Not just coding: creative talents flourish in Edmonton video game industry
CBC
Artists, writers and other creatives are building careers in the Edmonton video game development scene.
Major video game productions require input from a slew of skill sets and not just the coding expertise of programmers.
With several larger studios now set up in Edmonton, those job demands are bringing creative talents to the city from abroad while also nurturing them at home.
"It's a misconception that games are made entirely by programmers," said Sean Gouglas, a humanities professor at the University of Alberta who specializes in video games.
"In fact, when you get up to larger companies, the percentage of their labour force that's actually programmers is probably around 20 to 25 per cent."
The video game industry is a major global force that has only grown through the pandemic. A report from the Entertainment Software Association of Canada notes the industry contributed $5.5 billion to country's GDP in 2021 — a growth of 35 per cent over two years.
Gouglas is also the co-ordinator for the university's computer game development certificate, which offers courses that see science and arts students collaborate to build their own games.
The program began as a single course in the mid-2000s but has grown to meet demand.
Gouglas said video game-directed programs at North American post-secondary institutions have increased tenfold over the last decade.
Many find a way into the industry through their own circuitous routes, he said, as game production employs artists, musicians, writers and people in other fields.
"Many people in the game industry simply don't have training … in this particular industry, and yet, they still find a successful way into the industry."
"This is definitely where I want to be and I don't think I would have moved all the way from Sydney [Australia] to here if it wasn't my dream," said Aimee Correia, who has worked for two years at Edmonton-based Beamdog.
As a concept artist, Correia creates artwork that conveys designs, ideas and worlds to be used as foundational imagery for the game itself.
She loves the creativity required for the job and being able to work with a large team to turn her characters and environments into a virtual reality.
