-----
Canada’s most populous province, Ontario, is home to both Canada’s biggest city (Toronto, with a population of over 5.5 million people) and the country’s capital, Ottawa. But more than just that, Ontario is home to a vibrant community of game developers that are not centralised to any one location within the province, with communities in Toronto, London, St Catherines, Ottawa, Waterloo and further afield.
For a long time, Ontario has been overshadowed by Montreal's stature as an internationally renowned location for game development, but this situation may begin to change with the announcement of Ubisoft Toronto, a new, 800-strong development house establishing in the city. Revealing Ontario’s intention to compete in the controversial tax incentive marketplace that has seen Montreal scene grow, Ubisoft is to benefit from C$263 million in help from the Ontario government – a landmark figure.
But these incentives have always been there, and most importantly, they’ve helped create a strong independent development ethic, making Ontario one of Canada’s most remarkable game development communities. We’ve chosen to spotlight some of the studios that are part of the region’s vibrant indie scene, one- or two-person shops like Metanet (N+) and Queasy Games (Everyday Shooter) that can compete thanks to the help of the Ontario Media Development Corporation. As a result, independent initiatives have sprung up to further foster this space, such as the Artsy Game Incubator and the Hand Eye Society.
Though there have been doomsayers, claiming that Ubisoft Toronto may overwhelm the local community with its hunger for staff, you’ll meet none of them here. The local companies welcome Ubisoft with open arms, secure in their ability to compete and (hopefully) teach the company a thing or two about taking on some of their creative, artistic and independent spirit.