Canada sure as heck has been taking over much of the industy. I'm kinda bummed about it, because I don't really want to move that far north to work. Austin is not the quite the hotbed of game development it used to be. I wish the U.S. wanted the game industry to be here as bad as Canada does, and would offer competitive tax breaks for companies.
My invented word of the day - Canadiasian... defined as development done partly in Canada, with lots of art outsourced to Asia.
Im close to toronto right now. seems like theres a fair amount happening lately. with ubisoft coming, that will probably kick it up a notch as well. little studios and stuff popping up. so probably a decent boom in the next couple years.
montreal has always been bigger than toronto so far though.
Canada sure as heck has been taking over much of the industy. I'm kinda bummed about it, because I don't really want to move that far north to work. Austin is not the quite the hotbed of game development it used to be. I wish the U.S. wanted the game industry to be here as bad as Canada does, and would offer competitive tax breaks for companies.
My invented word of the day - Canadiasian... defined as development done partly in Canada, with lots of art outsourced to Asia.
Well remember in the US video games are the devils play thing and there are studies that prove Hitler was an avid gamer... Those studies happen to be opinion poles done in the US congress with congressmen/women who are actually older than Hitlers grandparents. But that's just as good as hard science!
After all someone steals some emails and suddenly global warming is conspiracy.
Montreal has been the major city for Game dev in Canada behind Vancouver for a long time now. Toronto has always had some small and medium sized studios but the Ontario gov is just starting to catch up to the other provinces in offering Gov incentives. I cant hate on gov $, its the only reason why this small town of 30k people I am in has 5 game companies in it.
I know that you Americans and Brits might be irked by all our success but seriously I wish your countries nothing but the best, i'm tired of competing for jobs with you foreigners with years of experience. ;-)
Maybe its time to look into some kind of work permit thing over there now then Seems all studios are moving to Canada. Is it hard to be allowed to move there as a swede? Anyone know?
Hi there martin, actually it's really good for us non american people that companies move to canada, alot easier to get into canada, only need like 2 years of experience in ur industry or a masters degree, compared to the us :P 12 years experience or a masters hehe.
also you can get a 1 year working holiday visa without really having a reason, have one on hold myself, so i can just go if i find something to do over there.
Shit, maybe I'll apply up there, too. Can't get anything down here and my unemployment pay may be coming to an untimely and ultimate end. BS times, friends.
just curious... why is it more jobs for the canucks? shouldnt it be more jobs for the canadiens?
More like, more jobs in Canada rather than more jobs for Canadians....I'm not really really butt hurt about it, its pretty dope work with people who are totally different and from all over the world.
My invented word of the day - Canadiasian... defined as development done partly in Canada, with lots of art outsourced to Asia.
Pretty sure I've heard that term refer to canadian born asians. there's also cbc (canadian born chinese) if I recall.
I'm all for more studios in Canada. What would be even nicer is if they hired more than seemingly only people with shipped titles under their belt (more programming side of things it seems from my perspective).
I'm lucky because my mum was born in Canada so that makes me a Canadian citizen even though I was born/am living the in US. So if I want to work for a studio in Canada I shouldn't have to deal with weird immigration issues... http://www.cic.gc.ca/english/citizenship/rules.asp
According to my economically inclined friend, the game industry in Canada is the only industry that growing in the current economic state. Thus being the reason why the government is throwing so much money into it.
All I can say is I'm loving it up here in Montreal :P I'm from Texas, and since moving up here I've lost about 30 pounds, back down to my high school weight, pretty much entirely just from walking more :P Also, not worrying about health care, car insurance, etc. is really nice! (Don't have to drive in Montreal)
Montreal women are really hot, really fun, and are generally a promiscuous bunch.
:P
Kind of funny though, for a while I thought the government handouts were unsustainable, until you saw the growth and development of so many under-developed neighborhoods.
The influx of money ends up paying for itself. The Mile End area was pretty much going under until Ubisoft setup shop there. Now it's bustling with restauraunts, and nightlife (pretty much what would happen when you plop over 1200+ single guys with decent income, and have no clue how to cook for themselves, and love to drink).
It's a very solid and viable longterm investment for the city and province, and it's kind of cool Ontario is taking notice, and following suit.
That said, I think the Montreal game scene is VERY incestuous. You have a nice mix of Ubisoft, Soon to be Ubisoft, and ex-Ubisoft (much like Vancouver is with EA).
Pretty much only 1 way they know how to make games, 1 way to setup their management teams, and it has it's pro's and con's.
Did I mention the girls are ridiculously hot here?
Montreal women are really hot, really fun, and are generally a promiscuous bunch.
AND THUS, I SHALL MOVE TO MONTREAL
But seriously, it seems like I rant about Canada every month or so, because every other week it seems there is a new studio going there. I wish our Gov. would start doing some of the moves that Canada is appearing to do, such as tax breaks, etc. Instead, we just bail out failing businesses, and tax the shit out of rich people (who create jobs).
"The EA boss described California as a "bloody expensive" place to employ workers, saying it costs the company two to three times more to employ developers in that state than it does in Montreal, the U.K., eastern Europe or China,..."
But seriously, it seems like I rant about Canada every month or so, because every other week it seems there is a new studio going there. I wish our Gov. would start doing some of the moves that Canada is appearing to do, such as tax breaks, etc. Instead, we just bail out failing businesses, and tax the shit out of rich people (who create jobs).
It is always great to hear about new studios opening.:)
Just getting studios isn't all sunshine and lollipops though. They are able to employ a certain amount of people, but There's still mass industry unemployment. Opening a new studio or two doesn't solve everything. Here in Vancouver we have a ton of studios. And to go along with it, a shit ton of unemployed artists, programmers, designers animators and etc. And that just keeps growing as people come here because there are so many studios but the studios aren't hiring. Or if they are hiring there's already tons of talented people looking for jobs which will probably get them first.
Hahah yay us Really great to hear all this news of all these big studios setting up shop here. I'm not really inclined to move to the US, would much rather stay up here in Canada (yes, we love our healthcare).
As a Torontonian, I'm hoping to hear more news like the opening of a big Ubisoft studio Vancouver and B.C. are WAY ahead as far as the gaming industry goes, but there's lots of talent in Ontario already. (Toronto is pretty much the top city for animation and film studios in Canada)
Speaking of, anyone have any word on Ubisoft finally getting started in Toronto? When they first announced coming here, they said they'd be open by the end of this year (yeah right), but anyone know when they might ACTUALLY start hiring? Wouldn't mind me a solid job in the new year...
Yeah, my Producer is leaving our team here at A2M, and starting there in a couple of months.
They'll have most of their leads and directors in place this year (Alex... dunno his last name is the Senior Producer). They announced at Ubisoft internally the studio location (I don't remember the street names, but it was Gore, and something else... apparently right in the heart of it all).
Rumours of the project are swirling..... of a well known franchise.
The reason why game studios are setting up in canada is because the canadian government (federal and provincial) offer tax credits to subsidize the operation of the companies.
This is an incentive to create media and multimedia jobs in respective provinces... animation studios (and almost anything related to arts) can apply to get these tax credits.
Basically the companies are making a huge portion of payroll through government funding. You can look at it as the companies being greedy and absorbing more income because they don't need to pay out as much from profits to employees.
Kind of funny though, for a while I thought the government handouts were unsustainable, until you saw the growth and development of so many under-developed neighborhoods.
The influx of money ends up paying for itself. The Mile End area was pretty much going under until Ubisoft setup shop there. Now it's bustling with restaurants, and nightlife (pretty much what would happen when you plop over 1200+ single guys with decent income, and have no clue how to cook for themselves, and love to drink).
It's a very solid and viable longterm investment for the city and province, and it's kind of cool Ontario is taking notice, and following suit.
I really hope this is the case and that its not just money down the drain. Or only as good as long as the hand out lasts.
Personally I really like what the Canadian "Cash for Canuckers" program, if its sustainable. It won't happen in the US for a few reasons:
1) The money already went to places it shouldn't have.
2) Too many lawmakers think modern entertainment is this weird west coast invention aimed at stealing their children and corrupting their babies.
3) Not to mention the local government right around Hollywood couldn't really subsidize much of anything even if it tried.
I really hope this is the case and that its not just money down the drain. Or only as good as long as the hand out lasts.
Personally I really like what the Canadian "Cash for Canuckers" program, if its sustainable. It won't happen in the US for a few reasons:
1) The money already went to places it shouldn't have.
2) Too many lawmakers think modern entertainment is this weird west coast invention aimed at stealing their children and corrupting their babies.
3) Not to mention the local government right around Hollywood couldn't really subsidize much of anything even if it tried.
We don't spend much on the military either. Heck, we barely have a military.
The main thing that bother me, is that as a taxpayer, my money is funding a corporation being traded on NASDAQ, NYSE, and the French Stock Exchange, rather than the TSA. So in the end, the bulk of money is ending up to fund other countries.
Replies
My invented word of the day - Canadiasian... defined as development done partly in Canada, with lots of art outsourced to Asia.
montreal has always been bigger than toronto so far though.
After all someone steals some emails and suddenly global warming is conspiracy.
http://www.americanprogress.org/issues/2009/12/ta120309.html
I know that you Americans and Brits might be irked by all our success but seriously I wish your countries nothing but the best, i'm tired of competing for jobs with you foreigners with years of experience. ;-)
also you can get a 1 year working holiday visa without really having a reason, have one on hold myself, so i can just go if i find something to do over there.
[ame]http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=-6610212795155043011[/ame]
Haha, I hope you guys are planning lots of hawt buttsecks at the christmas polycount party or we're F'd.
More like, more jobs in Canada rather than more jobs for Canadians....I'm not really really butt hurt about it, its pretty dope work with people who are totally different and from all over the world.
waitaminute, I thought Canucks = Canadians, your confusing me.
Vancouver Canucks...Montreal Canadiens.....its a hockey joke.
Pretty sure I've heard that term refer to canadian born asians. there's also cbc (canadian born chinese) if I recall.
I'm all for more studios in Canada. What would be even nicer is if they hired more than seemingly only people with shipped titles under their belt (more programming side of things it seems from my perspective).
http://www.cic.gc.ca/english/citizenship/rules.asp
According to my economically inclined friend, the game industry in Canada is the only industry that growing in the current economic state. Thus being the reason why the government is throwing so much money into it.
Same \o/
:P
Kind of funny though, for a while I thought the government handouts were unsustainable, until you saw the growth and development of so many under-developed neighborhoods.
The influx of money ends up paying for itself. The Mile End area was pretty much going under until Ubisoft setup shop there. Now it's bustling with restauraunts, and nightlife (pretty much what would happen when you plop over 1200+ single guys with decent income, and have no clue how to cook for themselves, and love to drink).
It's a very solid and viable longterm investment for the city and province, and it's kind of cool Ontario is taking notice, and following suit.
That said, I think the Montreal game scene is VERY incestuous. You have a nice mix of Ubisoft, Soon to be Ubisoft, and ex-Ubisoft (much like Vancouver is with EA).
Pretty much only 1 way they know how to make games, 1 way to setup their management teams, and it has it's pro's and con's.
Did I mention the girls are ridiculously hot here?
AND THUS, I SHALL MOVE TO MONTREAL
But seriously, it seems like I rant about Canada every month or so, because every other week it seems there is a new studio going there. I wish our Gov. would start doing some of the moves that Canada is appearing to do, such as tax breaks, etc. Instead, we just bail out failing businesses, and tax the shit out of rich people (who create jobs).
"The EA boss described California as a "bloody expensive" place to employ workers, saying it costs the company two to three times more to employ developers in that state than it does in Montreal, the U.K., eastern Europe or China,..."
It is always great to hear about new studios opening.:)
Just getting studios isn't all sunshine and lollipops though. They are able to employ a certain amount of people, but There's still mass industry unemployment. Opening a new studio or two doesn't solve everything. Here in Vancouver we have a ton of studios. And to go along with it, a shit ton of unemployed artists, programmers, designers animators and etc. And that just keeps growing as people come here because there are so many studios but the studios aren't hiring. Or if they are hiring there's already tons of talented people looking for jobs which will probably get them first.
Hahah yay us
As a Torontonian, I'm hoping to hear more news like the opening of a big Ubisoft studio
Speaking of, anyone have any word on Ubisoft finally getting started in Toronto? When they first announced coming here, they said they'd be open by the end of this year (yeah right), but anyone know when they might ACTUALLY start hiring? Wouldn't mind me a solid job in the new year...
They'll have most of their leads and directors in place this year (Alex... dunno his last name is the Senior Producer). They announced at Ubisoft internally the studio location (I don't remember the street names, but it was Gore, and something else... apparently right in the heart of it all).
Rumours of the project are swirling..... of a well known franchise.
So if they're working on getting the higher-ups in place now... when is it likely they'll start hiring average shmoes like me?
This is an incentive to create media and multimedia jobs in respective provinces... animation studios (and almost anything related to arts) can apply to get these tax credits.
Basically the companies are making a huge portion of payroll through government funding. You can look at it as the companies being greedy and absorbing more income because they don't need to pay out as much from profits to employees.
Personally I really like what the Canadian "Cash for Canuckers" program, if its sustainable. It won't happen in the US for a few reasons:
1) The money already went to places it shouldn't have.
2) Too many lawmakers think modern entertainment is this weird west coast invention aimed at stealing their children and corrupting their babies.
3) Not to mention the local government right around Hollywood couldn't really subsidize much of anything even if it tried.
Yo Rens, you can crash at my place any time babeh... you know I'm good for it!
We don't spend much on the military either. Heck, we barely have a military.
The main thing that bother me, is that as a taxpayer, my money is funding a corporation being traded on NASDAQ, NYSE, and the French Stock Exchange, rather than the TSA. So in the end, the bulk of money is ending up to fund other countries.