Social gatherings, tech events, showcases and more from across Canada
Canada’s premier business-to-business video game conference. Over two days, connect with global industry professionals to explore crucial industry trends, develop new and innovative business-building opportunities, and help shape the future of gaming.
This “8-day-long game jam aims to help grow the game development scene in London, Ontario and welcomes all who wish to take part, be they beginners, hobbyists, students, or professionals!”
#GDX2023 is coming July 19-23 to #YEG! Canada's largest celebration of #gamedev and games culture is back for more and bigger than ever before.
DemoNights brings back one of the most renowned showcases in the Québec video game industry.
A night of live music celebrating achievements and the future of game audio with people in video games, XR/interactive media and music
The CUTC and Unity invite you to the MaRS Discovery District for a day of networking, discussions, and learning about STEM in Toronto!
Super FESTival is an online celebration of the past decade of Hand Eye Society programming. Join us!
Back for its seventh year, Game Slice offers game industry professionals a space to gain valuable feedback from their industry peers in a collaborative and exciting environment.
Disco:MTL is bringing you an action-packed week filled with expert-led talks that will reinvigorate your marketing strategies, help you develop your community in engaging and inclusive ways, teach you how to build momentum for your game and leverage it for launch, master the use of social media, and much, much more!
Join up and be part of our general meetings, ask the chapter executives questions, post some of your passion projects, and kick back with your industry peers.
Back for its sixth year, Game Slice offers game industry professionals a space to gain valuable feedback from their industry peers in a collaborative and exciting environment. Due to COVID-19, Game Slice will continue being fully online to allow game developers from far and wide to preview their unreleased games to an engaged and knowledgeable audience.
Game Slice 2021 will be using an interconnected environment of Discord services and Twitch Streaming to provide the best environment possible for exhibitors and attendees.
In addition to playtesting exhibits, Community Partners will be providing discussions and lectures for all attendees.
When we game industry professionals get together we always end up sharing the many highs and lows development process. Doing this during the development process provides valuable feedback from industry peers going through the same development challenges.
Game Slice provides a structured format to show your game behind closed doors and help shape the future of your game at any stage of development.
This is a private event for Corporate Game Studios, Professional Game Developers, or Indie Game Developers. If you’ve launched a game in the past you qualify to be on the quest list.
Additionally, exhibitors can choose to allow students to attend their booth.
Demo new indie games directly in your web browser without the need for downloads.
The XP Game Developer Summit will host a playable digital game showcase where attendees can play games for free in their browser thanks to the Trail platform starting April 8, 2021. The summit will also feature a broadcast series of talks and panels around topics impacting the gaming industry in 2021 on its Twitch channel.
"When events were forced to go digital last year, many game developers lost the ability to showcase their games. The aspect of walking into a show hall and picking up a controller to play new games was lost.” shared Jason Lepine, founder of the XP Game Developer Summit. “Thanks to our partnership with Trail, we can now work with developers to prepare demos that attendees can play from anywhere around the world right from their web browser. This helps recapture some of the magic lost from live events."
With Trail, we can now offer attendees the ability to play games in web browsers thanks to its ultra-accessible WebGL player. Developers participating in the XP Digital Game Showcase will have the chance to optimize their games for the Trail player, allowing attendees to play these games in their browser without any wait times or downloads. Starting April 8, 2021, viewers will be able to view and play these games for free at xpgamesummit.com.
The XP Game Developer Summit will also feature a free broadcast of specialized talks and panels focusing on key aspects of the game industry. The broadcast will be viewable on the XP Game Developer Summit Twitch channel live. Attendees will be able to ask questions and interact with the speakers in a live Q&A session at the end of each panel.
Game developers can now apply to have their games featured and playable in the digital game showcase powered by Trail on xpgamesummit.com. Applications are also open for industry speaking opportunities during the XP Game Developer Summit broadcast.
The first-ever intercity, online version of Dirty Rectangles (@Rectangles_TO) will be live-streamed on Twitch. The stream will feature a talk from Dave Proctor (@blankdave), Game Director on THE BIG CON at Toronto-based indie studio Mighty Yell (@MightyYell), about designing branching narratives in adventure games.
The Interactive Society of Nova Scotia is hosting a free webinar to help game developers get the most out of COVID-19.
Formerly the XP Game Developer's Summit, the event has now been moved online due to COVID-19 and renamed XP Game Developers Online.
This Black History Month, join other professional black game developer’s at Ubisoft Toronto for an evening of mixing and talks from black professionals in the industry.
Reboot Develop Red 2019 will take place October 30 - November 1, 2019.
The first ever GameDev Atlantic conference is happening Thursday October 24 from 1:00 - 11:00 PM ADT in Halifax, Nova Scotia.
Unity Developer Day is part of a series of events put on by Unity. The Vancouver edition includes talks from Unity experts, demos of other Unity projects and a great chance to network.
The 8th annual Full Indie Summit is happening in Vancouver, BC at the Vancouver Convention Centre on Saturday September 28 from 9:00 AM - 7:00 PM.
A night for indie game devs in Vancouver to get together, network and show off their games.
Do you have an interest in gaming? Join us for the triOS Gaming Arcade event!
View and play games being produced by triOS students and graduates. Chat with studio owners and instructors in the gaming industry. Learn how to break into the video game development and art industries.
Date: November 1, 2018
Time: 5:30pm
Location: triOS College Toronto Campus
Interested? When you attend this event, you'll also receive a $500 bursary toward the Video Game Design and Development or Video Game Design Technologies diploma program at triOS!
Register for your free tickets at Eventbrite.
The latest Bit Bazaar, a popular gaming/artist showcase put on by our friends at Gamma Space will be later this month, specifically:
The event will be hosted at the new Toronto Media Arts Center and you can check out the full details (and a list of playable games) here. It includes some unreleased games such as Light Fingers, and A Fold Apart so I'll see you there!
David B joins us from the west coast best coast to talk about the upcoming Quiver Games Incubator!
Bizdev extraordinaire Eric Beer joins us to give his Hades II impressions and chat v-bucks subsidized game preservation.
We break down Baldur Gate 3's unprecedented success & the knock-on effects it'll have on the industry and how we make games moving forward. We also speak to Ontario-based indie game devs Twinolli about their upcoming action-puzzler Highlighters which just got a (Dad Deck-verified) Steam demo!
We speak to Québécois game dev Dragon Slumber, creator of Tech Support, Aethernaut and many more!
We reveal the winners of our ‘23 Community Awards poll and discuss Drinkbox’s latest teaser for their next project- and more!
This week thousands more game developers join Stephan in the "terminated by evil, stupid people" camp as layoffs hit tons of studios all over Canada and the world. We discuss Sonic as well. Sonic supports Unionizing your Workplace!
Stephan got terminated but that’s okay he just has more time to cover Canadian games now.
I'll try to update this as we get closer to the event (November 11th on the day of writing), but VRTO will be happening next summer, and you can check out all the details on the official site.
Use the code 'TOGameDevs15' on checkout when getting your tickets for 15% off.
“VRTO aims to empower people to share their world, culture, knowledge and dreams with the assistance of emergent immersive technologies.
Recognized internationally for its high caliber, high-quality discussions, in-depth training, world-class presentations and top level speakers, VRTO brings together compelling discourse and bleeding-edge prototypes, demonstrations and innovative companies in carefully crafted schedules and environments.
VRTO is always an opportunity to build powerful and long-lasting business and personal relationships, with a very open-minded and inclusive community, unafraid to ask the big questions. Furthermore, the show provides many different tools to ensure attendees find their best matches towards meeting their goals at the show.
In 2016, VRTO hosted a town hall and summit to ratify a Code of Ethics for Human Augmentation led by inventor and Meta Chief Scientist Steve Mann. Read more about the Scientific paper and code that was written at Kurzweil AI
The VRTO conference is not a Toronto VR conference – it is an international conference that takes place in and leverages the tremendous R&D community of Toronto.”
Already posted on the main part of the site, but Game Slice will be May 25th this year. You can check out the full details on FaceBook - and if you're interested in showing your game then you can submit your application here.
Solo indie dev expert and longtime friend-of-the-site Devon Wiersma joins us to talk their latest release Centauri Dark, working across AAA, mid-sized and solo indie dev and how to fix this goshdarn industry.
David B joins us from the west coast best coast to talk about the upcoming Quiver Games Incubator!
Bizdev extraordinaire Eric Beer joins us to give his Hades II impressions and chat v-bucks subsidized game preservation.
We break down Baldur Gate 3's unprecedented success & the knock-on effects it'll have on the industry and how we make games moving forward. We also speak to Ontario-based indie game devs Twinolli about their upcoming action-puzzler Highlighters which just got a (Dad Deck-verified) Steam demo!
We speak to Québécois game dev Dragon Slumber, creator of Tech Support, Aethernaut and many more!
We reveal the winners of our ‘23 Community Awards poll and discuss Drinkbox’s latest teaser for their next project- and more!
This week thousands more game developers join Stephan in the "terminated by evil, stupid people" camp as layoffs hit tons of studios all over Canada and the world. We discuss Sonic as well. Sonic supports Unionizing your Workplace!
Stephan got terminated but that’s okay he just has more time to cover Canadian games now.
Toronto Digifest 2018 will be next year in April, and you can check out the full details here. If you're unfamiliar with Digifest, it is and event focused around startup tech companies. Bringing leaders, entrepreneurs, designers, students and creatives to share digital content in interactive, gaming and design industries.
"This year’s theme, Hello Tomorrow: Our Creative Cities is about improving our quality of life and making creative cities of the future better through design, innovation, and technology.
As the world’s population soars to almost 10 billion people by 2050, up from today’s 7.5 billion, challenges around urban spaces, food priorities, health, education, mobility and work will make us look at how innovative thinking today will shape our world tomorrow.
We’ll be featuring emerging technology and highlight stories from around the globe using tech to tackle challenges in cities."
There is also a pitch competition going on, where start ups can get $50000 in funding, as well as a separate Student showcase.
The Sisters in Crime will be having our friends at One More Story Games in town this month on April 19th. You can check out all the details on FaceBook.
"We are thrilled to have Jean and Blair Leggett of One More Story Games speaking at our April meeting. They were a huge hit at Bouchercon 2017, especially with their Lily Bard game based on the Charlaine Harris books (and developed in collaboration with the author). They will be talking about interactive story telling (as well as being a sponsor!). With the variety of technical options to communicate with readers and tell story, this is a timely and relevant topic for both the creators of content and their consumers."
It's that time of year again for the annual student game showcase, Level Up. Sheridan College cleaned up last year, so let's see if they have similar success this year. The event is free for attendees, and usually a pretty good time. You can check out the featured video, and press release below.
Come out to play this year's best in class student-made video games at Level Up Showcase 4/4/18 5-10pm @ the Design Exchange!
Press Release:
Play the Best Student-Made Games in Ontario at the 8th Annual Level Up Showcase!
Come to The Design Exchange (234 Bay St.) in Toronto on April 4 2018 for the FREE, open- to-the public event.
Toronto, Ontario – March 23rd, 2018 – Experience the Level Up Showcase in Toronto, and play the mostinnovative student-made games in Ontario:
● Where: The Design Exchange (234 Bay St.)
● Date: Wednesday, April 4th
● Time: 5:00 p.m. – 10:00 p.m.
o Media provided with early access to the event starting at 4:00 p.m.
The 8th annual free public event puts the spotlight on Ontario’s most talented post-secondary students in gamedevelopment who use the latest technology and platforms to make video games - including Virtual Reality (VR),Augmented Reality (AR), motion sensing, and more.
· Participants include more than 15 colleges, universities and post-secondary institutions across Ontario thatteach interactive media development
· With over 75 games, it is the biggest not-for-profit event for players, developers, and recruiters, to get theinside scoop on the future leaders of the game industry.
· Last year’s Level Up Showcase welcomed over 2000 attendees.
Event alumni have regularly moved on to start their own game studios or to be recruited across the games andinteractive media industries, where this sector reported 171 game studios in Ontario alone as of the end of 2017, a58% increase since 20151.
For more information, visit www.levelupshowcase.com, follow @levelupTO on Twitter and
@levelup_to on Instagram for updates and join the Level Up Showcase event on Facebook.
About Level Up Showcase
Taking place annually in Toronto, Ontario, the Level Up Showcase is the main event for industry, institutions, andstudents to network, recruit, and learn about new techniques and technologies. Canada boasts the third largest gameindustry in the world, with Ontario having the second highest number of game companies in the country.2 The LevelUp Showcase is the top destination for emerging talent in this growing industry.
The Level Up Showcase 2018 is co-hosted and organized by Algonquin College, Brock University, the University ofToronto and the Digital Futures Program at OCAD University in partnership with AMD and Ubisoft Toronto.
Level Up Showcase would not be possible without the generous support of our sponsors who provide their expertise, support and equipment to help our students succeed. Thank you!
This year, ID@Xbox joins and will host an exclusive workshop with over 50 students interested in developing independent games for the Xbox platform. Level Up Showcase also welcomes Zynga who have recently expanded their downtown Toronto studio and are rapidly growing! Visit their booth to find out more.
This year’s event is made possible with generous corporate sponsorship from: AMD, Ubisoft Toronto, Uken Games, Unity, Xbox Canada and Zynga with catering provided by Nando’s.
Featured schools include: Algonquin College, Brock University, Centennial College, Fanshawe College, GeorgeBrown College, Humber College, McMaster University, Niagara College, OCAD University, Ryerson University,Sheridan College, St. Lawrence College, UOIT, University of Toronto and York University.
Friend of the site John Wang let me know about the University of Ontario's Game Development Society hosting their 8th annual Gamecon, which gives the public a chance to play the games coming out of the school. Check out the Facebook event for full details!
The eighth annual UOIT GameCon has arrived! Come join us for a day of displays where you can see all the work the UOIT Game Development students have put into their unique games.
The event will be taking place in the UB and ERC atriums on April 3rd, 2018 from 10 am to 5 pm.
We'll also be giving out awards to the best projects too. There will be awards for the best first, second, and third year projects, as well as the best of show award. Everyone is allowed to vote for those!
We'll also be giving out additional prizes for best gameplay, best technology and best aesthetics. These three prizes will be voted on by the professors and TAs.
The new studio founded by ex-BioWare devs Humanoid Origin is looking to fill multiple roles.
EGLX is back! Details are a little thing, and I'll update this as we get closer, but for now you can sign up for updates on the events website and check out the video below.
Announcing EGLX 2018! March 9th - 11th, 2018. EGLX is a Festival of Gaming Culture! eSports tournaments, Twitch/YouTube celebrities and influencers, VR, indie games, board games, retro arcades and consoles, cosplayers, kids zone with Minecraft and robotics, artists and retail exhibitors.
The debut game from a new Western Canada indie dev duo was revealed during Day of the Devs 2024.
Cat couple owner slash game dev studio Max Inferno announced a 2nd DLC pack for their tidy puzzler.
Gears of War: E-Day was announced during Xbox’s Game Showcase, marking the second prequel in the Gears of War franchise.
Vancouver-based Company of Heroes 3 developer Relic Entertainment has secured funding from UK investment firm Emona Capital after laying off almost 200 staff since May 2023.
Victoria-based indie devs Hololabs have released their mobile AR game Sky Haven: AR Merge Adventure for iOS.
NetEase Games has announced the opening of a new game studio in Canada, named Bad Brain Games, to work on an "ambitious new franchise," which will be a story-driven open-world action-adventure game.
Bloom Digital Media have released a demo for their upcoming visual novel game Long Story 2, which is a sequel to the 2017 game.
Cococucumber have released the third and final game in their self-described “Cococucumber Voxel Trilogy.” Ravenlok is now available for Xbox, PC, Game Pass and the Epic Games Store,
Vancouver-based indie powerhouse Brace Yourself Games (@BYG_Vancouver) announced their upcoming rhythm game spinoff will be released on Nintendo Switch as well as Steam.
Open-world, dragon-flying game Ayre and the Crystal Comet is out now on consoles.
Solo indie dev expert and longtime friend-of-the-site Devon Wiersma joins us to talk their latest release Centauri Dark, working across AAA, mid-sized and solo indie dev and how to fix this goshdarn industry.