video gamesMaking video games is a popular hobby, and it provides artists a chance to showcase their incredible talent. Champaign plays host to Volition Entertainment, formerly known as Parallax Software. The company has been around since the early ‘90s and is a source of pride in Champaign. It employs roughly 200 people and is still going strong.

Parallax Software was the passion project of Mike Kulas and Matt Toschlog, two programmers who worked on a game called “Car and Driver” and then decided to form a partnership. That partnership led to the creation of Parallax software in 1993. While the company initially started out in Boston, Massachusetts, it was eventually moved to Champaign. In 1996, they changed the company’s name to Volition Entertainment.

Over the years since its creation, Volition has released many games, but perhaps their most iconic title would be “Saints Row” in 2006. That game was a success for Volition, and it went on to spawn five more games, with a new one currently in the works.

To read more about Volition Entertainment, click here.