Gone are the days when the gaming industry was an unknown entity on the periphery of the global entertainment industry. Today, the global gaming industry has become bigger than any entertainment industry; in fact, it is generating more global revenue than the combined revenue of the movie and the music industry. For instance, in 2022, global revenue of the gaming industry was $184.4 billion compared to $26 billion of the global movie industry and $26.2 billion of the global recorded music industry.
The National Video Games Day is celebrated on September 12 (not to be confused with National Video Game Day, which is celebrated on July 8 annually). This blog is going to talk about the growing importance of the gaming industry and the kind of job opportunities this industry offers in Canada.
The gaming industry mainly hires animators, writers, illustrators, graphic designers, software engineers, game testers, marketing managers, advertising managers, etc. The unprecedented rise of the gaming industry is a massive opportunity for those who want to enter into the field of animation or illustration or want to improve their skills through further studies. If you are looking for a good program in the 2D Character Animation Diploma Program or Applied Arts Illustration Diploma Program, Edison College is offering both of them.
By 2024, the number of people who play digital games, whether they use a console, mobile device, or computer, was expected to reach over 3.32 billion the world over; this number was just 2 billion in 2015. The rise of mobile gaming and social media have also played a key role in the popularity of the games. The biggest markets in terms of active players and revenue generation are the US, China, Japan, Germany, South Korea, France, the UK, and Canada. The global revenue of the gaming industry is expected to continuously grow fast and touch $583 billion by 2030, according to a report by Grand View Research.
Canada Is A Country Of Gamers
According to a 2022 survey report by the Entertainment Software Association of Canada, 53% of Canadians have reported that they play games regularly, with an average of 7.9 hours per week. The latest data shows that online gaming is becoming more and more popular, with more people using it to connect with other players and build communities. People of all ages like playing video games. Although teenage boys play the most hours per week (11.5), women who are 55–64 years old are the most engaged gamers (8.4 hours per week).
Teenagers are utilizing gaming to improve their social lives by making friends in the virtual world, while millennials who grew up during the gaming boom are using video games to strengthen their bonds with their kids. Younger generations who grew up playing video games are now passing on their passion to their kids; families are spending more and more time together playing video games. About 74% of parents who play video games reported doing so with their kids, a 9% increase in the previous two years. This comprises 63% of parents with children ages 13 to 17 and 83% of parents with children ages 6 to 12, according to the same survey report by the Entertainment Software Association of Canada. There is one thing that hasn’t changed: video games are still a big part of Canadian culture and daily life.
Canada: A Big Player In The Global Gaming Industry
When it comes to the gaming industry and game development talent pool, Canada punches much above its weight. Despite a much smaller population compared to its rivals such as the United States, China, and Japan, Canada is a major player in the global gaming industry, with more than 32,300 game developers with an average salary of over 75,000. There were 937 video game development companies operating in Canada by 2021, while 80% of them are concentrated in British Columbia, Ontario, and Quebec, according to the Entertainment Software Association of Canada.
Within Canada, Quebec has a thriving gaming industry that had established itself around the 1990s. Today, Quebec is one of the top five hubs of game production in the world, with over 15,000 full-time employees working in 280 studios, including many foreign game developers.
Some of the chart-topping games that are produced in Canada are Assassin’s Creed II (2009) developed by Ubisoft (Montreal, Quebec), Dragon Age: Origins (2009) developed by BioWare (Edmonton, Alberta), Rainbow Six: Siege (2015) developed by Ubisoft (Montreal, Quebec), Dead by Daylight (2016) developed by Behaviour Interactive (Montreal, Quebec), The Long Dark (2017) developed by Hinterland Studio (Cumberland, British Columbia), and Cuphead (2017) developed by StudioMDHR (Oakville, Ontario), to name a few. This is just the tip of the iceberg. Canadians have been producing some of the finest games in the world, but due to limited space, we could mention only a few here.
Canada has seen a surge in the popularity of video games. The country has a booming community of video game developers, due to which the country has produced some of the most renowned video games, according to Statista. The size of the Canadian gaming market is also growing very fast. The Canadian gaming industry is expected to reach CAD 5.28 billion in 2024, up 142.2% from just CAD 2.18 billion in 2017. The Canadian market is expected to expand by CAD 6.78 billion by 2027.
Conclusion
On this National Video Games Day, let us appreciate the efforts of those who have made Canada a global destination of game development. Most of these games that are developed in Canada are being exported; thus, this industry is also playing a key role in the economy of the country. The more game companies are established in Canada, the more employment they generate for Canadians. This is why all the leading industrialized countries try to woo game development companies, give tax benefits, and attract talented developers to start their start-ups in their countries. Canada has benefitted from the gaming industry in the past, and we can expect that this industry will continue to grow and create new jobs for Canadians.
Join Animation And Illustration Programs At Edison College
To better equip yourself for the growing video games industry of Canada, join our programs in 2D Character Animation Diploma Program and Applied Arts Illustration Diploma Program. Edison College not only provides career counseling to its recent graduates; it also remains in continuous contact with its alumni to assist them in matters related to the job market. The goal of the rigorous one-year diploma program in 2D character animation is to prepare students for a future as 2D character animators. After watching in-class examples of real-world applications and readings, students will gain knowledge through guided assignments. Similarly, Edison’s Applied Arts Illustration program teaches both digital and analog techniques, enabling each student to learn the ins and outs of the illustration industry and how to succeed in it while honing their individual skill, developing a marketable style, and strengthening their creative voice. If you have questions or concerns, you can contact us today to learn more about any of these programs.
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