The year 2023 was the year of “triumph” for Quebec’s video game industry, which reaffirmed its place in the big leagues by excelling internationally.
In early December, Quebec City shined at the Game Awards ceremony, often referred to as the Oscars of video games.
The game Sea of Stars, developed by Sabotage, was named best independent game, while Baldur's Gate 3, developed in part in Quebec by Larian Studios, won six awards, including Game of the Year and Player's Choice.
According to Pierre Moisan, a consultant and pioneer in the field, this finding is not trivial.
A scene from Baldur's Gate 3. Screenshot provided by Larian Studios
“Quebec City has absolutely been a leader in Canada for years. “It’s from the ’90s,” he remembers.
“It is something like a triumph or a recognition of this ecosystem that has developed over the years and produced highly talented people,” says this former member of the Megatoon and Frima companies.
Good for recruiting
Interestingly, in at least three of the games awarded during the ceremony, there is a reference to Putin as a dish that can be consumed by the character.
Larian Studios, which has six studios around the world, including a branch with around sixty employees in the Saint-Roch district, has won a large audience with its game in the fantastic universe of Dungeons and Dragons.
“It gives us a certain level of local awareness, which also has a positive effect on recruitment,” emphasizes Nicolas Fillion-Roy, talent acquisition manager at the studio.
The Larian studio team in Quebec. Photo provided by Larian Québec
According to him, the video game ecosystem is alive and well in Quebec, as it can count on multiple training programs, well-established companies and government help.
Larian Québec also plans to expand in the coming years.
“The nice thing about it is that the talent stays here. People don’t necessarily export much to other countries to work in this area because there are strong studios here,” says Mr Fillion-Roy.
Call
As for Sabotage Studio, we're still pinching ourselves after the success of Sea of Stars, an RPG with a retro aesthetic.
“More than 4 million people played a production of 25 people on Saint-Joseph Street,” explains president and creative director Thierry Boulanger.
Sabotage Studio's Sylvain Cloutier, Philip Barclay, Philippe Dionne and Thierry Boulanger at the awards ceremony in Los Angeles in December. Photo provided by Sabotage Studio
He notes that Quebec's reputation is becoming increasingly solidified.
“A lot has changed in the last few years. You can be at the GDC in San Francisco [une conférence de développeur, NDLR]; You talk to people and say, 'I'm from Quebec,' then their faces light up,” he says.
Sea of Stars is a turn-based role-playing game inspired by the classics of the genre. Screenshot provided by Sabotage Studio
For Pierre Moisan we can speak of a “mature” ecosystem, not inferior to that of Montreal, even if the number of studios is greater.
In addition, the environment is particularly conducive to the development of smaller, “local” studios, which means that “the money stays here,” as they say.
“Quebec is on the map, that’s for sure,” he believes.
The video game industry in Quebec
- 109 “techno-creativity” companies, including 40 video game studios, 7 animation studios and more than 20 specialized companies
- 5 international executives based in Quebec
- 2100 direct jobs
- $333 million in economic benefits
Source: Quebec International. Data from 2022, excluding economic benefits (2019).