Interactive Ontario

Vote NOW! 🎮
The ESAC Fan Choice Award is live, and there are 50+ incredible games to choose from. The winner is decided entirely by fan votes, so this is your chance to show some love to your favourite Ontario game.

Here's how it works:
▪️Vote once per day
▪️Top 10 finalists revealed May 4th
▪️Winner is announced live at the Canadian Game Awards!

Vote now:
https://theesa.ca/esac-fan-choice-award/

Entertainment Software Association of Canada

Does your Ontario studio need to level up its marketing game? 🚀

Applications for the ISB Marketing & Discoverability Bootcamp are NOW OPEN and spots are limited!

10 Ontario indie studios will be selected for a full-day, in-person deep dive into video game marketing. Three hands-on workshops. Four world-class experts. One day to transform your studio's marketing strategy.

Meet the instructors:
🕹️Chris Chancey (Indie Asylum) - Market Research and Validation
🕹️Jenny Windom (Wholesome Games) - Community Building and Management
🕹️Krysta Yang & Kit Ellis (Never A Minute Marketing) - Brand Marketing and Key Message Architecture

Every participating studio walks away with two complimentary VIP tickets to XP Game Summit 2026 (May 21 to 22, Hyatt Regency Toronto), a $1,000+ value.

🗓️ May 20, 2026 (the day before XP Game Summit!)
📍 Toronto, Ontario
🎟️ $149 CAD + HST for IO Members

Apply here: https://forms.gle/Gfrna3WyA1GLLnLh9
Deadline to apply is May 8, 2026, at 5:00 pm ET

The ISB Game Business Masterclass was a total hit.💥

A sold-out venue plus a great online presence from across Canada made for an engaged and dynamic audience. Thank you to all those who participated in the Masterclass, the quality of discussion and questions throughout the session were a testament to the engaged community you have created in Ontario. Thank you to our incredible instructor Jason Della Rocca, for sharing your in-depth industry knowledge with our many members at various development stages. This full day of programming was followed by a lively post event mixer, where attendees were able to continue networking with their peers.

This event was made possible with the support of our sponsors. Government of Canada Trade Commissioner Service (Vanessa Donia), Ontario Creates (Kim Gibson), Xsolla (Blair Dolson), Nordicity (Kristian Roberts & Charlotte Panneton), Ubisoft Toronto, XP Game Summit, Creative Arts Financial (Nick Eddy), Amar-VR Law, Insert Coin Accounting (Matthew W. & Mitch Haflidson), and livecast.ca (Nolan VanCooten & Christian Allison)

Applications are now open for the Gamescom 2026 Video Game IP Accelerator!

Interactive Ontario, Ontario Creates, CIAIC and Canada Media Fund have teamed up to help Ontario studios land funding Gamescom 2026

Two tiers of support are available: Tier A - Market Ready, Tier B - Developmental. Both include B2B meeting access, pitch consulting, and on-the-ground support in Cologne. All for just $250 CAD + GST.

To qualify you must:
▪️Be an Ontario-based studio with Canadian ownership
▪️Own the IP you're pitching
▪️Produce PC, console, or mobile games with export potential

Deadline: April 24th
Spots are limited, so apply early!
Apply 👉https://bit.ly/4eokXBs

Travel funding may also be available through Ontario Creates.

What happens when 160 student projects from 20 Ontario post-secondary schools come together with over 150 judges and thousands of fans and industry professionals? You get the legendary Level Up Showcase (LUS).

Interactive Ontario was proud to partner with LUS, including the opportunity to organize VIP tours highlighting the emerging talent shaping Ontario's interactive entertainment industry. Among our distinguished guests were Minister Stan Cho , Mayor Olivia Chow and Michael Schmalz. Their remarks during the awards ceremony spoke powerfully to the strength of our country, province, and industry. Other VIP’s included MP Michael Coteau , Mathieu Chantelois, Joy Loewen, Richard Koo, and Ana Serrano

None of this would have been possible without the outstanding people and volunteers behind LUS. This includes XP Game Summit (Jason Lepine). A special shoutout to the LUS Board - Emma Westecott, Steve Engels, Dina Sabie, Dushan Horvat, and Jeremy Leipert for their tireless dedication in bringing this vision to life year after year.

It was also wonderful to see so many Interactive Ontario members and partners participating, including several who were sponsors of the event. This included Behaviour Interactive, Ubisoft Toronto, Blue Ocean Games, Ontario Creates, City of Toronto, Haven Studios, Puzzle Cats and Uken Games.

Thank you to all of the professors and instructors who helped guide these students. Most importantly, congratulations to every student who brought their creativity and talent to this momentous showcase. You are the future of Ontario's interactive entertainment industry.

Canada Media Fund

A significant moment for Canada's Interactive Digital Media (IDM) industry, thanks to the Canada Media Fund (CMF).

The CMF delivered the largest budget increase our sector has ever seen: a 36% increase in IDM funding, from $42M to $57M.

This followed extensive CMF consultation efforts involving The Canadian Interactive Alliance / L'Alliance Interactive Canadienne (CIAIC), of which Interactive Ontario (IO) is a member, including IO's own consultations with its members and advocacy committee, and sustained coast-to-coast CIAIC advocacy.

Key highlights include the creation of a new pilot Third-Party Investment Stream within the Commercial Projects Program, with a new pilot recoupment policy, and eligible third-party investments, including public funds such as the Ontario Creates IP Fund. The latter is something that IO strongly advocated for, in collaboration with Ontario Creates. Additional highlights include the new eligibility of exhibition costs for immersive installations, and the return of two annual deadlines for the Prototyping Program.

These outcomes reflect what is possible when industry speaks with one voice and all stakeholders collaborate towards a common goal. We are deeply grateful to our members, advocacy committee and board, our CIAIC colleagues and Executive Director Noah Decter-Jackson, Canadian Heritage, and the CMF team and board for their openness, collaboration, and shared commitment to elevating Canada's techno-creative sector on the world stage.

Together, we are stronger.

Learn More: https://bit.ly/41Fr3FZ

DigiBC, Digital Alberta, Interactive Nova Scotia, InteractiveNB, La Guilde du jeu vidéo du Québec, New Media Manitoba, Saskatchewan Interactive Media Association, Innovation PEI, Xn Québec

Don't miss your chance to learn more about the opportunities for Ontario indies in Brazil's video game market.
Today at 1PM join us online with Marie-Carmelle Gélinas and Vanessa Donia from Canada’s International Trade - Global Affairs Canada

Register here: https://bit.ly/4s9a0Ia

Canada Media Fund Ontario Creates Ubisoft Toronto Xsolla XP Game Summit

A heartfelt thank you to our incredible IO members whose insights and ideas helped shape our voice at the National Summit on AI and Culture at the Banff Centre for Arts and Creativity (https://www.canada.ca/en/canadian-heritage/campaigns/ai-culture-summit.html).

We arrived in Banff equipped with a clear picture of the real opportunities and challenges facing our community. From hard questions around creators' rights and IP protection, to bold ideas for keeping human creativity at the centre of AI innovation, we made sure your voices were heard and your perspectives were considered.

A special shout-out to Zina Rahman, Co-Founder & CEO of Interactive Ontario Member Transitional Forms, and Vice-Chair of the IO Board of Directors, who demoed , a safeguarded real-time generative storytelling platform for kids and families, to Minister Marc Miller, Parliamentary Secretaries David Myles and Madeleine Chenette, Minister Evan Solomon, Parliamentary Secretary Taleeb Noormohamed, and their teams. You made us proud!

Here's to new partnerships, collaborations, and policy frameworks that reflect the strength of our sector. We look forward to continuing this work together.

Day one of L'Effet Québec has been nothing short of inspiring.

Powerful opening remarks from Marianna Simeone, Sarah Mackenzie, Anthea Foyer, Anna Gallagher-Ross, Naomi Johnson, Jeanne Dompierre and IO's CEO Lucie Lalumière set the tone perfectly, capturing just how much the immersive experience industry is growing, not only here in Ontario and Québec, but around the world.

IO also took the stage for our State of the Sector presentation, alongside Xn Québec, spotlighting the incredible work coming out of local studios, key projects happening across our provinces, and the funding opportunities available for immersive projects. IO Members AVARA Media and Secret Location also offered their invaluable experience during the Launch to Legacy: Exporting Canadian Immersive panel.

Beyond the presentations, today was a chance to connect with fellow creators and explore new ways to collaborate across the industry.

A huge thank you to the event organizers/sponsors for making it all possible; MUTEK Montréal, Xn Québec, TIFF, The Bentway, Ville de Montréal, City of Toronto, SODEC, Culture et Communications Québec, and the Canada Media Fund

Don't miss out on this month's ISB Talk with Marie-Carmelle Gélinas and Vanessa Donia from Global Affairs Canada as they break down the opportunities for Ontario indies in Brazil's video game market.

Whether you're ready to go global or looking to tap into a new and vibrant market, this one’s for you!

Register here: https://bit.ly/4s9a0Ia

Canada Media Fund Ontario Creates Ubisoft Toronto Xsolla XP Game Summit

We're thrilled to be a partner on L'Effet Québec, a two-day interprovincial networking and business development event dedicated to strengthening ties between Ontario and Quebec's immersive experience ecosystems! 🍁

Taking place March 23–24 at The Bentway in Toronto, hosted by Xn Québec, this event features presentations, roundtables, workshops, and B2B meetings connecting studios with buyers from both provinces.

A huge thank you to our fellow partners making this possible: Xn Québec The Bentway MUTEK Montréal TIFF SODEC Ville de Montréal City of Toronto Culture et Communications Québec Canada Media Fund

We can't wait to see what connections and co-productions come out of this exciting opportunity!