Interactive Media and Animation

Our support for digital media adds up to big success IRL.  No wonder so many of the world’s most creative companies are opening studios in Nova Scotia.

Over the last decade, Nova Scotia has become one of Canada's prominent interactive media and animation clusters, and a location of choice for studios looking for the right fit to access top creative talent and generous incentive programs.

No NPCs in this industry

Halifax, Nova Scotia, was recently ranked fifth in North America’s up-and-coming tech talent markets. More recently, it's making waves as one of Canada's fastest-growing urban and technology centres. If you want to get your game on, Nova Scotia is the place to build a studio and power up your business.

A rich training ground

Digital studios are born here because a robust talent base is trained here. Nova Scotia’s universities and colleges, such as NSCC and Dalhousie University, offer specialized programs in game development, digital animation, and interactive media, producing highly-qualified graduates annually.

A screen-friendly location

Nova Scotia is developing, attracting, and retaining some of the best talent in the world because of its highly ranked post-secondaries, superior quality of life, and experienced ecosystem. Halifax offers one of the most competitive climates for studios compared to other cities across North America, with low business costs and generous incentives including the Nova Scotia Payroll Rebate, the Digital Animation Tax Credit and the highest Digital Media Tax Credit in Canada.

The dollars make sense

Our affordable lifestyle is a key reason studios from around the world choose Nova Scotia. This is evident from our growing immigration numbers, which are outpacing the Canadian average. The Atlantic Immigration Program allows employers to further leverage Canada’s well-known immigration-friendly approach and attract top talent from all around the world.

We’ve got game

Nova Scotia’s gaming and interactive media sector is strong, diversified, and growing. We offer a host of incentives and a supportive environment to help grow your studio here.

• Halifax ranked 1st among 15 global video game clusters for cost to operate a video game studio after government incentives.
• Our proximity to the USA, including low operating costs, makes us the smart choice for USA market access.
• Nova Scotia offers the highest digital media tax credit in Canada.
• The province has over 15,000 people with AI, data science, and data analytics skills.

Big names, big success

Nova Scotia is home to notable interactive media, animation, and video game studios, including:

HB Studios (Lunenburg)

Renowned for developing popular sports games, including The Golf Club series, which evolved into PGA TOUR 2K.

Ubisoft Halifax

Focuses on mobile game development and contributes to Ubisoft’s global portfolio.

Vesuvius Media

Specializes in creating tabletop games, digital adaptations, and interactive storytelling experiences.

Swarmio Media

Focused on gaming platforms, enhancing online multiplayer experiences and cloud gaming.

Modest Tree

Creates interactive and immersive 3D training solutions for industries such as aerospace and defence.