Economies are always changing and leaving towns and cities around the world with the skeletons of former industries. In northern England, the former textile trade giants like Manchester and the mining towns and villages of Newcastle bear the scars of the death of those businesses. Here in Ottawa, as the capital city, we may feel this less than others, but nothing can stop industries from coming and going.
In the 21st Century, Ottawa has seen its economy become increasingly more modern as the life sciences and clean technology sectors have become key employers for the area. However, what many have not noticed is a rapidly growing vertical that could make the city one of the hottest places to live and work for a new generation.
Digital game and software development is booming in the capital and in wider Ontario, with more studios popping up than ever. Could the gaming industry become the area’s new No.1 economic driver?
Video games and gaming have been a phenomenon ever since the days of Pong, Space Invaders, and Pacman. With the development of at-home consoles and mobile devices that can handle quality graphics and deliver immersive gaming experiences, though, this is only growing. The latest generation of major consoles – Sony’s Playstation 5, Microsoft’s Xbox Series X and S, and Nintendo’s Switch – are huge hits.
However, probably the biggest growth sector for games has been the mobile vertical. Mobile devices have well and truly changed the game. Players no longer have to buy at-home consoles that must be connected to a TV and a power source to play. Gaming is now a pastime for everybody, even casual gamers on the go.
Nowhere is this more evident than in the online casino industry. Brands like Karamba CA, which offer casino games like blackjack, slots, and roulette, are no longer available only on desktop sites. They have become so popular with mobile gamers that their sites are fully optimised for mobile devices like phones and tablets, meaning that there is an always-engaged market.
The biggest game development studio in Ottawa is undoubtedly Snowed In Studios, and it has shown why with the prestigious titles it has worked on in recent years. While not acting as the sole or primary developer on these projects, the studio has been involved with a number of blockbuster titles, including Diablo IV: Vessel of Hatred, Forza Motorsport, and Fallout Shelter.
Considering that the Diablo IV expansion pack the studio worked on was recently described as an “awesome expansion” by reviewers from IGN, this is clearly an exciting time for them. Diablo IV is also reported to have made over $1 billion for its main developer, Blizzard, which bodes well for the money that could be making its way to this Ottawan studio.
Additionally, Snowed In isn’t the only name in the game, either. There are five other studios of different sizes, including Playbrains and Breakfall. All of this bodes well for the area, serving as a hotbed of game development and a go-to for investment from billion-dollar businesses looking to tap into the latent development potential already here.
As impressive as the current video game development industry is in Ottawa, it is evident that there is very much room to grow. Local government would be well served to try to capitalise on the nascent but burgeoning creative environment that is already here. There are a few ways to do this.
Businesses will need to be incentivised to set up shop in the city for a start. With game development, much of the heavy lifting is done by startups or small enterprises that are working hard to develop games of all different sizes. As such, attractive business rentals, new creative spaces, and the development of mixed-use rental residential and office spaces for young professionals will help attract talent.
Further, pushing the narrative that Ottawa could be the new home of the industry will go a long way. Marketing is key here, and setting out your stall is the only good way of getting eyeballs on you. If the city can do this right, we could well see a new home of gaming in North America.
