Canadian Games Industry Seeks New Identity Amid Industry Shifts

The Canadian games industry is at a crossroads, seeking a new identity as it adapts to changing global trends. The XP Game Summit in Toronto, a sister conference to the Montreal International Game Summit, offered a unique opportunity to take the temperature of the industry. Despite doubling in size since 2013, the industry has suffered recent setbacks due to an outsized emphasis on generous tax incentives, which have been criticized for favoring triple-A multinationals with little oversight or protection for workers.

Recent studio closures and layoffs have left the industry reeling, with Embracer group shutting down Onoma (formerly Square Enix Montreal) and Ubisoft closing Ubisoft Halifax shortly after the studio unionized. However, attendees at the XP Game Summit expressed optimism for the future, citing the industry's 'pandemic hangover' as a catalyst for change.

The summit's founder, Jason Lepine, believes that the industry is moving past the phase of massive layoffs. 'We launched right before massive layoffs hit the industry,' he said. 'Now, though, it feels like we're moving past that phase.' The global games industry is undergoing significant changes, and the Canadian industry is seeking to adapt and thrive in this new landscape.

While some attendees were bearish on triple-A development in Canada, citing a need for industry change, the mood at the XP Game Summit was overall optimistic. The industry is at a crossroads, and it will be interesting to see how it evolves in the coming years.