Video games in Canada

The first documented commercial Canadian video game release was {{lang|fr|Les Têtards}} published by Logidisque in 1982.{{Cite news|last=Pinard|first=Daniel|date=1982-09-26|title=De jeunes cracks de l'informatique|work=Radio-Canada|url=http://archives.radio-canada.ca/sciences_technologies/informatique/clips/4169/|access-date=2020-05-10}} However, Evolution and BC's Quest for Tires, both were released in 1983, and also were the first video games developed in Canada that gained substantial commercial success.{{cite web|url=https://www.cbc.ca/news/science/the-evolution-of-video-games-in-canada-1.914304|title=The evolution of video games in Canada|publisher=CBC News|author=Peter Nowak|date=2010-09-13}}{{cite web|url=https://www.cbc.ca/news/science/canadian-traditions-hockey-double-doubles-and-video-games-1.772294|title=Canadian traditions: Hockey, double doubles ... and video games?|author=Paul Jay|publisher=CBC News|date=2008-10-17}} Chris Gray and Peter Liepa, from Toronto and Ottawa respectively, together created Boulder Dash in 1983 which was later acquired and published by First Star Software.{{cite web|url=https://www.cbc.ca/news/science/a-missed-opportunity-1.938438|title=The evolution of video games in Canada, part 2|publisher=CBC News|author=Peter Nowak|date=2010-09-13}}

In the past decade, more companies are moving from the West Coast to Ontario and Quebec, where there is more government support for studios and the cost of living is lower.{{Cite web|url=https://www.gameinformer.com/b/news/archive/2016/02/25/canadas-prime-minister-visits-ubisoft-montreal.aspx|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160229042840/http://www.gameinformer.com/b/news/archive/2016/02/25/canadas-prime-minister-visits-ubisoft-montreal.aspx|url-status=live|archive-date=February 29, 2016|title=Canadian Prime Minister Visits Ubisoft Montreal|website=Game Informer|access-date=2016-03-08}}{{Cite web|url=https://www.forbes.com/sites/michaelthomsen/2015/01/09/how-a-small-government-program-helped-turn-toronto-into-a-videogame-sanctuary/#5ed55e0421db|title=How A Small Government Program Helped Turn Toronto Into A Videogame Sanctuary|website=Forbes|access-date=2016-03-08}}{{Cite web|url=http://www.canadianbusiness.com/business-news/industries/technology-industry/vancouvers-video-game-industry-is-slowly-disappearing/|title=Vancouver's video-game industry is slowly disappearing - Canadian Business - Your Source For Business News|website=Canadian Business - Your Source For Business News|language=en-US|access-date=2016-03-09}} For example, Ubisoft opened Ubisoft Montreal in 1997 with government incentives. The studio has since grown to be one of the largest single-location studios by employee count and led other video game developers to launch studios in Montreal, including Electronic Arts and Warner Bros. Interactive Entertainment. Montreal itself saw a growth in younger professionals coming to the city, not only in video game programming but other technology fields. Ubisoft has since expanded out to other Canadian cities, including Ubisoft's Montreal sister studios Ubisoft Quebec and Ubisoft Saguenay.{{cite news | url=https://www.cbc.ca/news/science/respawned-how-video-games-revitalize-cities-1.928249 | work=CBC News | title=Respawned: How video games revitalize cities | date=14 September 2010 | access-date=6 May 2011 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20111025105508/http://www.cbc.ca/news/technology/story/2010/09/09/f-videogames-economic-impact.html#ixzz0zX4WWLQc | archive-date=25 October 2011 | url-status=live | df=dmy-all }} However, this draw to the eastern side of Canada has left Vancouver, also once similarly thriving with video game developers, seeing its impact on the industry wane.{{cite web | url = https://gamedaily.biz/article/660/vancouvers-once-thriving-game-industry-is-at-a-crossroads | title = Vancouver's Once Thriving Game Industry Is At A Crossroads | first = Omri | last =Wallace | date =March 7, 2019 | access-date = January 14, 2020 | work = GameDaily.biz }}

{{Update|part=section|date=December 2022}}

In 2015, approximately 19 million Canadians identified as gamers (54% of the Canadian population).{{Cite web|date=2015|title=Essential Facts About the Canadian Video Game Industry|url=https://theesa.ca/wp-content/uploads/2022/11/ESAC_2015_Booklet_Version02_14_Digital.pdf|access-date=22 February 2016|publisher=Entertainment Software Association of Canada}} The average Canadian gamer was 33 years old, and slightly more likely to be male. The gender split was measured to be 52% male to 48% female. Console game revenue fell 32% from 2013 to 2015 but still accounts for 35% of the revenue produced by Canada's video games industry. Canadians tend to prefer consoles over portable gaming.{{Cite web|url=http://www.canadianbusiness.com/technology-news/nintendo-canada-gm-pierre-paul-trepanier-interview/|title=Nintendo Canada GM Pierre-Paul Trepanier on what makes Canadian gamers different{{!}}|website=canadianbusiness.com|access-date=2017-10-05}} Mobile games saw an increase in revenue of 20% from 2013 to 2015, and accounted for 31% of the total revenue earned by Canada's video games industry. Computer game sales fell marginally (3%) and compose 25% of the industry's revenue. The most popular game genres in Canada are, in order of most to least popular, action-adventures, family games, and shooters.

There has recently been a substantial amount of interest in the emergence of video game development as an industry in Canada and its impact on the economy, the creative industries, the role studios play in specific city ecosystems and how video games affect people physically and mentally. A recent study was done at McMaster University studying how playing video games improves the eyesight of those who suffer from problems pertaining to eyesight.{{Cite news|title=Video games improve vision|last=Sanders|first=Laura|date=March 10, 2012|work=Science News|id = {{ProQuest|928428877}}}} Montreal, Quebec, is a particularly popular subject of study due to the maturity of the gaming industry and its overall urban ecology.{{Cite journal|last1=Grandadam|first1=David|last2=Cohendet|first2=Patrick|last3=Simon|first3=Laurent|date=2013-11-01|title=Places, Spaces and the Dynamics of Creativity: The Video Game Industry in Montreal|journal=Regional Studies|volume=47|issue=10|pages=1701–1714|doi=10.1080/00343404.2012.699191|s2cid=143525563 |issn=0034-3404}}

File:Ubisoft Montreal 02.JPG studios in Montreal, one of many game studios in the province of Quebec. ]]{{Update|part=section|date=December 2022}}

80% of all Canadian game studios are located in Quebec, British Columbia and Ontario.{{Cite web |date=November 2021 |title=The Canadian Video Game Industry 2021 |url=https://theesa.ca/wp-content/uploads/2021/11/esac-2021-final-report.pdf}} Ontario is the largest producer of video games in Canada, housing 31.8% of all game studios (10 of which are large companies) and has annual expenditures of $818.4 million. Quebec is the second largest, with 31.1% of companies residing in the province (22 of which are large companies) and spends $2.3 billion annually. The third largest video game producer is British Columbia, which has 17.2% of all game studios (19 of which are large companies) and has annual expenditures of $1 billion.

Many Canadian post-secondary institutions offer industry relevant courses in areas such as computer programming, animation/concept art, and game design. Many of the top programs are offered in either Vancouver, British Columbia or Toronto, Ontario and the Greater Toronto Area.{{Cite web|url=http://www.universities-colleges-schools.com/top-10-animation-gaming-and-art-and-design-schools-in-canada|title=Top 10 Animation, Gaming and Art and Design Schools in Canada|website=www.universities-colleges-schools.com|access-date=2016-03-09}} Industry employees earn an average of $78,600 annually and the average age of an employee in this industry is 32 years old. According to the Entertainment Software Association of Canada in their 2015 report the skills that are most lacking in current recruitment pools are programming, art and animation, game design and data analysis. {{As of|2016}} it is anticipated that approximately 1,377 new jobs will be filled in the next 12–24 months, with approximately 40% being intermediate or senior level creative positions and approximately 60% being intermediate or senior level technical jobs.

Canada is home to some of the biggest studios in the industry. Edmonton, Alberta, hosts BioWare and Prince Edward Island is home to Other Ocean Interactive.{{cite web|title=Canada's gaming industry is kicking butt|url=http://business.financialpost.com/2011/05/30/canadas-home-grown-video-game-industry-shines-on-international-stage/|work= Financial Post|access-date=10 November 2011}} EA Canada, located in Burnaby, British Columbia, is a major contributor to the industry with popular, global franchises such as FIFA and Need for Speed and has 4 other studios in Canada (Charlottetown, Edmonton, Kitchener and Montreal).{{Cite web|url=http://careers.ea.com/ca/our-locations|title=Locations Worldwide {{!}} EA Careers Canada|website=careers.ea.com|access-date=2016-03-09}} Rockstar Vancouver was a sizeable contributor to the Vancouver gaming scene, as well as another Rockstar studio in Toronto. Montreal's Ubisoft studio is getting a large amount of attention worldwide as the lead studio for the Far Cry series and for their contributions to the Assassin's Creed franchise.{{Cite web|url=http://montreal.ubisoft.com/en/our-studio/|title=Our studio|website=montreal.ubisoft.com|access-date=2016-03-09}} As a major studio they are attracting other video game developers and studios to Montreal further defining it as the gaming capital of Canada, as well as the other major game studio, Warner Brothers Interactive.{{Cite web|url=http://www.mtlblog.com/2015/04/montreal-is-hosting-a-video-game-takeover-in-may/#|title=Montreal Is Hosting A Video Game Takeover This May|last=Hope-Johnston|first=Synden|website=www.mtlblog.com|date=29 April 2015 |access-date=2016-03-09}}{{Cite web|url=http://wbgamesmontreal.com/en/|title=WB Games Montréal|website=wbgamesmontreal.com|access-date=2016-03-09}} Ubisoft Toronto is also a large contributor to the global success of the Far Cry franchises as well as Splinter Cell Blacklist.{{Cite web|url=http://toronto.ubisoft.com/studio-life/|title=Ubisoft Toronto - Welcome to our World|website=toronto.ubisoft.com|access-date=2016-03-09}}

As of 2015, the entertainment software industry is growing at unprecedented rates and shows no signs of slowing down. More opportunities are being created to learn the skills relevant to the industry and as more job opportunities are being created allowing this industry to experience a healthy boom.{{Cite news|title=Labour crunch hits canada's video game industry|last=Barrett|first=Jessica|date=2014-02-03|work=Leader Post|id = {{ProQuest|1494234597}}}}{{Cite journal|last1=Darchen|first1=Sebastien|last2=Tremblay|first2=Diane-Gabrielle|date=2015-02-01|title=Policies for Creative Clusters: A Comparison between the Video Game Industries in Melbourne and Montreal|journal=European Planning Studies|volume=23|issue=2|pages=311–331|doi=10.1080/09654313.2013.865712|s2cid=55757945 |issn=0965-4313|url=http://r-libre.teluq.ca/507/1/Darchen%20et%20Tremblay_2015_EPS.pdf}} Many strong game development studios choosing to locate to Canada help to not only strengthen the industry but promote its longevity. Large scale gaming events such as the Canadian Videogame Awards, Fan Expo Canada and Comic-Con help to promote the industry and encourage its growth.{{Cite web|url=http://www.cvawards.ca|title=Canadian Videogame Awards - CVA 2015|website=CVA 2015|language=en-US|access-date=2016-03-09}}{{Cite web|url=http://comicontoronto.com|title=Toronto ComiCon {{!}}|website=comicontoronto.com|access-date=2016-03-09}}{{Cite web|url=http://www.vancouvercomiccon.com|title=Vancouver Comicon|website=www.vancouvercomiccon.com|access-date=2016-03-09}}{{Cite web|url=http://www.montrealcomiccon.com|title=Home - Comiccon|website=www.montrealcomiccon.com|access-date=2016-03-09}}{{Cite web|url=http://fanexpocanada.com/gaming-guests/|title=Gaming Expo News {{!}} Fan Expo Canada|website=fanexpocanada.com|access-date=2016-03-09}}{{Cite web|url=http://fanexpovancouver.com|title=Fan Expo Vancouver {{!}}|website=fanexpovancouver.com|access-date=2016-03-09}}{{Cite web|url=http://fanexporegina.com|title=Fan Expo Regina {{!}}|website=fanexporegina.com|access-date=2016-03-09}}

While Canada may have smaller representation in the games media space than other countries, there are a few active publications. Some examples are GCMagazine, and GCR. There are also larger publications that include gaming as a topic among broader coverage. Examples include MobileSyrup, ScreenRant, and CBC.{{Cite web |last=Awards |first=The Game |title=Voting Jury {{!}} The Game Awards |url=https://thegameawards.com/voting-jury |access-date=2025-02-21 |website=Voting Jury {{!}} The Game Awards |language=en}}

• Game Design Expo
• Montreal International Games Summit
• Video game crash of 1983

{{reflist|30em}}

• [http://theesa.ca The Entertainment Software Association of Canada]
• [https://tierlist.gg/ Tier Lists for Competitive Games of Canada]

{{History of video games}}

{{Americas topic|Video games in}}

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