Which city would you choose, and why? There are some major advantages to opening a video game studio in Canada, but the choice of cities is daunting. So, if you have Canadian experience.....which city is best and why? Thanks, DD
is this an R.F.P.? 25k plus expenses and I'll tell you where to put your studio (city only, site location will cost extra)
I live in Canada and I would choose Montreal or Quebec City. Montreal because it's a big city and Quebec City because it's really an expension city right now and it only gets better there.
I really love Toronto. Close to the states, English-speaking, very diverse (and not segregated), friendly people, good food, and close to technical talent (Waterloo nearby). Worth a visit. Reminds me a lot of Houston.
Montreal has a lot of competition for employees though...Ubisoft, EA, A2M, Eidos.....and the primary language is French. If you were to choose another city besides Montreal, which would it be and why? DD
Definitely Toronto. I spent 7 months in Toronto last year for work, travelled to Montreal and Vancouver during this time, and Toronto was the most business oriented city in Canada, by far. Calgary would probably #2, but they are heavily oil & gas focused (pretty much the Houston of Canada). The fact that the first language in Toronto is English is also a plus (unlike Montreal and Quebec City, of course).
I agree Toronto is very diverse, but I'm not sure how non-segregated it is? Have you ever been to Jane/Finch, or Brampton (AKA Bramladesh)?
I went to Windsor once, and it sucked. looked a lot like Michigan to me. I went to Montreal once, I wish I could remember the name of the road we were on, but whoa.....I thought NYC was wild, but besides the Ukraine and Hannover, I have never been so friggen cold in my life. will not be returning to Montreal.
Some cities in Ontario have been hard hit by loss of manufacturing jobs, the province has given some incentives for other industries to move in. As noted by someone else, Waterloo has some talent that could be tapped into..... http://www.thestar.com/entertainment/article/663628 Ubisoft move to Toronto cheered In case you missed the big news this week, Ubisoft, one of the world's most successful developers and publishers of video games, has announced plans to open a Toronto-based development studio by the end of the year. Ubisoft Toronto will join the company's Montreal, Quebec City and Vancouver facilities in Canada, together employing more than 2,300 people. The France-based firm is responsible for such bestselling game franchises as Splinter Cell, Prince of Persia, Rainbow Six, Assassin's Creed and Rayman. The Toronto studio will generate roughly 800 new jobs over the next decade, the company said, supported by a $500 million investment from Ubisoft and $263 million from the government of Ontario over a 10-year period. In explaining the move, Yannis Mallat, CEO of Ubisoft Montreal, told the Star that Toronto is "rich with creativity and innovation, and home to a unique pool of experienced video-game industry and film industry talent." He said Ubisoft's goal is to create brands "with universal appeal that extend well beyond the world of video games." Toronto, he noted, is home to some of the world's best training facilities, universities and colleges for game design, 3D animation and computer engineering. "We are excited to see some of that talent become part of the Ubisoft organization and expect to see some exciting contributions to the group's ambitious objectives in the next two years," he said. Jason MacIsaac, a journalist who covers video games and also owns the Cerebral Vortex Games development studio in St. Catharines, says the announcement is great news. "First, Ubisoft designs great games out of its Montreal studio and I'm sure they can make equally great games in Toronto. And the presence of a huge, world-class developer in the GTA can only mean other game companies large and small will soon follow – and that means more games and more jobs for Ontario." MacIsaac praised Queen's Park's contribution, noting that British Columbia and Quebec give game developers and publishers financial incentives, and Vancouver and Montreal have thriving game development communities as a result. "Ontario, however, has lacked that support, and our schools were training employees who left the province to go work in Vancouver, Montreal or California." Victor Lucas, host of Canadian video-game television shows Electric Playground and Reviews on the Run, is equally excited. "There are thousands and thousands of eager video-game fans in Ontario and in the Toronto area, as well as some really terrific education programs catering to this industry in and around the city," he said, "so to see such a huge commitment from Ubisoft and the Ontario government for this job creation is just outstanding news."
I've been to Montreal multiple times. I can't remember the name of the street either but it's a long road that goes uphill, if I recall correctly. There are bars and night clubs everywhere.
