10 Years of IGDA-Montreal

by Ruben Farrus

(Event photos available via Facebook and Flickr.)

We don’t know if it was chance or destiny; but the fact is that the creation of the IGDA chapter in Montreal was the result of two very well-timed calls of nature.

That’s right: chapter co-founder Isabelle Marazanni revealed to us that it was on their way to their respective bathrooms that Jason Della Rocca and she met ten years ago. It was during the 2000’s Marche International Multimedia (MIM), and it was there and then that they decided that Montreal needed a group to bring all the game developers together.

At the time, Isabelle was working at NAD Center while Jason was already very active at the IGDA globally. They wanted to organize an event that would congregate not only the business part of the industry, but all the profiles involved in the creation of a game: programmers, artists, designers, producers, etc. With a turnout of more than 60 people, the first meeting was an instant success.

Ten years later, we met at Autodesk to celebrate the 10th anniversary of that first encounter. There was much to be proud of, such as all the exceptional creators of games like BioShock, LittleBigPlanet or Rock Band that stopped by during the last decade. Or some epic events like the premiere of Doom III in the basement of a church. 

It was a great recap of memories, but after so many uncomfortable pictures for the veteran developers, it was the time to give pass to the main attraction of the night: the panel on the past, present and future of the industry in Montreal.

THE BEGINNINGS

The five members of the panel (Sebastien Ebacher; producer at Ubisoft, Denis Lacasse; studio head of Behaviour Interactive, Francois Dominic Laramee; freelance technology reporter, Martin Lizee; CEO of Gamerizon, and Reid Schnieder; VP at WB Games) started the evening's discussion by revisiting the origins of the industry in Quebec.

The first studios began with no more than 20 employees. They were small basement business, surviving more from passion than actual money. The perseverance paid off, with the community continuing to grow. Francois Dominic recalled the day the head count of his studio reached 40, which is what he believed at the time to be “the peak of a manageable studio.” He acknowledges now that he was clearly wrong.

What they all agreed on was the fact that the first Splinter Cell by Ubisoft was the real turning point for the industry in Montreal. According to Reid Schnieder, that project was “a positive clash of creative egos” that put Montreal in the map.

THE HARD TIMES

Today’s situation of Montreal is the result of many successes like Splinter Cell, but also of many other failures. As with similar technology hubs, Montreal has also been hit by hard times during these last ten years, especially during the aftermath of the dot-com bubble, and the financial crisis of 2009.

Sebastien Ebacher told the audience how one of his worst experiences took place in 2003, when he became the CEO of a small games company in Quebec City. That was the day he found out about the real situation of the business: a mere $600 in the bank and 17 employees waiting to be paid the following Friday.

Many small start-ups closed during these ten years. Some well-known projects suffered from long crunch periods. Hardware transitions were not as easy as anticipated. In short, many times conditions were hard and numerous ventures failed.

THE FUTURE

Those difficult moments came and went, but the talent stayed here in Montreal. During the last few months, the region has been enjoying a time of steady growth, with new studios like THQ and Warner Bros. recently joining the community. At the same time, this is a sector in constant change. Our duty is to always move forward, and to be prepared for the next big revolution. When asked about the future, the members of the panel brought up the same word over and over again: fragmentation.

The advent of powerful mobile platforms, digital distribution, or social gaming has rendered many new business models a very profitable reality. It’s not that anyone can imagine an industry without the big AAAs that dominate the sales charts nowadays. But the ability of creators to directly interact with the final consumer of their products has changed the industry forever. And according to the panel members, there is no possible way back.

We know for sure that the future will provide many exciting moments to anyone part of this thriving industry. We only wish to meet here again in 10 years from now, and celebrate it once more with all of you.

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