Interactive Ontario

Two weeks away! IO's ISB Access to Publishers/Investors Program deadline approaches. Deadline: Apply by November 2, 2026 at 9:00 am ET Learn more and apply: interactiveontario.com/programs/ind... Thank you to Ontario Creates and @cmf-fmc.bsky.social for supporting this program.

This is your chance to ask @softrains.bsky.social, the studio behind Ambrosia Sky, how they found navigated the indie journey. From studio operations to storytelling, this panel brings a range of expertise to the table. When: Monday, November 2 | 1-2PM ET Save your spot: bit.ly/4BibGUL

Celebrating a member milestone: @velanstudios.com turns 10!🎉 What started in 2016 with a few passionate people has grown into a studio behind games like Mario Kart Live: Home Circuit, Knockout City, and Star Fox. Congratulations to Co-Founders Karthik Bala and Guha Bala and the Velan team!

youtu.beVelan Studios Marks 10 Years as It Grows in TorontoYouTube video by Toronto Global

To mark their 10 years they worked with Toronto Global to produce a short video discussing their expansion into the gaming and talent hub in Ontario. youtu.be/ROdb6NsxI3o?...

The next ISB will feature the team behind award-nominated game Ambrosia Sky - @softrains.bsky.social They’ll share the creative inspirations, pivotal decisions, and unexpected challenges they faced along the way. When: Monday, November 2 | 1-2PM ET Register here: bit.ly/4BibGUL #ISB #GameDev

📚 New for IO Members: the Resource Database! A searchable library of resources to help video game and interactive entertainment businesses grow and thrive. Members log in to explore: bit.ly/4B6hh0c Not a member?: bit.ly/47U9Bkf Thank you to Ontario Creates for supporting this initiative.

🔍Introducing the IO Industry Field Guide! Relevant connections in one place. Spend less time searching and more time building. 👉 Explore the Industry Field Guide: interactiveontario.com/industry-fie... Thank you to Ontario Creates for supporting this initiative.

🎉Congratulations to @littlebuffalogames.bsky.social! Akiiwan: Relaxing Survival was named 1 of 9 standout reveals from @ign.com Fan Fest: Fall Edition. Read the IGN Feature: bit.ly/4yjGFNz Wishlist Akiiwan: Relaxing Survival on Steam: bit.ly/3TE2gSD

Applications are now open for IO's ISB Access to Publishers/Investors Program, a 4 month virtual program led by Klaas van der Stroom of Representing Games of @meettomatch.bsky.social Deadline: Nov. 2, 2026 at 9:00 am ET Spots are limited! forms.gle/nbPJsnJRXPS9... @cmf-fmc.bsky.social

Interactive Ontario is teaming up with the Ministry for Seniors and Accessibility (MSAA) for a free webinar on what accessibility compliance means for your organization, and you can ask the Ministry your questions directly. When: Tues. Oct. 6, 1-2 PM ET Register here: forms.gle/pUwCyDDxLbNy...

Congratulations to Video Games Canada @esacanada.bsky.social (Entertainment Software Association of Canada) on a memorable Video Games on the Hill last week. It was a fantastic showcase of made-in-Canada games that brought together elected officials, policymakers and industry leaders.

Minister @marcmillermp.bsky.social remarks conveyed his commitment to our sector. The active engagement of Parliamentary Secretaries David Myles and @wadegrant.bsky.social, and MP's Fares Al Soud, Tatiana Auguste, Guillaume Deschenes-Theriault and Jake Sawatzky made the event even more meaningful.

We are proud of our members who showcased the exceptional talent Ontario has to offer: @ubisoft.com Toronto, Electronic Arts (EA), @bhvr.com and @ravinestudios.ca Looking forward to Video Games on the Hill 2027! #Canada #CanadianGameDev

interactiveontario.comOntario Creates: Futures Forward 2026This program is designed to provide Ontario’s early-stage IDM companies with access to the skills that they require to fast-track their knowledge acquisition and enhance the competitiveness of their c...

18 Sept

Futures Forward is back! Designed to help Ontario's early-stage video game and interactive entertainment studios build the skills they need to grow and compete. Applications Open Now, Register Today! Learn more and apply: interactiveontario.com/programs/ont...

This week at TIFF: The Market, we welcomed Katrina Lat to speak on "What's Next?: Trends from an Increasingly Immersive World." #IOConnect #InteractiveOntario #TIFF2026

Drawing on firsthand experience from attending 1,000+ immersive works, Katrina shared the trends shaping how immersive experiences are being created, experienced, and discussed today. She offered attendees a rare look at where the sector is heading.

We're grateful to our partner, TIFF: The Market and supporters, City of Toronto and Ontario Creates, for helping to make events like this possible.

This week, over 100 of Ontario's interactive entertainment professionals gathered for IO Connect at TIFF: The Market, an evening that put our industry right at the center of one of the biggest stages in entertainment. #TIFF2026 #IOConnect

We were honoured to welcome our new Minister of Tourism, Culture and Gaming, Minister Hamid, who spent the evening in conversations with our members and stakeholders. We were also thrilled to welcome our event partners and speakers from Ontario Creates, @toronto.ca, @canmuspub.bsky.social, and TIFF.

A special thank you to everyone who attended, your passion and energy for the interactive entertainment sector is exactly what fuels us to keep hosting mixers like this. Stay tuned, the next IO Connect is coming this December! #InteractiveOntario

Gamescom 2026 marked the largest Canadian delegation of studios in the event's history, and our team was proud to be represented on the ground by Scott Milley, thanks to @cmf-fmc.bsky.social (CMF)'s support. #Gamescom2026 #Canada #OntarioGameDevs #IndieGames

View full thread

8 Ontario studios showcased their games in the @indiearenabooth.de: @pushingvertices.bsky.social🎮 @finishlinegames.bsky.social🎮Chronograph Games🎮@bloomdigital.bsky.social🎮@13amgames.com🎮 @peculiarpath.com🎮@loftyskygames.bsky.social🎮@littlebuffalogames.bsky.social

Thank you to everyone who attended and did such a fantastic job representing Ontario on the world stage. A special thank you to our own Scott Milley, CMF, Ontario Creates, and the Canadian representatives who made sure everything ran smoothly. We look forward to next year!

Noah Decter Jackson led the CIAIC Accelerator. This supported 47 Canadian game devs providing them with a pitch-readiness package; access to experts, training, 1-1 coaching, and realistic practice. Thank you to the supporters of this initiative incl. the CMF and Ontario Creates

store.steampowered.comCurse of Resthaven - 10,000 wishlists and counting. Thank you everyone! - Steam NewsCurse of Resthaven has just passed 10,000 wishlists here on Steam! From everyone at Hilltop Studios and Bandidos, we want to say a huge thank you to everyone who has added this game to their lists –…

We were equally proud to see Canada well represented at the show with the Canada Pavillion, acting as a home base for all the Canadians who made it out to Cologne. This was supported by the Trade Commissioner Service, @globalaffairs.canada.ca, Ontario Creates, @Creative BC and Ontario Government.

Interactive Ontario reposted

Hilltop Studios

@playhilltop.bsky.social

13 Aug

HUGE milestone for us. Thanks, everybody!

Digital Bandidos | Wishlist CURSE OF RESTHAVEN@digitalbandidos.bsky.social

Curse of Resthaven has passed 10,000 wishlists! On behalf of @playhilltop.bsky.social and all the Bandidos, a huge thank you to everyone who has played the demo, left feedback/reviews, spread the word, and (of course) added it to their wishlists. store.steampowered.com/news/app/379...

Interactive Ontario reposted

Ambrosia Sky 🪐

@softrains.bsky.social

6 Aug

Ambrosia Sky is now available on Steam & EGS! ✨ Featuring: 🪐 A vibrant space colony + alien ecosystem to explore ⚙ Simulation mechanics + progression 📖 A sombre homecoming 🍄 Exo-fungus to discover + cleanse 💜 Your lost love Start your journey today at ambrosiasky.com

Interactive Ontario reposted

Boo-rad Shankar

@bradshankar.bsky.social

6 Aug

I loved @softrains.bsky.social’s Ambrosia Sky: Act Two. The level design is more intricate and the world-building even richer this time around, but I found myself genuinely moved by Dalia’s journey, especially in how much I relate to her strained relationship with her step-mother. A brilliant game.

mobilesyrup.comToronto-made Ambrosia Sky is sci-fi storytelling at its most heartfeltThe "clean 'em up" gameplay is satisfyingly meditative, but it's the melancholic narrative that ends up hitting surprisingly hard.

Interactive Ontario reposted

Hilltop Studios

@playhilltop.bsky.social

31 July

After months of hard work, we're thrilled to finally welcome you to the island of Resthaven.  The Curse of Resthaven demo is LIVE. Come experience our unique blend of investigation, trading, deck-building, and gothic horror, and begin unraveling the mystery at the heart of the island.

17 July

Canadian creative businesses are invited to join the Creative Industries Trade Mission to China, taking place from October 11 to 14, 2026. Eligible sectors include: 🎮 Interactive digital media 🎭 Performing arts Apply before July 19, 2026: www.canada.ca/en/canadian-... #CreativeExportStrategy

15 July

Last week, Interactive Ontario brought MP Fares Al Soud to visit Big Blue Bubble, the London-based studio behind the global hit My Singing Monsters.

15 July

The scale of what they've built on the mobile game stage is staggering: 180 million downloads, #1 rankings in 15 countries, and over 3 million reviews averaging 4.8 stars. Their fanbase is just as impressive, with 5 million followers, 1 billion social media views, and 10,000 fan creators.

15 July

Thank you to MP Fares Al Soud for joining us, Big Blue Bubble and CEO Claudette Critchley for hosting, @cmf-fmc.bsky.social Board of Directors Chair Michael Schmalz and our friends at ESAC for a memorable visit!

14 July

Last week, IO attended TennoCon 2026 in London, celebrating @digitalextremes.com' (DE) incredible run with Warframe and the upcoming, Soulframe.

14 July

It was an honour to host MP Fares Al Soud for a tour of DE & Tennocon with our friends at ESAC. Thank you to DE President Sheldon Carter, Lesley Milner, & the DE team for showing us behind the curtain.

14 July

Warframe is closing in on 15 years and 90 million players. Over 4,000 fans packed the venue on Saturday, & thousands more watched online. Announcements included the new Tau expansion and offered another look at Soulframe. A true Ontario success story, built on staying close to its community.

9 July

Learn all about getting your game in front of your target audience with next week’s Indie Superboost focused on video game showcases. If you haven't registered yet, now's the time. Lock in your spot before it's too late. bit.ly/3T4FZwg #ISB #IndieGameDev

Interactive Ontario reposted

IGDA

@igda.org

IGDA and Utrecht University need your help to collect the data the industry has always needed. The Developer Insights Survey digs into what truly drives game creators: their challenges, their teamwork, their diverse stories. The more voices we gather, the louder the impact. ➡️https://loom.ly/lUvIOKM

30 June

What a week at VRTO 2026, Canada's longest-running XR conference! It was an honour to connect with passionate creators, developers, and visionaries pushing the boundaries of what's possible in spatial media. And this year, VRTO also offered a full day dedicated to AI in the creative sectors.

30 June

Thank you to Keram Malicki-Sanchez and their team for putting together this informative and inspiring event at OCAD University, and to Arthur Yeung and Invalid Symbol for programming the AI day at VRTO. #VRTO26 #XR #VR #Innovation

29 June

Your game deserves to be discovered We're sharing an incredible opportunity for our dev community: an in-person Apple seminar on getting your game live and thriving on the App Store. Monday, July 6 | 9AM–12PM EDT 📍Apple Toronto Spots are limited. Register here: bit.ly/4448Web

26 June

You've put in the work now you need the right people to notice.🚀 For the July edition of ISB, Elizabeth Olson, Head of Strategy & Media, Indie Angels Marketing Services, will be discussing how to leverage in-person & online video game showcases. Get your tickets: bit.ly/3T4FZwg #isb #indiegamedev

18 June

That's a wrap on Toronto Games Week! From the game demos to the breathtaking aerial silk performer, the energy in the room was pure magic. Thank you to @torontogamesweek.com and all who contributed to such an amazing week and closing party. #TGW26

18 June

This was such a fun way to kick off celebrating IO's 25th year and we're refreshing our feeds waiting to see your photo booth moments — tag us! #IO25

17 June

Today’s the day🎉- Get your ticket! IO is proud to partner with @torontogamesweek.com to celebrate #TGW26 and our 25th anniversary. Be sure to check out the IO photo booth! 🕗When: TONIGHT! 8PM-Midnight 📍Where: Demo Room Cost: IO Members $15 Non-Member prices vary 🎟️: luma.com/ccsakubc

17 June

Don't miss this opportunity to connect with developers, creators, and interactive entertainment fans from Toronto and beyond. Play various demos including Super Time Force by @capybaragames.com, and Marco Polo by Overnight Games, thanks to @torontogamejam.bsky.social See you there! #toronto #IO25

We were proud to return as a partner for the 2nd iteration of The G.R.I.D. The night was a showcase of what the Ontario indie community is capable of when we invest in each other.

Huge congratulations to all winners and a special shoutout to Igor Sololov for winning the $250 gift card from IO as part of our 25th anniversary.

Thank you to Antonio Miceli and team at @megapowergames.com. Your vision of building space where developers get real feedback and real recognition has truly come to life. And thank you to the judges, studios, volunteers, and play testers who made the night so memorable. You all brought your A-game.