Pixofactor Entertainment, a complete video gaming and entertainment content development company, has been awarded the contract to begin creation of a Ben Hogan video game for the Nintendo Wii console. With this agreement, the company becomes the first within the state of Michigan to receive the go-ahead for video game production, since the incentive legislation was passed in April 2008. Company CEO, Sean Hurwitz made the announcement.

The application, submitted by BH Golfing Game Productions LLC, for this complex project was provided to the Michigan Film Office in late September.

Pixofactor will begin work immediately on the $2.7 million dollar project to develop the Ben Hogan game across multiple digital platforms, including: A Nintendo Wii Game, mobile applications and interactive web site and DVD. The company had received State approval in Mid- October to begin work only on the interactive web site.

“We appreciate the quick and efficient approval process from the Michigan Film Office to bring this innovative video game development work to Michigan,” said Hurwitz. “Now that we have approval to begin work on the Ben Hogan video game, we believe this is the launch pad for the video game industry in our State.”

Based on the size and scope of the project, PixoFactor will contract and employ approximately an additional 20-30 artists, animators and programmers.

“We are pleased Ben Hogan Wii has been approved as the first video game project under the Michigan film and digital media incentives,” said Carrie Jones, director of the Michigan Film Office. “Digital projects hold great potential for our state’s economy and we are excited to see this industry grow in Michigan.”

The key to this multi-facted project is to leverage the existing Ben Hogan brand and re-launch it into every important existing platform available: video game systems like the Nintendo Wii, social networking sites such as Facebook and other popular technology, including the iPad and iPhone.

The company had received the initial green light for the project with the support from two venture capital firms, including Farmington Hills-based, Envy Capital who committed to raise approximately $2 million of investment capital and Alliance Acquisitions in Los Angeles. Support and guidance was also provided from their attorney Marc Seyburn of Seyburn/Know Law Group. Seyburn invested the time and energy to understand the complexity of the Michigan Tax Credit and has become a leader/expert in the entire process.