XP Game Summit Toronto: Indies, Biz Talks, and Game Chatter Galore
The highlights of my first time covering a video games conference.
As a marketer, I attended my fair share of industry events and even organized a few small-scale ones of my own. Covering the gaming industry as a journalist is new to me, so I wanted to approach XP Game Summit with a beginner’s mind.
Go to the talks I found interesting, ask questions if they arise, try as many demos as I can on the showcase floor, and soak up the video game chatter without any expectations—that was my plan. Good things happen when you prepare to go with the flow!
Attending as media is a curious thing: I’m neither an insider—the conference is very business-focused, connecting developers and studios with publishers and investors—nor an outsider, because I broadly know the beat and am enthusiastic about it. I’m a player first and foremost, a rare target audience member. Being an observer and a commentator is a role I very much enjoy.
I loved the opportunity to chat about my Substack and explain what it stood for during the conference. It helped me clarify it for myself, too, landing on approaching games with, again, a beginner’s mind and writing about them from the point of view of a latecomer to the hobby.
Turns out, that’s exciting for a slice of publishers and devs interested in serving casual gamers and the genres these casual gamers enjoy! If you see me talking about visual novels and Canadian cozy indie games, that’s all thanks to the conference.
This is the first of several reports detailing my experience of the XP Game Summit 2025. Today is all about the talks, the demos, and the state of the Canadian video games industry that was so central to the event.
XP25 Talks and Presentations
The packed schedule and the busy exhibition floor made sure I had maximum FOMO, but I still managed to catch most of the talks I was interested in.
Day 1
The talk about UX in games and the ethics of UX design presented by Celia Hodent, a games UX consultant and cognitive scientist based in California, was the highlight of Day 1.
As a (former) marketer and researcher, I’m all too familiar with the UI/UX confusion and their mistaken equation. I also take a lot of interest in ethics, including the ethics of exploiting cognitive biases and human psychology in interactive media. Celia covered these in detail, and I also appreciated her definitive stance against using these “dark patterns” in games targeting minors.
I caught Poling Bork’s presentation on serious games helping children overcome selective mutism, an anxiety disorder that involves a phobia-like fear of being seen or heard speaking. I appreciated the opportunity to learn about selective mutism and the concept of serious games, which are games designed to create specific outcomes, including health, behaviour, and learning outcomes, in addition to entertainment.
There was also an amazingly involved presentation on puzzle design lessons for video games. The room was packed, and time flew by as we looked at a flurry of crosswords, maze puzzles, and physical objects way beyond the familiar Rubik’s cubes. What stood out to me was the concept of Eureka, the lightbulb moment of enjoyment when you crack a puzzle. Elyot, the speaker, contrasted it to Fiera, a sense of accomplishment over overcoming a specific difficult challenge, like beating a tough boss. Given my "git gud" reflections piece, learning about Fiera was timely!
Day 2
The Métis Life
Armed with a cold brew, bright and bushy-tailed, I arrived just in time for Josh Nilson’s talk on reviving an Indigenous language through building a Roblox game. The Métis Life by Maskwa Games teaches children Michif, a language collectively spoken by fewer than 2000 people worldwide—this is something the developers are working to change, while giving Indigenous kids an opportunity to preserve their culture, speak their language, and connect with their community and Elders.
Roblox, given its reach and developer tools, was their first choice of platform. Monetization strategies are currently in the works, all the proceeds from which will go towards Métis and Indigenous charities. The developers’ ambition is to create open-source Roblox projects for other Indigenous languages and hand them over to the Indigenous nations that speak them.
“We’re looking to decolonize Roblox. We want to be accessible to all.”
– Josh Nilson, MaskwaGames
I was curious to know if they would ever go beyond Roblox. Josh mentioned wanting to be on Duolingo eventually, although given the complexity of the symbols that comprise Michif, it’s a challenge.
For Josh, it is also important to preserve the authenticity of the stories the studio tells, without toning them down, as tends to happen when investors, funding, and multiple decision-makers get involved. The way Josh put it, “I want to know the good, but I also want to learn the truth.”
I think projects like this are critically important for Canada and for non-Indigenous players to engage with. The Métis Life on Roblox is a great game to play as a family on Indigenous Peoples’ Day (June 21).
The state of play of the Canadian video games industry
I really looked forward to the panel titled “Made in Canada: How We Got Here and What Lies Ahead”, hoping for a deeper look at the current state of the Canadian video games industry.
Having talked to developers at the indie showcase and seen the brilliant games they’re cooking, I knew already that the future of Canadian games was bright (this is quickly becoming my favourite catchphrase). This panel just solidified it.
Canada rules at video games. We’re extremely good at making them, at supporting new studios, and at developing talent. Not only that, but we’re also an attractive destination for foreign investment, studio expansion, and talent recruitment.
Here are some numbers from the ESAC’s Canada’s Video Game Industry June 2024 report:
821 active studios across the country
34,010 employees
$5.1 billion contribution to the GDP
$102,000 average salary
I expect the actual numbers for this year are higher still.
Of course, Canada is facing immense global competition, and the industry’s problems here are the same as everywhere else—studio closures, layoffs, game cancellations—but the panel was enthusiastically optimistic about our ability to weather all of the storms. We’re well-positioned to do so:
🌎 We have full-fledged gamedev ecosystems in the industry hubs of Quebec, Ontario, and British Columbia, with mighty pockets of activity in the Maritimes and the Prairies, too.
💰 There is government support and an appetite to do more; there are tax credits and maturing senior talent; there’s access to Asian and European markets from our respective coasts.
💎 The quality of life and the cost of living, particularly compared to the U.S., make establishing studios here cheaper and more attractive, harsher winters notwithstanding.
“We’re so good at making video games in Canada. Buy a jacket—it’s awesome here!”
– Paul Fogolin, Entertainment Software Association of Canada
87% of games made in Canada are exported. The global audience wants what we make. We excel at indie runaway hits—while The Game Awards are an imperfect metric, Canadian indies have been nominated and consistently winning for years. Think Balatro (2024), Sea of Stars (2023), Celeste (2018), Cuphead (2017)… 🇨🇦 Besides those, I bet quite a few games you’ve enjoyed or played in the last few years are Canadian-made, you just didn’t realize it. Neither did I!
Time to get better at marketing, Canada!
Montreal leads the charge in indie collaboration
The Canadian video games industry, while punching well above its weight, can’t take the foot off the gas. More and better support for microstudios and small upstarts is sorely needed.
Christopher Chancey’s case for extreme collaboration between indies echoed this sentiment in his talk detailing the success of his indie accelerator Indie Asylum. Whether a safe haven or housing for the mad and the insane (both?), the co-op style game development and support hub in Montréal sounds like the future of gamedev work that we should strive for.
During the talk, I found myself wishing our local studios in Ontario had similar infrastructure to lean on. Christopher encouraged that himself with a poignant question: “Why not here?”
Still, if the games I’ve demoed at XP Game Summit are any indication, it’s only up from here. Let’s finally talk games.
Demo showcase and the games that I tried
What would a game summit be without an expo of demos? Of course, I couldn’t get to them all, but those that I did play were great. Here are just a few that stood out to me.
1. Retroronto, Starspray Studios
Release date: TBA
A pixel life sim set in my hometown of Toronto? Shut up and take my money!
The demo’s playable area is just a small central part of downtown, but there are people to talk to, apartments to rent, jobs to find, and poop to step into. Made with love, and it shows. Plus, think of all the expansion potential! Kensington Market! Chinatown! The Beaches! Toronto is your oyster!
The demo is very fun to explore, and I highly recommend it.
2. Akiiwan Survival, Little Buffalo Studios
Release date: TBA
The development team describes the game as a chill survival adventure, and having played the demo, I can see why. It has a gentle, meditative feel, but also successfully introduces tension through short days, limited stamina, and a very slow walking pace. You can gather, hunt, and craft while learning about the natural environment around you. A mysterious talking campfire will guide you, in addition to keeping you warm.
Little Buffalo Studios is Indigenous-owned and -led. The Indigenous influences of respect and reverence for nature really shine in the game, and I’m very excited to experience it when it comes out.
3. Ambrosia Sky, Soft Rains
Release date: TBA
Soft Rains revealed their first game to the world at the recent PC Gaming Show. I was intrigued then, and I’m even more intrigued now, having learned that the studio is local. *Patriotism intensifies*
Described as part-FPS action, part-Powerwash Simulator, the game might end up not being my cup of tea, but I loved the look and feel of the demo. In my head, I imagined being in The Expanse universe, armed with a spray gun and battling a fungus. Given where the game is at production-wise, I thought the demo was very impressive. Check it out.
4. Twins of Olus, Team Verdant
Release date: TBA
The first demo I played at the XP Game Summit, Twins of Olus is shaping up to be an action-adventure in a beautiful fantasy world that you would traverse as a pair of heroes, switching between the two for unique combat abilities.
I thought the mechanics were inventive and fun, but I struggled with the controls, especially under the pressure of playing quickly to give other attendees a chance to try. Not much else to add right now, but when the game releases, I’ll definitely give it a go.
5. The Light Within, Pomsky Games
Release date: TBA
The Light Within is an upcoming mobile puzzle game about mental health and self-help. I don’t normally go for mobile games, but the visual design (and free stickers!) of The Light Within caught my eye, and I’m so glad it did!
For the ten minutes I had to play the demo, I was completely enthralled and wished I could take my time with it to admire the graphics and not rush the puzzles. I didn’t even finish the demo, but I’m keen to see more.
6. Thing from the Planet Jupiter, Slugworks Interactive
Release date: Out now
Free
A silly and fun two-player game about the cat Cannoli chasing the… whatever that is! Yes, you need two people and two controllers to play, controlling either Cannoli or The Green Thing, each with unique abilities to either entrap or escape. I just love the way The Green Thing runs. It just makes me so happy.
The game was a school project for the developers, and they told me they’re still weighing their options on whether to continue working on it or leave it as is. I certainly hope they decide to keep going, but even if not, The Green Thing from The Planet Jupiter is out now on Steam for you to enjoy in all its wacky glory!
That’s a wrap for the highlights, but that’s not all for the game coverage from XP25! Stay tuned for a separate post in praise of the five indie finalists of the XP Indie Pitch.
Look at you with your media badge! 😍 It looks like you had a fantastic couple of days, Katya! Using Roblox to revive an indigenous language is so awesome! I'm intrigued by some of these demos too so will add them to the list! Thanks for posting about your experience! 💖
Ohh, I had no idea that games like Balatro, or Cuphead were Canadian! I only knew that Sea of Stars was Canadian, the rest were a surprise. It makes me look forward to what indies we will get next from Canada!
The Light Within reminds me a lot of Monument Valley, in a good way. I want to try it out when it comes out! Also, the website is super cute, you can tell that the devs put a lot of love into this. With the mobile game market being very competitive and business-oriented, it makes me happy to see such great passion behind indies like this. I hope we can see even more of it!
Great coverage overall, Katya!