Creators in the video game industry often face a shared challenge – bringing their game to market.
As the global video game industry is forecasted to reach over US$424 billion by 2033, creators are vying for their place in the rapidly growing marketplace. With this competition, it’s not enough to have a great game — studios now must prove there’s an audience, polish their product and pitch to investors.
While our region is home to passionate developers and new experiential game ideas, the journey from concept to commercial success can be difficult to navigate.
Calgary is stepping up to the plate to address these challenges with the Calgary Games Kiln, a pilot program designed to accelerate early-stage video game development and strengthen the city’s creative economy.
Through funding and mentorship, the Kiln helps local game-makers cement their intellectual property (IP) and build commercially viable projects that are ready for a competitive global market.
“The Calgary Games Kiln is a step forward in continuing to diversify and build resiliency in Calgary’s creative economy,” said Brad Parry, President and CEO of Calgary Economic Development and CEO of the Opportunity Calgary Investment Fund (OCIF).
“As global trends and new technologies change the way content is created and distributed, this initiative will give local creators the tools they need for their games to stand out in a crowded global marketplace.”
Accelerating opportunities for video game development in Calgary
The Kiln is a pilot program for the previously announced Calgary Games Studio Foundry, which is one of the recommendations of Calgary’s Creative Economy Strategy. Serving as a proof-of-concept for future programs that support the growth of the creative industries in the region, the Kiln is designed to accelerate the growth of early-stage video game studios.
Developing high-quality commercial IP is a key tenet of the city’s strategy.
Companies that create IP have the potential to attract and retain local and international talent, scale revenue beyond fee-for-service work, and remain resilient in the face of volatile market forces — because they have a tangible product to sell.
Participants of the Calgary Games Kiln will go through two phases, guiding their game from ideation to commercially viable IP. Each phase of the program is anchored by a specific milestone: the creation of a 30-second, high-quality trailer and a market-validated, investor-ready vertical slice and pitch deck.
The other programming component of the Kiln includes a variety of plenary sessions, with opportunities for studios, developers and creators to connect through mentorship and networking activities with the broader Calgary game ecosystem.
The program is expected to involve 600 developers, raise $3.95 million in funding and support 25 FTEs — driving growth across Calgary’s creative and innovation economies.
Meet the inaugural Kiln cohort
The 12-month program will be run by Nordicity and Jason Della Rocca, Co-founder, Execution Labs, in collaboration with Calgary Economic Development (CED), Platform Calgary and the Calgary Game Developers Association (CGDA).
Hosted at Platform Calgary, the Kiln will also tap into Calgary's existing creative ecosystem by leveraging industry experts as key speakers and mentors and collaborating with CGDA, Bow Valley College and the Indie Ignition program.
“This program will be laser focused on generating market traction and showing evidence that real players want what Calgary studios are creating,” said Jason Della Rocca, Senior Associate, Nordicity and Venture Partner, Griffin Gaming Partners.
“This is not a bums-in-seats and make everyone feel nice thing — we are going for real economic impact.”
The first cohort of the Calgary Games Kiln includes five Calgary-based game development companies, with concepts and prototypes ranging from sci-fi roguelikes to space ecosystem simulators.
Applications were assessed based on program compatibility, project and team viability and chances of market success. The five selected teams and their projects include:
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Grizzly Moose Games – BioRogue
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Nice Axe Games – Kali and Ko
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Fortress Games – Zero State Agent
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Spacehabs – Spacehabs Simulator
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Braveshell Studio – Storm Sphere
Each team brings a unique creative vision and high market potential, showcasing the diversity and innovation of Calgary’s growing game scene.
“These projects have great commercial potential – and they’re only the tip of the iceberg,” said Nordicity CEO Kristian Roberts.
Building Calgary’s creative economy
The Kiln is designed to validate core concepts behind the Calgary Games Studio Foundry, one of five programs that received a combined $3 million in funding in 2024 from PrairiesCan, the Government of Alberta, the City of Calgary and the Edmonton Screen Industries Office.
The five programs were developed based on recommendations from Calgary’s Creative Economy Strategy, the CreativeCITY Guidebook and the Alberta Screen Production Workforce Action Plan.
As Calgary continues to diversify, the Kiln is helping creative entrepreneurs turn bold ideas into market-ready products. With its first cohort soon underway, the program signals that Calgary’s video gaming and e-sports sector is ready to grow — and compete — on the global stage.
Building Calgary’s creative economy aligns with priorities to attract talent, grow Calgary’s innovation ecosystem and enhance livability in the city’s economic action plan, Uplook.
