Canada's Video Game Industry: 2017

Key insights

6 takeaways

01
Canada had 596 active video game companies in 2017, up from 472 in 2015, and 78% of them employ fewer than 10 FTEs.See it on page 3
02
The industry generated an estimated $3.2 billion in revenue in 2017, and 75% of that revenue originated from outside Canada.See it on page 3
03
The industry directly employed approximately 21,700 FTEs in 2017, a 6% increase over 2015, and generated 40,600 FTEs of total employment.See it on page 3
04
Mobile's share of completed projects fell to 29% in 2017 from 65% in 2015, while web platforms accounted for 31%.See it on page 3
05
Console titles accounted for 89% of total project expenditures in 2017 despite representing a small portion of completed projects, and the average console budget fell 26% to $12.5 million.See it on page 3
06
The industry's total GDP impact was over $3.7 billion in 2017, a 24% increase over 2015, compared with about 4% growth in the Canadian economy over the same period.See it on page 30

Summary

This study by Nordicity, based on an online survey of Canadian-based video game companies conducted between April and June 2017 with ESAC industry survey data, profiles Canada's video game industry for 2017 and compares it with 2015. It covers company counts, geography, employment, project output, economic impact, and future outlook. The universe grew to 596 active companies in 2017, up from 472 in 2015, and 78% of companies employ fewer than 10 FTEs. The industry generated an estimated $3.2 billion in revenue in 2017, with 75% originating outside Canada. Direct employment was about 21,700 FTEs, and total employment impact reached 40,600 FTEs. Completed projects numbered about 2,100, with web (31%) and mobile (29%) the largest platform shares. Total GDP impact was just over $3.7 billion, a 24% increase over 2015. The authors note that the industry expects to hire over 2,300 senior-level employees over the next two years. Companies reported that 89% anticipate revenue growth over the next two years.