If You Don't Like the Game, Change the Rules: Alternative Modes of Videogame Production in Canada

The white paper "If You Don't Like the Game, Change the Rules: Alternative Modes of Videogame Production in Canada" was authored by Michael Iantorno and Marie LeBlanc Flanagan, with a July 2023 publication date. The research ran from June 2022 to January 2023 and combined a Microsoft Forms survey of 52 Canadian game developers with online video interviews of 36 participants, all conducted in English. Interviewees included worker-owners, union organisers, and labour experts. Survey respondents were concentrated in Québec (44%), Ontario (21%) and British Columbia (15%), and 46% worked at indie studios. Among survey respondents, crunch was the most cited labour issue at 60%, followed by a lack of creative freedom at 46%. The 4-day work week was the change most participants wanted, at 50%. Survey awareness of worker co-operatives stood at 60%, and awareness of unions at 92%. Among interviewees, the most common worker co-op advantages were buy-in and retention, recognition of individual needs, and creative empowerment. Commonly cited union goals included increased wages and work-from-home arrangements.