Canada Gaming Market Overview, 2030

With the rise of independent game creators, Canada's gaming industry has shifted away from massive, studio-driven productions in favor of more innovative, niche-specific games. This shift has had a significant impact on the industry's evolution. Canadian indie developers, especially those located in cities like Toronto, Vancouver, and Montreal, have created internationally renowned games like Celeste and Below, highlighting Canada's artistic prowess on a global scale. In an increasingly competitive market, these smaller studios set themselves apart by focusing on innovative art and compelling narratives. Furthermore, the rise of gaming has been greatly aided by the part played by government incentives. Due to Canada's advantageous tax credits, especially in Quebec and British Columbia, both local startups and foreign companies have been drawn to establishing operations there, making the nation one of the top centers for game creation worldwide. Canada's growing VR gaming environment was built upon the groundwork of the first virtual reality VR trials conducted there. Before widespread use, firms like Archiact and Minority Media explored immersive VR games, which helped them develop competence in VR solutions for consumers and businesses. The introduction of cross-platform play has changed how Canadian players interact with their favorite games. Canadian players are increasingly demanding flawless gaming experiences across devices, whether on a PC, console, or mobile device, as a result of the industry's drive for inclusion and larger multiplayer communities. A particularly Canadian obstacle is the language barriers in Quebec, where the legislation requires that games be accessible to the public in French. This requirement increases the expense and time it takes for publishers to localize, particularly for smaller independent studios. It guarantees cultural preservation and gives Francophone gamers fair access to worldwide gaming developments.

According to the research report, ""Canada Gaming Market Overview, 2030,"" published by Bonafide Research, the Canada Gaming market is expected to reach a market size of more than USD 15.47 Billion by 2030. One of the most significant changes occurring in Canada's gaming sector right now is the expansion of educational gaming platforms. As technology becomes more and more integrated into education, Canadian developers have embraced the potential of serious games and gamified learning, creating interactive educational resources for students and home learners. By combining academic material with interesting game mechanics, sites like Prodigy and Knowledge hook have successfully made learning more accessible and enjoyable for younger audiences. Given the government's focus on digital education programs, this sector is likely to expand even more. Ubisoft's significant Canadian presence, especially its large facilities in Montreal and Toronto, further enhances Canada's standing in the international gaming community. Ubisoft's contributions include popular games like Assassin's Creed and Far Cry, which were created in part in Canadian studios with a significant creative influence. Their presence has positioned Canada as a leader in the production of AAA games, increased exports, and promoted the development of local talent. The growing emphasis on accessibility features in games produced in Canada is another important trend. To make games accessible to people with disabilities, developers are incorporating customizable controls, colorblind modes, text-to-speech capabilities, and changeable difficulty levels. The gaming industry is experiencing a shift in social responsibility, as seen by this inclusive strategy. The growth of gaming areas for women in Canada has contributed to increasing diversity in the industry. Programs such as Pixelles in Montreal and Women in Games Vancouver address historical gender imbalances by offering help, mentorship, and development programs for women in the industry. Canadian provincial governments' tax incentives for game firms continue to draw investment from both at home and abroad. These incentives lower production expenses, promote job creation, and foster innovation in both independent and large-scale game development projects, establishing Canada as a top center for gaming creativity and technological leadership worldwide.

Due to the widespread usage of mobile devices and rising internet penetration, mobile gaming, which includes smartphones and tablets, has become the biggest and fastest-growing sector. The global gaming industry is often divided by platform, with each platform catering to different user tastes and providing a unique gaming experience. Its accessibility, especially in developing nations, makes it popular with young people and casual players. By combining competitive gameplay with social connection, games like Free Fire, Clash of Clans, and PUBG Mobile have boosted user involvement. This area is dominated by the free-to-play model with in-app purchases, which is supported by microtransactions, advertisements, and gacha systems, especially in Asia and Latin America. For more committed, ""hardcore"" players, PC gaming is still quite alluring because of its better visuals, adjustable setups, and access to modding groups. Steam, the Epic Games Store, Riot Games' launcher, and other platforms have supported massive ecosystems of free and paid games. Competitive esports like Counter-Strike, Valorant, and League of Legends continue to be played on the PC platform. With specialized gaming equipment powering adjacent markets for components like GPUs and peripherals, PC gaming maintains a strong cultural presence in the esports and streaming sectors, particularly in North America, Europe, and South Korea. With exclusive franchises and engaging, story-driven AAA games, console gaming continues to flourish. PlayStation, Xbox, and Nintendo Switch are examples of consoles that cater to family and community-oriented gaming, and subscription models like Xbox Game Pass are helping to boost interaction. Exclusive releases continue to drive sales worldwide, even though console adoption is especially widespread in North America, Japan, and some regions of Europe. The newest and most innovative platform trend is, lastly, cloud gaming or game streaming. High-quality gaming is possible without pricey hardware thanks to services like NVIDIA GeForce Now and Xbox Cloud Gaming.

The gaming sector uses a wide variety of revenue models that cater to various consumer behaviors and regional market dynamics. In particular, free-to-play F2P with in-app purchases IAP has become the most prevalent model worldwide, particularly in online and mobile gaming. This approach is exemplified by games like Fortnite, PUBG Mobile, and Genshin Impact, which provide the basic game for free but generate revenue via in-game aesthetics, battle passes, loot boxes, and other virtual items. With revenues driven by a small percentage of paying users commonly known as ""whales"" who spend considerably to customize or advance in the game, this model encourages mass adoption by lowering entry barriers. The classic model, which is still common in console and PC gaming especially for story-driven or AAA games is represented by the Pay-to-Play Full Game Purchase model. Games like The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom or Elden Ring make a lot of money from upfront sales. This design caters to serious gamers that want a fully immersive experience with no continuous microtransactions. Full game purchases are still crucial for supporting large-budget productions and preserving a premium brand image, even if they are somewhat decreasing in mobile markets. The main source of income for casual and hyper-casual mobile games is ad-supported gaming. Titles like Candy Crush and Angry Birds incorporate rewarded video commercials, banner ads, and interstitials, frequently allowing users to pay a modest sum to get rid of ads. In emerging markets where consumers may be reluctant to pay for in-game purchases but are open to interacting with advertisements for free material, this model is quite effective. Other models are becoming more and more popular, including blockchain-based gaming with NFTs and subscription-based gaming, such as Apple Arcade and Xbox Game Pass. Blockchain gaming has play-to-earn mechanics, but it is still a niche with varying popularity that is influenced by market trends and legislative changes. On the other hand, subscriptions provide players access to extensive libraries at a consistent price.

The worldwide gaming industry has unique trends among different age groups, each with different tastes and consumption habits. Bright visuals, simple gameplay mechanics, and rapid play formats are the main attractions for the under-18 age group, which mostly plays casual and mobile games. In this sector, titles like Minecraft, Roblox, and Among Us are especially well-liked because they provide both enjoyment and opportunities for social engagement. Educational games, which combine fun and learning, are also essential for this age group. Since parents frequently sway purchase choices in this market, privacy safeguards, parental supervision, and educational content are essential for attracting younger gamers. The gaming industry's biggest and most profitable demographic is the 19–35 age range. Because this group includes college students, young professionals, and esports fans, it contributes significantly to the market for gaming gear, apps, and in-game items. They actively participate in content development through streaming platforms like YouTube Gaming and Twitch, as well as online multiplayer games and esports competitions. Their preferences are mostly in genres like first-person shooters Call of Duty, multiplayer online battle arenas League of Legends, and immersive open-world adventures GTA V, Elden Ring. This group is an early adopter of new technologies like cloud gaming and virtual reality VR, which makes them a significant force behind industry trends and innovation. Gaming is becoming more and more mainstream among people aged 36 and older. This age group, which developers have historically ignored, is now participating in simulation, strategy-based, and narrative-rich games. Titles like The Sims, Civilization, and FIFA are popular in this group, as are classic card and puzzle games on mobile platforms. Many members of this age group consider gaming to be a way to alleviate stress, stimulate their minds, or bring their families closer.

With substantial participation from both men and women players across platforms, the gaming industry, which was formerly thought to be mostly dominated by males, has become a more gender-inclusive environment. In the past, the majority of the gaming audience has been made up of male gamers, notably in competitive and console-based games. This demographic tends to favor action-packed genres such as sports simulations FIFA, NBA 2K, first-person shooters Call of Duty, Counter-Strike, and massive multiplayer online role-playing games World of Warcraft. The male segment is also heavily engaged in esports, competitive online multiplayer games, and high-performance PC gaming, frequently spending a lot of money on gaming gear and hardware to improve the gaming experience. This group is also drawn to social interaction via online forums, competitions, and live streaming communities. However, women gamers now make up about half of the world's gaming population, and they are especially successful in the mobile gaming sector. Women gamers are drawn to casual games such as Candy Crush Saga, Coin Master, and Genshin Impact, as well as simulation and narrative-driven titles such as The Sims or Animal Crossing. Furthermore, the proliferation of choice-based, story-rich games like Life is Strange and Stardew Valley has gained a lot of traction among this demographic. With platforms like Twitch and YouTube showcasing influential female content creators who have helped change community dynamics and perspectives regarding female participation in gaming, women are also increasingly involved in professional gaming and streaming. The industry's gradual move toward inclusive character design, more diverse storylines, and better representation of women in video game narratives has increased female participation. Furthermore, groups and programs like Women in Games and FemDevs Meetups offer forums for lobbying, professional development, and networking.

Considered in this report
• Historic Year: 2019
• Base year: 2024
• Estimated year: 2025
• Forecast year: 2030

Aspects covered in this report
• Gaming Market with its value and forecast along with its segments
• Various drivers and challenges
• On-going trends and developments
• Top profiled companies
• Strategic recommendation

By Platform
• Mobile Gaming (Smartphones & Tablets)
• PC Gaming
• Console Gaming
• Cloud Gaming / Game Streaming

By Revenue Model
• Free-to-Play (F2P) with In-App Purchases (IAP)
• Pay-to-Play (Full Game Purchase)
• Ad-Supported Gaming
• Others

By Age Group
• Less than 18
• 19-35
• 36 and above

By Gender
• Male
• Female Show more