While work drama, Trudeau leaving office, and Trump’s controversial tariffs have been dominating the conversation lately, there’s been another powerful topic that’s woven its way into everyday conversation in Canada: gaming. With 23 million Canadians playing video games and playtime averaging around 7.9 hours a week (that’s an entire workday!), gaming is taken seriously in the Great White North.
Sure, there are other countries where gaming is just as important to the cultural fabric. Korea is known for its PC bangs (dedicated gaming cafés) and multiplayer gaming competitions, China’s gaming industry is one of the world’s largest markets, and the United States is home to some of the most popular game publishers.
Canada might not be the most prominent name in gaming, but Canadians set themselves apart with how, where, and why they game, and quietly produce some of the top titles in the industry.
Genres Canadian Players Love to Play
Canadians are into a little bit of everything, mirroring their multicultural population in sprawling cities like Montreal, Toronto, and Vancouver. Like other gamers worldwide, they love to play popular shooters like Valorant and Call of Duty and story-driven RPGs like Final Fantasy and Mass Effect.
Yet Canada’s most popular genres—action-adventure, family games, and shooters—reflect the local culture. As the country is known for its vast natural spaces and massive geographical area, it’s no surprise its residents have a hankering for discovery and exploration. In March 2025, the country’s highest three perfect-selling video games were action-adventure titles.
Co-op sci-fi game Split Fiction, a beautiful, wacky game where players have to work together, came in at third. In second place was Monster Hunter, which concerns monsters and humans trying to coexist in harmony. Assassin’s Creed: Shadows, the latest installment of the infamous historical fiction RPG at the time, took the crown.
Canadians are also known to be very family and community-oriented, even within an individualistic society, which explains their enjoyment of family games. Titles like Mario Kart, Animal Crossing, Cuphead, and Plants vs. Zombies are household staples, uniting people of all ages and walks of life.
The Country’s Real-Money Gaming Scene
Another component that sets Canada apart from the rest is the real-money gaming scene. Thanks to Canada’s progressive stance, many provincial governments were quick to embrace online gambling and created an environment that was accessible and increasingly familiar. Ontario established a fully regulated online gambling market featuring sportsbooks and casinos, where gamers could play all their favourite games, such as slots, roulette, poker, and blackjack.
As a result, Canadians are among the most familiar when it comes to casino platforms because the market is so regulated and they’ve had long-standing access to this type of gaming. In contrast, many parts of the world are still catching up, dealing with stricter regulations or platforms operating in a legal grey area.
Platform Preferences
Technology and availability also influence Canadian gamers’ platform preferences. While the country is home to the latest tech, such as powerful PCs, virtual reality devices, and high-performance consoles, mobile gaming is now the most popular way to game.
Perhaps it’s the incredible developments made to mobile interfaces or the convenience and accessibility of playing whenever and wherever. Or maybe it’s because the format accommodates both casual and competitive play that’s made it such a hit. Considering that online casinos are also typically accessed on mobile devices, it could explain the thriving mobile gaming community.
But that’s not to say other platforms aren’t doing well too. In 2023, more than half of Canadians reported having a game console at home, up from 42% in 2018. Among online gamers, 36% play games on their PC. Similar to the US, there’s a growing population taking PC gaming to the next level, building their own custom rigs to enhance their gameplay.
The Identity of Canadian Gamers
Because Canadians like to capitalize on new trends and be proactive in the gaming scene, they tend to be early adopters, whether jumping on the latest game or experimenting with new platforms and tech. With a solid, regulated gaming environment to enjoy, they approach gaming responsibly yet enthusiastically, leaving them with more room to discover new experiences.
The strong tech infrastructure and diverse culture have paved the way for an extremely versatile environment, with niche communities, varied gaming preferences, and flourishing social scenes where gaming is the nucleus.
Community has become a building block for Canada’s national identity, fostering inclusivity. As long as you’re a gamer, living in Canada, and have a passion for a certain title, series, or genre, you’re part of the group.
What’s Next for Canadian Players?
Canada is perfect known for its politeness, poutine, and national obsession with hockey, but gaming hasn’t traditionally been a defining aspect. However, across cities and towns in the second-largest country in the world are millions of people with a real passion for gaming. Canadian gamers naturally set themselves apart from those in other regions with their open-mindedness, sense of responsibility, and strong sense of community. As we look to the future, these traits are bound to do wonders for the evolving industry, creating more inclusive gaming spaces and setting the stage for innovative creation.
Will we see new developments in online and offline gaming? Will new technologies emerge from Canada to benefit the gaming world? If you didn’t know already, some of the biggest and most critically acclaimed games were born in Canada—Dead by Daylight, Celeste, Balatro, Assassin’s Creed II. With a legacy like that, it’s about time Canada becomes more recognized in the gaming world.