“Co-work & share, because everyone knows finding the motivation, bouncing ideas and sharing your excitement from home isn’t the same”
The Montreal gaming scene is teeming with creativity, opportunity and innovation. From AAA developers to the indie community, the city is a hotspot for industry veterans and novices alike. As of today, there’s a new member in town aiming to bridge a gap between likeminded people and game creation, and that project is called GamePlay Space.
A collaborative initiative between Execution Labs, Concordia University and the Montreal indie stage, GamePlay Space (GPS) is a nonprofit co-working space for video game development that is officially opening it’s doors today, February 16th 2015. Co-founder of Execution Labs and President of GPS explains that:
“The game development industry in Montreal needs an open and collaborative space where startups, small studios, and freelancers can meet, share knowledge, and work together. This critical mass of creative professionals will serve as a platform to drive the commercial success and sustainability of the community as a whole”
Now, it’s worth noting that both Execution Labs and Concordia University’s TAG (Technoculture, Art and Games) center are central assets to game creation in the city. While Execution Labs helps develop entrepreneurship and independence in game developers, TAG is an interdisciplinary program that focuses on academic game studies and design, digital culture and interactive art. In tandem, they’ve created the only space in Montreal where video game developers, freelancers and visionaries can come together and passionately do what they do best: create games.
The area itself shares the core philosophy of GPS. It’s open-spaced concept that allows different groups and individuals to share ideas and encourage the creative flow. Necessary amenities such as a kitchenette, communal areas, private meeting rooms and high-speed internet are available for all members, and spaces can be rented out daily or monthly, depending on your needs. Among its first members are Henry Smith, creator of the game Spaceteam, as well as studios Norsfell Games and Clever Endeavour Games (the studio responsible for Ultimate Chicken Horse, an indie game we saw at the 2015 IGDA Demo Night)
GPS also has plans to hold various workshops, seminars and lectures spearheaded by mentors and other established folk in the industry. A notable initiative that will be holding frequent program open for the public is Pixelles, the montreal based, women-run group that aims to promote diversity in the game-making community. If you’ve ever wanted to try your hand at creating a game, you should check out their workshop “Pixelles Follow Along”. GPS is hosting it this weekend at 2pm.
We here at Girls on Games are thoroughly excited about this new addition to Montreal’s video game community and wish them a warm welcome. If you’re interested in checking them out, you can head over to their website here to find out more about this wonderful new project located in the heart of this awesome city.