Good Game Edmonton

Alberta just got its own Games Industry Summit. NAGIS (the North American Games Industry Summit) is a new B2B event launching June 18–19 in Edmonton, attached to Game Con Canada. With Meibel Consulting locked in for five more years at the Edmonton Expo Centre, this is year one of something being built to last. Cory sits down with Marc Belisle and Chris Meilleur from Meibel Consulting, Ronnie Villa...

Alberta's game industry had a busy Q1. Game launches, console ports, a new youth esports league, and a Team Alberta presence at GDC. Cory breaks it all down in the Q1 2026 quarterly update alongside guest Jennifer LaFace, co-founder and creative director at Only By Midnight and board director at Digital Alberta. Edmonton: Sovereign Syndicate landed on Xbox and PlayStation. Caldera Interactive...

​​Ethan Horkulak, co-founder of French Bread Gaming , joins Cory "Sellarcast" Sellar to tell the full story about the local esports organization and how it’s supporting the local competitive fighting game scene. What started with nine-person brackets in a community hall has grown into Bread Basket, now drawing 207+ attendees and live viewership from Smash legends Hungrybox and Larry Lurr...

It’s the 2025 Q4 PartyChat from Good Game Edmonton and Digital Alberta! In this quarterly update, we welcomed Rowan Sommerfeld (CGDA), Mike McCready (NAIT/Digital Alberta), and Rosche Rheeder (Lucid Rain Studios) to unpack another productive three months of the evolving game development landscape in Alberta. From the impact of AI on workflows and the challenges of attracting investment to the grow...

What happens when a Juilliard-trained playwright and award-winning comedian designs video game narratives? Leif Olesen-Cormack (The Low Road, Tales Noir Preludes) discusses the biggest creative challenges in game development today. Plus, more on his multifaceted arts career. Leif and Cory attempt to unpack their version of the heated debate around artificial intelligence, discussing why AI is fant...

It's the third quarterly roundup of the year from Good Game Edmonton and Digital Alberta! This time, welcoming two industry voices: Nathaniel Rossol of VR Cave and Travis Gibson of Snowed In Studios to break down the latest in Alberta's interactive digital media (IDM) scene. This episode celebrates major wins and tackles industry-wide disruption: Shipping & Scaling: Hear how VR Cave la...

The Alberta Scholastic Esports League (ASEL) is officially heading into its first school year as a newly independent organization, and Shadi Hanna is here to share all the details. After a successful pilot year, ASEL is building on its momentum to create a supportive and competitive ecosystem for students and teachers across Alberta. Join us as we explore the vision behind ASEL, from its roots in...

Believe it or not, this marks the first quarterly roundup segment on Good Game Edmonton with Digital Alberta. This episode serves up a fun, conversational recap of the first half of the year in Alberta’s interactive digital media (IDM) space. Normally this will be showcasing highlights from the last three months. We’re pulling back the curtain on the latest developments and opportunities with Ambe...

This episode features James Dang, Project Manager at the Alberta Machine Intelligence Institute (Amii), to talk about the intersection of AI and games. James shares insights into his work helping companies integrate AI/ML solutions, the evolving role of AI in game development, and Upper Bound, Amii’s “not your average AI conference”. We also nerd out over which single player, story-driven games we...

For the first episode of 2025 in the Kiwi Productions studio, we catch up with Travis Bouchard, Esports Director at Vimy Ridge Academy, who’s back to share exciting updates since his last visit in Episode 5! Now entering its fourth year, the program has expanded from 14 to 31 student-athletes, with notable milestones such as qualifying for national competitions and hosting in-person events. Travis...

A public service announcement given by the show's host to get started with 2025. We've come a long way since the early days of 2024. Choose your adventure at goodgameyeg.ca .

In the finale of our NorQuest Esports trilogy, Jackie Nguyen and Carlo Martin from NorQuest College reflect on how far the esports program. From humble beginnings with four Xboxes to varsity teams, youth leagues, and scholarships, we explore their innovative approach to campus vibrancy, student engagement, and community impact. Learn about their vision for an esports hub, the role of micro-credent...

In this episode, Andrew Knack, Edmonton city councillor for Ward Nakota Isga, shares his journey from early gaming experiences with systems like the VIC-20 and Commodore 64 to his role in municipal politics, where he integrates his passion for video games into city council discussions. The conversation features a lighthearted Mario Kart competition between Andrew and Cory, as they explore Edmonton...

NorQuest Esports strikes back in in this exciting deep dive with varsity players, Angel Villavert and Charlie Sackey, plus business development officer, Carlo Martin. In this episode, the discussion involves how the college integrates gaming, education, and scholarships to create a thriving student experience. Discover the game lineup of popular esports titles, insights on managing the student-ath...

In part one of a special trilogy on the show, we welcome Carlo Martin, Business Development Officer at NorQuest College, to explore the origins and rapid growth of the NorQuest Esports program. The discussion was about how the program evolved from just four Xbox consoles to a full-scale esports hub with varsity teams, community events, and partnerships with local schools. The episode delved into t...

Vanessa Capito shares her inspiring journey from a kindergarten gamer to a passionate advocate for inclusive game development, sparked by classics like Pokémon and Mass Effect. She established the MacEwan Game Developers Club to create a welcoming space for aspiring developers and leveraged internships to build a strong portfolio in the gaming industry. Now at Inflection Games, Vanessa focuses on...

From the realms of tech and media, Catherine Warren discusses her career journey, specifically around esports, including how she helped bring a 24-hour broadcast channel to Canada from the UK, AI in esports and gaming, esports fandom, and strategies and opportunities for cities like Edmonton to become esports hubs.  Catherine is the founder & CEO of FanTrust, a global digital consultancy dedic...

Rosche Rheeder, Delena Martens, and Ricardo Rheeder are the founders of Lucid Rain Studios, a game development studio based in Edmonton, AB, Canada, discuss their journey and the game they are working on called Inferius. The studio was founded in 2021 and has been experiencing growth and opportunities in the indie game community. Rosche, Delena, and Ricardo emphasize the importance of playing the...

Jesse Sadlowski from Lethbridge School Division discussed the Alberta Esports Championship held at the beginning of May 2024, highlighting the rapid growth of esports in local schools. The event featured 250 students competing in popular games like League of Legends and Super Smash Bros., showcasing the evolution of gaming from casual entertainment to a serious competitive sport. The school divisi...

Live recording from Game Con Canada 2024, ümay.rest co-founders Sharmin Habib and Ali Habib shared their thoughts after participating as an exhibitor for the three-day event. The Edmonton-based startup hosted a booth where curious attendees could test the wearable eye device. They also hosted a panel discussion on mental health and wellness in gaming and esports featuring industry experts from erg...

GameCon Canada, the country's largest gaming convention, is making Edmonton its home for the next three years after a successful inaugural event in 2023, down in Calgary. The brainchild of Maybel Consulting–Marc Belisle & Chris Meilleur–during the pandemic, this massive convention features a wide array of gaming experiences like video games, board games, AR/VR, and tabletop RPGs with a foc...

As we explore the esports program at Vimy Ridge Academy, we talk to their Esports Director, Travis Bouchard. He shares his first interaction with video games and how his passion for gaming led him to start the program. Travis explains the process of gaining buy-in from decision-makers, students, and parents, highlighting the importance of trust and open-mindedness. He emphasizes the benefits of th...

This installment features Allyson Cikor, an Environment Art Outsource Manager for the Coalition Studio, and she shares her journey in the gaming industry. She discusses her early experiences with games and her passion for game development. Allyson also talks about her indie VR game studio that she co-founded with her husband, the challenges of funding in the gaming industry, and the rise of indie...

Class has begun and Shadi “Zedi” Hanna shares how his experiences and passion for video games led him to a sustainable career in esports. From his time navigating college to landing his most recent gig as an instructor for the Esports Business Management program at Bow Valley College in Calgary.  Important Links Esports Business Management | Bow Valley College Events Calendar — ALBERTA ESPORTS ASS...

The game is set with a fresh sheet of ice as Ben “uninsta1l” Thomson, clutches his controller as he awaits for puck drop at another EA SPORTS NHL World Championship. He’s repped an Oilers jersey for the past three seasons but will wear some new threads as he reps the Florida Panthers for 2024. Please sit back and enjoy the game as we chat about his competitive journey, buy-in from his parents, gro...