Economic boom, the video game

If you're thinking of a career in the games industry, Canada is certainly the place to do it, according to a new Secor Consulting report - and you don't necessarily have to move to Edmonton, either. Lucky you.
According to a new report from Secor Consulting, Canada's video game industry contributes an estimated $1.7 billion to Canada's economy. The research found that the average salary in the Canadian video game sector is $62,000, more than double the $29,000 median income in the rest of the Canadian economy. Province by Province, salaries averaged between $40,000 and $73,000 per year.

"Canada is a dominant player in producing world-class entertainment," said Danielle Parr, Executive Director of Entertainment Software Association of Canada (ESAC) which commissioned the study.

The report also revealed that the games industry employs almost 16,000 people in Canada and that the Canadian games industry grew by 11 percent over the last two years.

Parr suggested that this success is the result of a mixture of factors, including established expertise in video game development, access to skilled and adaptable workers, support facilities and government incentive programs.

Well-known and highly revered game studios in Canada include Electronic Arts in Burnaby, British Columbia and Bioware in Edmonton, Alberta. But with the emergence social, casual and smartphone games as viable segments, developers and publishers are found all across Canada, each employing just a few if not scores of qualified designers, artists and programmers. These include Rusty Axe Games in Terrace, BC; Games Cafe in Calgary, AB; Midnight Synergy in Regina, SK; Red Reptile in Winnipeg, MB; Iteration Games in Ottawa, ON; Behaviour Interactive in Montreal, QC; Gogii Games in Moncton, NB; Blackout Studios in Dartmouth, NS; NewIsland Interactive in Mount Pearl, NL; and SmartMelon Games in Pownal, PEI.

In total, there are about 350 video game companies in Canada.