The increasing popularity of gaming is a worldwide phenomenon, but it’s especially prevalent in Canada, where gaming is one of the leading internet activities. Part of this is due to the high smartphone ownership in Canada; more than 80% of the population have an iOS or Android device, and those numbers are going up with each passing year. As such, we should expect gaming to become even more popular in the coming years. But let’s focus on the here and now. In this blog, we’ll take a look at the five most popular games (or gaming types) in Canada.

Fortnite

If you know anything about gaming, then you’ll know about Fortnite. Even non-gamers have heard of it. Though it was released in 2017, the battle royale game really found success in 2020, when it effectively took over the gaming world. It has proven to be especially popular in Canada, where it has been one of the most downloaded games for years. It’s free to play and ideal for playing on commutes.

Animal Crossing

Animal Crossing was most popular during 2020 and early 2021. However, though the success isn’t quite as significant as it was back then, it’s still a runaway success — it routinely features on the list of most played games in Canada. It’s one of the most popular games in history, which is somewhat surprising given the simple narrative of the game. Players are stranded on a deserted island as a playable character, and have to develop their community over time.

Challenging Games

Canadians love to play games purely for entertainment reasons, but they also love to challenge themselves. Blackjack is one of the most popular online casino games in Canada, in large part because it’s such an easily accessible game — you can learn the basics of how to play within a few minutes. But it’s not just the ease of play that makes it appealing. It also offers an agreeable mix of luck and skill that helps to keep the player engaged.

Survivor.io

Every now and again, there’s a game that looks, on paper, like it shouldn’t be successful but then proves to be an overwhelming success. That’s certainly the case with Survivor.io, which came out of the blue yet managed to claw its way to the top of the Canadian gaming charts. The basic premise is this: you’re a warrior, you come across bands of other warriors, and you attack them. It’s possible that this game will disappear as quickly as it rose to the top, but for now, it’s the number one game in Canada.

Mass Effect 3

It should come as no surprise that Mass Effect 3 has proven to have an enduring appeal in Canada. After all, who doesn’t love to see their own country represented in a video game? The game is set in the future, but the landscape will be instantly recognisable to Canadians living in the West. The virtual world of Mass Effect 3 doesn’t just bear a resemblance to Vancouver Island and Vancouver — it is those places, albeit one set in a slightly dystopian landscape.

This should come as no surprise since the producers of the game, Bioware, hail from Canada. They’re based out of Edmonton, but you have to imagine they chose British Columbia because, well, it’s just beautiful.

Conclusion

Canada is a nation that loves to use the internet. Indeed, it’s one of the leading countries in the world when it comes to web usage. With everyone glued to their smartphones, it’s no surprise that the gaming market has proven so lucrative in Canada, a trend we expect to continue into the future.