Heatwave Interactive: Little Company Doing Big Things

The video game industry has had its share of ups and downs as  of late. A shaky economy combined with improved gaming experiences available on mobile phones have done their best to take the financial wind out of gaming’s sails. According to The NPD Group, the industry as a whole experienced an 11 percent drop in profit over the course of 2009. Despite this, the industry continues to grow and thrive especially in the area of casual gaming.

Last year we read about Zynga and Playfish making it big with their brand of addicting gameplay and microtransaction. This year a new player steps into the arena promising to take the game in a whole other direction. Heatwave Interactive is set to go into open beta with Platinum Life sometime this year. The beta launch will initially roll out on Facebook, with plans to roll out a subscription-based version a la World of Warcraft at a later date.

Even though Heatwave specializes in creating entertainment software, it’s not always fun and games. It takes a lot of work combined with a sound business model to keep the business afloat. One way Heatwave differentiates itself from the competition is employee contribution. According to Executive Producer Mykel Mitchel anyone at the company can come up with a game idea. “We have an open forum every quarter and people can pitch their ideas whether its an iPhone game or a full-blown MMORPG.”

This open door idea policy helped bring about the creation of Heatwave’s latest software, iSamJackson. The company’s first iPhone app, iSamJackson features famed actor Samuel L. Jackson voicing over 150 original phrases on a unique soundboard app. The app recently debuted in the Apple app store in both a clean and explicit version. (Editors Note: We covered the iSamJackson app briefly on BET.com)

Described as a “nice little side project”, the app was completed over the course of a weekend thanks to the high level of expertise of Heatwave’s development team.

“The Apple team said that this was the cleanest app they’ve seen in a year and a half,” said Mitchell

There’s also a contest where users can enter a line they think should be on the app. No word if the winning line will be added to the app, but it’s a really cool way to make a fun application even more enjoyable.

Working with Samuel L. Jackson is always impressive, but this isn’t Heatwave’s first brush with celebrity. The company has already inked a deal with multi-platinum artist T.I. to appear in Platinum Life. And as the game moves closer to launch, more big name artists signed onto the project will be announced.

Where does a fledgling three year old company get so much juice? It starts with co-founders Anthony Castoro and Donn Clendenon. Castoro has the gaming chops as a veteran game designer and producer while Clendenon brings the business sense. Together, they’ve put together a team that loves what they do and have the contacts to reach almost anyone thanks to Mykel Mitchell and his extensive connections in the entertainment industry. Coupled with their philosophy of inclusiveness at all levels, Heatwave seems to have found a successful formula and are ready to do the unexpected.

About the Author
Sherri is a freelance writer that has a love of all things fun and geeky including gadgets, gaming, anime, and comics. When she isn't writing or out on the town living it up, she loves doing 10-12 hour marathon sessions on her Xbox 360 or one of her older consoles. It's not an addiction, it's a way of life!
See all posts by Sherri L. Smith.