Big Huge Games was founded in 2000 by MICA graduate Dave Inscore ('95, Illustration) along with three other game industry veterans. We currently employ ten MICA alum in our award-winning and rapidly-expanding art department.

Team skills are as important to us as artistic skills, and by sticking to this "core value," we've created a fun and energetic workplace with a passion for AAA game development. Some of our most successful games include Rise of Nations and Rise of Legends, of which the latter received Gamespy's 2006 Special Achievement in Art Direction Award and has been lauded by the press as "A playable piece of art..." (Game Revolution) and "...the best-looking RTS I've ever played" (PC Gamer). Another recent success has been the acquisition of Big Huge Games by the videogame publisher THQ in 2008 - a natural step in the evolution of the business, bringing in even more resources and allowing us to make even better (and better looking!) videogames. We're now hard at work on several new and as-yet-unannounced titles for the Xbox360, Playstation 3, Wii, and PC.

We have more challenging and exciting work than we can handle and are always on the lookout for talented and motivated students interested in paid internships. If you're a talented artist with a passion for video games (or think you're just the type that could develop a passion for video game development) then click here to check out our art internship page for instructions on how to apply. Internships are open to all MICA majors in Concept Art, 3D Modeling, Character Creation, User Interface Design, Texturing, and World Building.

We're located 15 minutes north of MICA in Timonium, Maryland, and are in easy walking distance of the Timonium Business Park Light Rail stop.

We're proud of our creative environment which includes fun office perks such as...

• Pool table
• Ping pong table
• Full-size bar (modeled after a local Irish Pub)
• Arcade machine (100's of classics installed)
• Free drinks (sodas, tea, and freshly ground coffee via two fancy latte machines)
• Biometric hand-scanner (Physical office keys? That's so twentieth century.)
• Console gaming area (PS3, 360, and Wii)
• Continuously updated Game Library stocked with 100's of titles available for borrow anytime
• 150 gallon saltwater aquarium

A number of the Big Huge artists were asked about their experience going from MICA to the video game industry. Here's what they had to say:

Shaun Martin, Project Art Director (MICA '05, GFA)
My time at MICA was spent traveling the spectrum from traditional fine art as a painter and draftsmen into the digital realms of video, animation, and even interactive media. Yet much of the time I felt a desire to create something that was larger than one artist could accomplish. Big Huge Games has given me the opportunity to work with tons of insanely creative and brilliant people to create some truly amazing things. A piece you work on in such a collective is literally that: a "piece" of a much greater whole. When you see it all brought together, and help it all be brought together, you realize the potential of the medium of video games and interactive media. BHG is full of individuals who have a passion to create truly great things and honestly feels more like a giant collaboration than a job.

Jessica Hara, Artist (MICA '07, Illustration)
I started interning for Big Huge Games during the Fall Semester of my junior year in 2005. At first, this was a chance for me to help develop my 3D skills and learn more about the behind-the-scenes process of an art team and the role of the individual within it. Soon after I started I was getting my own work into the game (which was an amazing feeling!) and what I didn't count on was the spark that it started: I wasn't able to stop the desire to continue learning more and more about this new world and where it could lead. For the rest of my college career, despite being an Illustration major, 3D work dominated my portfolio. Working up to two days a week at the office during the school year was often difficult, yet it was the challenge of this fast-paced industry that was exciting and motivating - and, I began to realize, I was able to do it and I wanted to keep on doing it. Several months after graduating from MICA I joined the Big Huge art team full-time and am simply thrilled at being able to do a job I truly love doing. Being at Big Huge Games has helped me realize a career I was actually interested in and a medium to work with that I never would have given thought to without having the opportunity to have an internship first.

Jay Gillen, Artist (MICA '04, GFA)
I have worked at Big Huge Games for four years. Over this period of time I have watched our team grow into an extremely talented group of artists. It is an extraordinary learning environment. The combination of challenging work, talented employees, and team atmosphere make it an ideal place to grow as an artist. It is a place where people with all different types of aesthetics, artistic disciplines, and ideas are able to work together to create something that is beyond any one person. The ability of this environment to push oneself to be the best you can be is what makes Big Huge a great place to work.

Colin Campbell, Artist (MICA '04, GFA)
I primarily studied traditional painting and sculpture at MICA, only getting into 3d animation and modeling during senior year. It forced me to really sharpen my 3d skills outside of my traditional class workload. A few months after graduating from MICA I secured a Big Huge art internship. I soon learned that the best thing about working at Big Huge Games was the opportunity to learn from all the talented artists around me, and sought to learn as much from their skills and knowledge as I possibly could (and still do). More than I expected, I gratefully still use much of my traditional background and travel experience extensively in my 3D work with BHG, while at the same time finding a continuously broadening world in digital art worthy of exploring with my colleagues. In time I secured a full time art position and have had the honor to work with the wonderful BHG team ever since.

Brandon Blackwell, Artist (MICA '05, Illustration)
I spent my first few years at MICA, bouncing around its broad program participating in Graphic Design, General fine arts, and finally landing a comfy spot in its Illustration program. Throughout that time, 3D animation/modeling is the discipline that kept me grounded as I sailed around various disciplines. I met a lot of friends through the small 3d community at MICA that have pushed me to better myself, and also have found a home here at Big Huge. I still think the number one purpose for art school is to meet peers, people with similar interests and goals to help you better yourself and push you forward. That's exactly what I found here at Big Huge. The artist comradeship that I've found here is incredible, there's not a day that goes by that somebody hasn't dropped by my office to critique my work, or discussed with me the talents of a famous artist. I've found a similar atmosphere here that I discovered at school, and that's more than I can ask for in any job environment.

Kat Berkley, Art Intern (MICA '11, Illustration)
I worked as an intern at Big Huge Games the summer after my Freshman year in college. I hadn't considered applying anywhere for internships until at least my Junior year, but I attended the BHG Open House and was delighted by the friendly, open atmosphere. When I was invited back as an intern, I jumped at the opportunity, despite my uncertainties about living in a mostly unfamiliar city all alone. I didn't know where I would live or how I would get to work, but I made it happen, and boy I am glad I took the chance! Working with the talented team at BHG has been an unforgettable experience. At first, I thought it would be neat to catch a behind-the-scenes glimpse at the software and techniques employed in the making of a video game, but I've come to realize that the real assets are the amazing people who truly love what they do. It really blows my mind how all of the artists, designers, programmers, etc. are able to come together to create something much larger than any one of them could possibly create on their own. During the short time I spent at BHG, I found that I was inspired to push myself further than I imagined I could. I never worked with a team of other artists before and I was thrilled to discover that I loved it. The other artists were always happy to critique my work or point me in the right direction. I feel that what I've learned at BHG is invaluable, and I hope to carry this knowledge with me through the next three years of college and beyond!