Game developers score big in Québec

The company wanted to open a second studio in North America to accelerate its growth. They looked at many locations in Canada and the United States, but it was the people in Montreal that made the difference.

How long has your company been operating in Québec?

We hired our first employee in Montréal in 2017.

How did you find out about Québec, and what were the deciding factors in your decision to set up operations here?

We had been thinking about opening a second North American studio for some time, so that we could grow faster. We looked at many locations in Canada and the U.S., and it was the people in Montréal who made the difference: first, the supply of qualified professionals in our field; second, the ability to find a manager locally, and third, the people from Montréal International, with whom we had been in contact for a long time. They also introduced us to Québec’s economic development agency, Investissement Québec International.

As you know, Investissement Québec offers businesses financial support for their projects. Is that support an important factor for you? What benefits do you see for businesses?

It is of course another important component that may be very relevant in the future. Our industry often needs to scale up quickly, so access to financial support is a strong argument for locating here.

What other forms of support do you receive, and do you see any other ways the government could support you?

We receive the multimedia tax credit, of course, and we are very happy that such programs exist. Things are already going well on a number of fronts, including recruiting. If there’s any room for improvement, it might be in making it even easier to bring qualified professionals to Québec.

Describe your business experience so far. Would you recommend Montréal to other companies in your field? If so, why?

Montréal is a super location for game companies. There is a broad ecosystem and a very dynamic exchange of talent among studios. It's a good idea to start small first and then expand operations gradually. We received full support for our plans from Investissement Québec, whether we were recruiting one person or an entire team.