Over the past few decades, video games grew from niche industry catering mostly to young people into a mainstream entertainment category that’s widely popular across all age groups. This tendency is the strongest in technologically developed nations like Canada, where access to online-enabled devices is nearly ubiquitous and much of the population has enough disposable income to pay for play.

Let’s take a closer look into some of the facts about the current state of the video game market in Canada so we can try and identify the general trends and try to predict the future.

Who Plays Video Games the Most In Canada?

According to some estimates, more than 20 million Canadians are active video game players. That’s more than 50% of the entire population. This form of digital interaction is still the most popular in the under-18 cohort, but majority of adults play as well – and that includes people over 60.

The average play time per week is close to 8 hours, although again teen boys lead all demographic groups with an average of 11.5 hours weekly. Importantly, the market is nearly evenly split between genders, with women accounting for around 48% of the total number of players and spending a lot of time in front of a screen. This goes to show that video games reach is now nearly universal in Canada.

Which Types of Games Are the Most Popular?

As you might expect based on the broad appeal of video games in Canada, the audiences diverge when it comes to their favorite game genre. Some of the more popular categories include action-adventures, family games, and shooters, but you can find a lot of interest for almost any type of game in this deep and highly engaged market. 

In recent years, the shift towards mobile games is noticeable and that gives an advantage to faster, less immersive games. Casual gamers are now driving the trends, and they are more likely to switch between genres as new titles become available. On the other hand, there are still plenty of hard core gamers who love real-time strategies, RPGs, or simulations that require much more time and effort.

What About iGaming and eSports?

The authentic interest for competitive digital gaming in Canada goes far beyond the scope of traditional video games. The iGaming sector is nearly as popular and counts players in the millions, with websites like Impressario Casino online drawing steady streams of traffic at all times of the day. 

The number of eSports fans is also on the rise, with more than 20% of Canadians following this scene at least occasionally. This is especially the case with younger people, for whom streaming platforms like YouTube or Twitch have largely replaced traditional media as sources of live entertainment. Strong interest in eSports is driving the popularity of certain games, contributing to the overall numbers.

Is Canada a Land of Gamers or What?

You could certainly say so. There is even a National Video Games Day, celebrated every September 12th across the country. This is the best example of how seriously the nation has embraced video games on a symbolic level. In practice, this means it’s now considered perfectly socially acceptable to be a gamer.

All parameters from number of players to total revenues are going up, and video game studios active in the Canadian market have plenty of reasons for optimism. It remains to be seen whether the current boom cycle can continue forever or it will eventually slow down. Either way, it can’t be denied that Canada loves to have its fun and ranks very high on the global list of thriving video game markets.