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Forums - Gaming - Canada seems to be the new "china" of games development

mchaza on 17 February 2011

Reading an few months now about the impacts of the canadian 35.5% tax break for games development on the industry and it seems that the publishers are rushing in and closing studios in places like US, Australia, UK, Europe etc and building new studios like THQ super studio in canada instead. And it sounds like canada is the new "china" of games development. Which isn't an bad thing because developers all over the world could easily find work there and be happy to live there then if games development ended up in new far cheaper asian markets such as India and China were outside developers wouldn't be able to break in because the local employees are the ones reducing the costs in lower wages. 

So while it seems bad its not too bad that lots are moving to canada. But Hopefully other countries will match that of canada and the end result will be more studios, more work, more games = win win for everyone 



Of Course That's Just My Opinion, I Could Be Wrong

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foxtail on 17 February 2011

Electronic Arts Canada, EA Black Box, Ubisoft Montreal, Bioware, Silicon Knights and Next Level Games are some of the better known and successful developers already in Canada.



Lostplanet22 on 17 February 2011
mchaza said:

Reading an few months now about the impacts of the canadian 35.5% tax break for games development on the industry and it seems that the publishers are rushing in and closing studios in places like US, Australia, UK, Europe etc and building new studios like THQ super studio in canada instead. And it sounds like canada is the new "china" of games development. Which isn't an bad thing because developers all over the world could easily find work there and be happy to live there then if games development ended up in new far cheaper asian markets such as India and China were outside developers wouldn't be able to break in because the local employees are the ones reducing the costs in lower wages.

So while it seems bad its not too bad that lots are moving to canada. But Hopefully other countries will match that of canada and the end result will be more studios, more work, more games = win win for everyone

That is not true their are already a lot of gamestudios in China who have foreign workers from EU/USA...Those people just get paid what people would get paid in Canada/France/UK etc... 

But honestly if you are want to be gamedevelopper to earn a lot of money you should have studies something else;.



 

mchaza on 17 February 2011
Lostplanet22 said:
mchaza said:

Reading an few months now about the impacts of the canadian 35.5% tax break for games development on the industry and it seems that the publishers are rushing in and closing studios in places like US, Australia, UK, Europe etc and building new studios like THQ super studio in canada instead. And it sounds like canada is the new "china" of games development. Which isn't an bad thing because developers all over the world could easily find work there and be happy to live there then if games development ended up in new far cheaper asian markets such as India and China were outside developers wouldn't be able to break in because the local employees are the ones reducing the costs in lower wages.

So while it seems bad its not too bad that lots are moving to canada. But Hopefully other countries will match that of canada and the end result will be more studios, more work, more games = win win for everyone

That is not true their are already a lot of gamestudios in China who have foreign workers from EU/USA...Those people just get paid what people would get paid in Canada/France/UK etc... 

But honestly if you are want to be gamedevelopper to earn a lot of money you should have studies something else;.

most of them are leads, such as lead designers, produces and the higher level guys to run the lower levels. 

and i dont care about the money but you got to eat and pay the rent 



Of Course That's Just My Opinion, I Could Be Wrong

mchaza on 17 February 2011
trasharmdsister12 said:

Montreal and Edmonton have some bigger development facilities in place and Toronto is seeing a huge increase in gaming dev interest. I know EA just opened up shop there recently and so is Ubi. Silicon Knights is also based in St. Catherines which is close to Toronto. I think TO is a good place because it's close to so many universities (McMaster, York, Ryerson, Waterloo, etc.) with some sort of technical basis. I know of a few spinoff devs right from Waterloo that have moved to the GTA (Greater Toronto Area for those of you that aren't Canucks!) to start up their companies. I actually got offered a job at one to come up with an idea for a DS game and build a prototype over my coop term! ^_^!! I really wanted to take that job but I got offered 3 other jobs that same day and well... it's a long story.

I'd agree that Canada is becoming a hot centre for gaming development and I personally couldn't be more excited. Once I'm done undergrad I plan on getting into game dev some more myself.

I hope the moves made by the Canadian government urges more governments worldwide to support gaming devs.


well the australia industy is half that of 2008 (1000 jobs gone) and they are calling for the same thing but no blowing 2 billion dollars on an keycard for public transport that doesn't work. 

anyways people here have Plently of time so feel free to tell that long story because i dont know about everyone here but i like those stories. 



Of Course That's Just My Opinion, I Could Be Wrong

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Joelcool7 on 18 February 2011

Canada has been a gaming Mecca for awhile now. Vancouver is said to have more developers per capita then any city anwhere else on East. Vancouver last I checked had 80 development studios, many of them independant but stilla  huge amount considering the population of Vancouver.

Montreal is another big gaming Mecca and I believe the second largest game developing city in the country. But Toronto is following close behind and even Alberta has some developers. The Country as a whole produces a crap load of games.Now of course their have been a few closures of studios in Canada too, most recently Propaganda Games. But their is still more then enough new studios flooding in to off set those closing their doors.

I'm proud to live in such a game centric society!



-JC7

"In God We Trust - In Games We Play " - Joel Reimer

 

CChaos on 18 February 2011

http://www.candevs.ca/

I only found this one a while ago and it has a pretty broad range of what it covers, but it gives a pretty good idea of the scope of how many companies have made their home up here that are involved in the Canadian gaming industry.

Pretty extensive, all in all.