Video game developers are looking to establish a network of co-operatives in Atlantic Canada.
As first reported by CTV Atlantic, a grassroots initiative known as Game Makers 4 Co-operative Futures (GM4CF) has recently sprung up in the region. Co-organized by freelance game designer Kai McGilligan Oliver, GM4CF is intended to provide knowledge sharing and networking opportunities for developers in Atlantic Canada. The “four” in the name corresponds to the quartet of provinces in the region: New Brunswick, Newfoundland and Labrador, Nova Scotia and Prince Edward Island.
Speaking to CTV Atlantic, McGilligan Oliver said the origin of GM4CF “comes from this idea that the video game industry is not necessarily serving its workers,” but rather its investors. As a result, his network aims to raise “awareness about co-operatives” and “focus on giving a voice to every single member of the organization.”
He pointed to the larger struggles of the gaming industry right now — chief among those being the tens of thousands of layoffs over the past few years. Atlantic Canada also recently experienced this firsthand with the January closure of Ubisoft Halifax after the majority of the developer’s 71-person team voted to unionize. Ubisoft claimed this wasn’t in response to the union efforts but rather a broader cost-cutting efforts. Union group CWA Canada isn’t convinced, however, and has filed a labour board complaint against the French publishing giant.
McGilligan Oliver notes that something like GM4CF can be particularly helpful in a situation like Ubisoft Halifax, given that the company outright terminated the employees instead of relocating any of them to other teams. All the while, he notes that developers in Atlantic Canada don’t get the same kind of support as those in provinces like Quebec, Ontario or B.C.
For context, a 2024 Entertainment Software Association of Canada study found that there are are 750 developers in Atlantic Canada compared to over 6,000 in Ontario, roughly 10,000 in B.C. and more than 15,000 in Quebec. Some of the most notable studios in Atlantic Canada include 2K-owned, Lunenberg, N.S.-based HB Studios (PGA Tour series), Halifax’s Isometric Corp Games (Tunic), St. John’s, N.L.’s Other Ocean Interactive (Project Winter) and Fredericton, N.B.’s Reframe (Noxia Somnia).
Going forward, McGilligan Oliver says GM4CF is looking to expand through partnerships and funding opportunities. Earlier this month, the group raised $900 at Halifax fundraiser, and it hopes to continue that momentum. More information on the group, including how to support, can be found on its website.
Source: CTV Atlantic
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