Electronic Arts, the world's largest video game maker, is still looking for space for a small branch of its Orlando, Fla., operation.

"There's a talent pool in Raleigh that we don't want to miss out on," said Tammy Schachter, a spokeswoman with the California company.

The office would be a branch of EA Tiburon, which is responsible for some of EA's best-known sports titles.

Schachter said the office initially would be responsible for developing games for video consoles that could include PlayStation 2 and Microsoft's Xbox. Later, it would transition to games for newer consoles. She said the office could employ as many as 10 people.

The move emphasizes the growing clout of the Triangle's entertainment software developers.

"When the largest game maker in town is here, it gives confidence that this is an area to be reckoned with," said Jerry Heneghan, chief executive officer of Virtual Heroes, a Cary game company.

In the last year, Triangle companies have garnered national attention for games and game development software.

The best known, Cary's Epic Games, sold more than 3 million copies of "Gears of War," so far the largest breakout hit for the Xbox 360.

Epic is known also for Unreal Engine 3, software that allows game makers a skeleton to build products around.

"The impact that Epic is having on the industry is increasing," said Colin Sebastian, an analyst for Lazard Capital who tracks EA. "High quality development talent is scarce. Naturally, EA would be drawn to [the Triangle]."

In addition to the existing talent, part of the Triangle's attraction are the students in computer science and design programs at UNC-Chapel Hill and N.C. State University, said John Austin, the chief operating officer for Emergent Game Technologies in Chapel Hill.

Two-thirds of Emergent's 28-person Triangle office are products of those schools, Austin, said.

EA is trying to tap into that talent base as well.

On Wednesday, Ryan Stradling, a senior level developer at EA Tiburon, and Colleen McCreary, who recruits for EA, spoke to computer science students at State, said Michael Young, a computer science professor at the university.

The pair also spoke to Chapel Hill students earlier this week, Young said. At both schools, students were told there would be two entry level positions in the Triangle EA office by June, he said.

Electronic Arts is a publicly traded company that employs 7,500 and had revenues of $2.5 billion in its 2006 fiscal year.

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