Hidden Variable Studios has taken the mundane everyday task of grocery shopping and made it into a mobile game. “Bag It” is the first title released from the North Hollywood game developer and it is available for Apple and Android devices. The game is available in six foreign languages and becomes available in China on Jan. 23. The Hidden Variable website describes “Bag It” as a Tetris meets Toy Story — players work through 50 levels to arrange groceries in a bag without crushing any of the items. The idea comes from the company’s ethos of finding the fun and fantastic in the everyday world, said Amos Marvel, co-founder and chief operating officer at Hidden Variable. “Bagging is something we have all done,” Marvel said. “It is something universal and inter- national.” Marvel and his business partners David Marino (the CFO) and Charley Price (chief creative officer) all have backgrounds in the video game industry. The trio saw the industry evolving in a direction where casual gaming on mobile devices is attracting new players and does not require the time and financial investment of console games. With its first game on the market, Hidden Variable is looking at other platforms for “Bag It” as well as developing other titles. The company’s aspiration is to reach the worldwide acclaim of “Angry Birds,” the hugely popular smartphone and tablet game from Finnish developer, Rovio Mobile. “There is the opportunity for other games to be successful,” Marvel said. “Gamers want a high quality experience like ‘Bag It.’” —Mark R. Madler
Groceries Play Star Role in Game Studio’s First Title
