Vancouver, B.C. (September 10, 2025) – Creative BC is proud to announce the launch of the Video Games Early Stage Growth Program (the Program), a new pilot initiative that will provide $300,000 in funding to support emerging video game companies in British Columbia. Eligible applicants can apply for grants of up to $50,000.
This new program is designed specifically to help new studios that are still establishing their foothold in the market. By offering a strategic boost, the program will strengthen long-term sustainability and build capacity for ongoing content creation, positioning B.C. companies for future success in an increasingly competitive global industry.
Funding is available to B.C.-owned and controlled video game companies with no more than one shipped title. Applicants must submit proposals that prioritize creative excellence and are business-focused with appropriately resourced plans for production and feasibility. These plans are expected to demonstrate the potential for the strongest economic outcomes from public investment, while also contributing to the culture of artistic innovation and long-term growth and health of the province’s interactive digital media industry.
Applications will be assessed through a competitive decision process, and successful recipients will be determined by an external advisory panel of industry professionals. The program deadline will be announced later in 2025.
The program is part of Creative BC’s ongoing commitment to support B.C.-owned and controlled companies in developing their own creative intellectual property, while also helping new companies enter the market, expand their operations, and build toward long-term growth and sustainability.
Learn more about the Video Games Business Development Program, eligibility criteria, and deadlines online at https://creativebc.com/video-games-early-stage-growth.
This partnership is supported by the Province of British Columbia’s historic announcement made on April 19, 2023, of $3 million investment, over three years to support innovation and growth for independent B.C.-owned interactive digital media companies through 2027.
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Media Contacts:
Lisa Escudero, Creative BC
media@creativebc.com
+1 604-730-2235
Quotes:
Honourable Anne Kang, Minister of Tourism, Arts, Culture and Sport
“B.C.’s video game companies generate approximately 40% of Canada’s GDP in this sector — a remarkable contribution that reflects our province’s leadership in digital innovation. This new pilot program is a forward-looking investment in the future of our creative economy. By supporting the next generation of companies, we’re building a clear pathway for both emerging and established studios to thrive.”
Prem Gill, CEO, Creative BC
“Creative BC is proud to launch the Video Games Early Stage Growth Program, a pilot program designed to open doors for the next generation of B.C. video game companies. By investing in emerging studios at a critical stage, this funding will help expand the industry, foster new intellectual property, and strengthen B.C.’s position as a hub for creative innovation in the global marketplace.”
About Creative BC
Creative BC is an independent society created and supported by the Province to sustain and help grow British Columbia’s creative industries: motion picture, interactive and digital media, music and sound recording, and magazine and book publishing. The organization delivers a wide range of programs and services with a mandate to expand B.C.’s creative economy. These activities include: administration of the provincial government’s motion picture tax credit programs; delivery of program funding and export marketing support for the sector; and provincial film commission services. Combined, these activities serve to attract inward investment and market B.C. as a partner and destination of choice for domestic and international content creation. The agency acts as an industry catalyst and ambassador to help B.C.’s creative sector reach its economic, social, environmental, and creative potential both at home and globally. Website: www.creativebc.com