opportunity."
Sho Masuda
Indeed, with so many mobile games studios close by, San Francisco offered GREE a great opportunity to work with as many partners as possible and establish an early foothold in the American market.
Masuda claims that the city also handed GREE a direct way of learning from some of the industry's finest as to how approach business relationships in the States.
Centre point
"It really goes back to all the talent, knowledge, and resources," Masuda tells us.
"There are so many opportunities available here to developers of all shapes and sizes. Those resources and that community offer devs the chance to really grow and expand as they work together to evolve the industry.
"We really believe that being at the centre of all this mobile activity allows us to learn from our peers as well as help lead and grow the industry as a whole."
However, as with many of the firms we spoke to during our last sweep of San Francisco, GREE has struggled to consistently attract the best talent internally simply because the competition within the whole of the Silicon Valley is so intense.
GREE's San Francisco offices
The flip side to that, Masuda explains, is the talent major industry events such as GDC bring into the city. Talent that's ripe for the picking.
"I honestly think the biggest challenge is in finding great people to join the team," adds Sho.
"There is serious competition when it comes to great employees - especially in an area where there are so many companies looking. On the other hand, the benefit is that there is so much talent.
"Additionally, as a community, the close proximity has allowed us to all grow and learn together and from each other we have all grown together. There are many events where we all gather and that open conversation and idea-sharing has contributed to so much growth in the industry."
Everybody needs good neighbours
One of the biggest perceived benefits for the Bay Area mobile gaming community, is the proximity to the major platform holders; Apple and Google.
We say 'perceived' because, while those on the outside see it as a key advantage, of those within the San Francisco scene we've spoken to, opinion has been divided.
Some have told us the opportunity for face-to-face meetings with the platform giants is undeniably a good thing and, notably, something developers located elsewhere around the globe have little access to.
Others have argued that, regardless of where you are located, if you have a great game Apple and Google will take notice. Which side of the fence does Masuda fall on?
"It is great to be able to meet with them [Apple & Google], but it would be impossible for the teams at those companies to have close relationships with every developer in the US - let alone the world," he offers.
"I do think the advantage is being able to have those direct conversations and insights as well as access to information earlier at local networking events, so I would encourage non-local devs to try to attend the bigger [San Francisco] events whenever possible."
Connections
So what about GREE"s relationship with Apple?
One of the benefits GREE is able to offer developers is the likelihood of access to Apple's official App Store promotion channels, such as a featured slot on the marketplace's homepage.
Does GREE's San Francisco base help grease the wheel with Apple on this score? When asked, Masuda seems keen not to give too much away.
"Face-to-face conversation is great but at the end of the day content - and users - are king," Masuda says.
"The quality of the game and our interactions with the users are what we are most focused on and we believe that if we put that emphasis on making great games for Apple devices, then we will have that prolonged success and support from Apple."
Then there is the new aforementioned challenge posed by Google and its new tools to help developers build in social and multiplayer tools via Google Play Game Services.
On this score, Masuda is keen to point out that GREE will attempt to work with Google to support the Android gaming community, rather than treating its new services as a direct rival to GREE"s own social network offering.
"Our focus here in San Francisco is on building great games and great game experiences for our players," Masuda clarifies.
"We have a lot of respect for Google and what they are doing to unite the Android gaming community and create further opportunities for us, as developers, to reach the Android players. Overall, we think it is good for the market and we look forward to working with them."
Help for indies
As well as maintaining its position amongst the big boys, however, Masuda is convinced GREE's success in San Francisco comes hand in hand with a responsibility to support the city's flourishing indie scene.
As such, GREE's Partners Fund is intended to help GREE develop more relationships with smaller mobile games studios. Masuda explains:
"We generally [do] all of our development in-house for most of our first-party titles. However, we have recently launched the GREE Partners Fund and through that [we] are working with local dev MunkyFun as well as Vancouver developer, IUGO.
"Our focus is on giving the devs the support and resources they need to make great games and ensure that the relationship is a mutually beneficial partnership allowing for growth and learnings on both sides."
Is the Partners Fund not purely an attempt to build up an array of different games for GREE's platform, however? Does Masuda genuinely believe there is a genuine obligation for big players to support smaller studios?
"Absolutely. This industry has got where it is by removing the division between big and small, indie versus giant publisher," states Sho.
"Because of that we have seen huge success coming out of smaller devs and giant publishers taking chances and investing in small-up-and coming devs.
"There is so much opportunity and we have to continue to support and encourage that to keep the industry growing and keep the innovation and creative ideas flowing."
So how can those smaller studios gain the attention of not only the city's bigger players, but anyone across the San Francisco scene? How can developers make their mark?
"Network network network," concludes Sho.
"There is so much you gain from interacting with and learning from your peers and in San Francisco and the Bay area there is constantly an opportunity to engage with the industry. Take advantage of that."
Have you worked in video game development in San Francisco? What was your experience of the area and what do you think the future holds? Let us know what you think in the comments below.
