When many people think of video game developers, they immediately think of Japan and the United States. True, those countries are home to some of the powerhouses in console and PC gaming. It is also true, however, that Canada is home to some of the best game developers in the world.
From subsidiaries of the big developers to indies to mobile game studios, Canada’s game development world is full of companies that have created or contributed to some of the best loved games across all platforms.
Let’s take a look at some of Canada’s best game developers:
SkyBox Labs, Burnaby
You can’t talk about Canadian game developers without mentioning SkyBox Labs. The company was founded in 2011 by three former employees of EA Vancouver. With expertise from across the industry, they saw that they could start a successful independent company that produced the kinds of games that they wanted to make.
SkyBox Labs are affiliated with, but not owned by XBox Game Studio. Since their founding, they have contributed to some of XBox’s hottest games. They were behind the remaster of the classic series Age of Empires and Age of Mythology. SkyBox was also one of the primary studios involved with the development of Minecraft and Halo Infinite. They have managed to remain an indie while still working with one of the biggest software companies in the world, an impressive feat.
Capybara Games, Toronto
Named for one of the cutest animals in the world, Capybara Games was founded in Toronto in 2013. They started as an exclusively mobile game developer, but as they’ve grown, they’ve expanded to release games across a number of platforms.
One of their best-known games is Superbrothers: Sword and Sworcery EP. Superbrothers: Sword and Sworcery EP is a single-player action-adventure game that was originally released for iOS but was later released for Android and Nintendo Switch. Besides its original gameplay — part of the action in the game is dependent on the phases of the moon in real life — it is a beautiful game that shows just what is possible when developers have the time and freedom to create art.
Longbow Games, Toronto
Another Toronto studio, Longbow Games’ history illustrates some of the hurdles that indie developers face. Despite winning the top award at the Independent Game Festival in 2000 with their tank warfare game Tread Marks, the studio has struggled. This is partly due to the death of Longbow Games’ founder, Seumas McNally. With the loss of the visionary behind the studio, it was difficult to maintain momentum.
The second main struggle the studio has faced is securing steady funding. Like many small, indie studios Longbow Games has had to rely on fundraising platforms like Kickstarter to secure the funds necessary to develop the games they have planned. This leads to a slower release schedule which can again hurt a developer as fans can lose interest or become frustrated. This is unfortunate because Longbow Games is one of the most interesting developers in the country.
Alternatives to PC and Console gaming
Gaming has evolved beyond PC and console games. Some of the best game developers now design mobile games. One of the best mobile game developers in Canada is Magmic Games. Magmic was founded in Ottawa in 2002, which means they’ve been around since the earliest days of mobile gaming.
They specialize in adapting card and board games for the mobile format. Their newest game is a jump to the idle game format. Since it combines collecting cute pets with solving mysteries, it’s sure to be a hit.
Similar to mobile games are online casino games. These feature a lot of the same brightly colored graphics and simplistic game mechanics. This is a huge industry that provides smaller developers with a chance to generate revenue without having to spend years producing a single game.
While Canadian developers haven’t gotten on board the slot machine game creation train, players can still access the best games from developers around the world. The best online casinos in Canada have access to casino games from developers based across Europe and North America. With time, hopefully more Canadian game companies will enter the field and we will have access to an even more diverse array of games.
With the rise of mobile gaming and services like Steam, it is now more possible than ever for indie developers and new developers to get noticed. This is great for consumers, since it means that we now have so many more games to choose from. Next time you’re looking for a new game to play, consider one from a Canadian developer.
