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Overview of the Digital Entertainment / Interactive Media Industry

British Columbia is an international hub for interactive and digital media.  More than 1,300 digital media companies are at the forefront of innovation in mobile apps, virtual and augmented reality, animation, visual effects, social media, interactive marketing and e-learning tools.

BC has highly skilled talent, comprehensive infrastructure (full studios and equipment), targeted incentives, and a creative atmosphere. The industry employs 16,500 people in BC and is valued at $2.3 billion annually.


BC’s digital media hub is one of the biggest in the world and growing every year…

                                                          Creative BC


Creative BC provides the following statistics:

  • 152 interactive entertainment companies in BC
  • 1,300 digital media companies in BC
  • 500 full time employees in BC working in Virtual/Augmented Reality
  • 14,740 employees work as computer programmers or interactive media developers

Three sectors are responsible for majority of activity within Digital Entertainment / Interactive Media:

Visual Effects (VFX) & Animation

  • in Vancouver, over 100 studios make up the VFX and Animation industry, the world’s largest cluster of domestic and foreign-owned studios.
  • BC’s post production and visual effects facilities work on commercials, music videos, interactive game content, animation, films and TV series

Interactive Gaming and App Development

  • includes many leading companies including Electronic Arts (EA), Microsoft Studios, Relic Entertainment/SEGA, Nintendo, Klei Entertainment, and Kabam

Augmented Reality and Virtual Reality

  • over 200 members within BC’s AR/VR association