Five spots to pitch publishers, $5M in CMF funding, MIGS and VGLX discounts, IO’s new Board

Fall is always one of the busiest seasons for Ontario’s interactive entertainment sector, and our 25th year is no exception. In this edition, we’re opening applications for our ISB Access to Publishers/Investors Program, highlighting our newly elected Board Directors, looking back at IO Connect at TIFF: The Market, sharing a new funding opportunity from the Canada Media Fund, and announcing a renewed partnership with Xsolla.

If your studio is ready to grow internationally, start with Access to Publishers. Applications close November 2 and only five spots are available.

Thanks for being part of our community. And don’t forget to mark your calendars, we’ll see you at IO Connect on December 3!

Ontario game and XR studios, applications are now open for IO’s ISB Access to Publishers/Investors Program. Over four months, Klaas van der Stroom of Representing Games (the agency label of MeetToMatch) will work directly with your team to get your game in front of the right international partners.

Each selected studio receives:

• Personalized introductions to 5+ carefully selected international publishers and investors
• An in-depth review of your pitch materials, with written feedback
• A one-on-one session to talk through that feedback and your potential partners
• Hands-on outreach, connection setup, and follow-up guidance from the Representing Games team

Last year’s cohort secured 45 introductions to 28 publishers, investors, and partners.

When: November 2026 to March 2027 (kickoff November 24, 10 to 11 am ET)
Where: Virtual
Who: Independent Ontario game and XR studios, up to two leads per studio
Cost: $500 + HST for IO members, $899 + HST for non-members
Deadline: November 2, 2026 at 9:00 am ET

Only five spots are available, so don’t wait. Full eligibility details are in the application form.

Thank you to Ontario Creates and Canada Media Fund for supporting this program.

In September, more than 100 of Ontario’s interactive entertainment professionals and stakeholders joined us for IO Connect at TIFF: The Market, putting our sector at the centre of one of the biggest stages in entertainment. Here’s a look back at the evening.

We were honoured to welcome the Honourable Zee Hamid, Ontario’s new Minister of Tourism, Culture and Gaming, who engaged in thought-provoking conversation with attendees. Joining us as partners and speakers were Karen Thorne-Stone, President and CEO of Ontario Creates; Anthea Foyer, Sector Development Officer for the City of Toronto; Margaret McGuffin, CEO of Music Publishers Canada; and Geoff Macnaughton, VP, Industry Development and Theatrical Exhibition at TIFF.

Earlier in the day, IO co-presented a talk with TIFF: the Market, where Katrina Lat delivered “What’s Next?: Trends from an Increasingly Immersive World,” drawing on more than 1,000 immersive works she’s experienced across three continents.

Thank you to everyone who came out, and to our partner TIFF: The Market and supporters City of Toronto, Ontario Creates and Music Publishers Canada for making it possible.

The next IO Connect is coming December 3, 2026. Mark your calendar and stay tuned for details.

Interactive Ontario recently held its Annual General Meeting, and as we continue through our 25th year advocating for Ontario’s video game and interactive entertainment sector, we’re proud to share the leadership guiding our industry forward.

Please join us in welcoming our new Directors, Brittany Maia, Co-Founder of Big Bad Monster Studios, and Adam Clare, Co-Founder of Wero Creative. Congratulations to our re-elected and returning directors and officers: Zina Rahman (Co-Chair), Jamie Barron (Treasurer), Julien Lavoie, Kelsey McLaren, Jean-Sylvain Sormany, and Mary Sorrenti.

A heartfelt thank you to former directors George Geczy of BattleGoat Studios and Ramona Pringle of Future Makers, and to our outgoing Secretary and Officer, Max Rothschild of Stohn Hay Cafazzo Heim Finlay LLP, for their invaluable contributions to IO and our sector.

We’re privileged to be supported by such a strong, thoughtful, and passionate group of people.

Interactive Ontario is thrilled to share that Xsolla has renewed its Leading Partnership with IO for another year, deepening a relationship built on significant investment in Ontario’s game development community.

This is a partnership that goes well beyond branding. Xsolla’s Leading Partnership renewal includes support of keystone IO programming, including our recent Indie Superboost Game Business Masterclass, five Indie Superboost Online Talks throughout the year featuring industry experts and leaders, and our upcoming IO Connect VIP Cocktail Reception and Holiday Mixer in December 2026, which will bring together prominent voices, decision-makers, and stakeholders of Ontario’s interactive entertainment sector.

Beyond supporting industry initiatives, Xsolla offers practical tools built for independent studios. As a Merchant of Record purpose-built for games, their team provides specialized expertise in live service integration, game commercialization, monetization, user acquisition, and online services.

The following Xsolla services are available to IO members:

• Xsolla Game Sales: sell game keys directly to consumers and reach a global audience via over 1,000 payment methods.
• Xsolla Web Shop: create web stores for your mobile games.
• Xsolla Funding: a matchmaking platform connecting you with a network of potential funders and publishers.
• Xsolla Publishing Suite: solutions that let you build your own commercial infrastructure, grow your audience, and expand your reach.
• Xsolla Partner Network: create affiliate campaigns with creators worldwide and access comprehensive performance metrics.

Reach out directly to John Nguyen, Regional Vice President, Xsolla Canada, for more information.

Thank you, Xsolla, for standing with Ontario’s video game industry

Congratulations to Video Games Canada (formerly Entertainment Software Association of Canada) on a memorable Video Games on the Hill. The event brought elected officials, policymakers, and industry leaders together in Ottawa for a showcase of made-in-Canada games.

Minister Marc Miller’s remarks reflected a strong commitment to the growth and global competitiveness of our sector, and we were glad to see Parliamentary Secretaries David Myles and Wade Grant, along with MPs Fares Al Soud, Tatiana Auguste, Guillaume Deschênes-Thériault, and Jake Sawatzky, engaging directly with our industry. A special thank you to MP Al Soud for being a steadfast champion of Canada’s interactive entertainment sector.

We’re especially proud of the IO members who showcased the exceptional talent Ontario has to offer: Ubisoft Toronto, Electronic Arts (EA), Behaviour Interactive, and Ravine Studios.

We’re already looking forward to Video Games on the Hill 2027.

IO members, check your inbox. Your exclusive discount codes for two major events this fall have already been sent.

MIGS 2026: 20% off for IO members
Canada’s largest and longest-running B2B video game conference returns to Grand Quay in Montréal, November 10 to 11. It’s a prime opportunity to meet publishers and peers, and five indie studios will be selected to pitch live in the MIGS Indie Pitch Competition.

VGLX26: 15% off for IO members
This fan-first gaming convention takes over The International Centre in Mississauga, October 24 to 25, with playable demos, indie games, collectibles, creator meetups, and live experiences.

Not a member yet? Discounts like these are just one of the perks of joining IO.

The Canada Media Fund has launched its first-ever Business Development Program, a $5M pilot that invests in companies rather than individual projects.

The program is open to small and mid-sized Canadian companies with a track record of commercial or cultural success in linear or interactive digital media content, and you don’t need to have received CMF funding in the past to apply.

Applications: Open November 10 to 26, 2026
Info sessions will be announced soon, so keep an eye on CMF communications for details.

Our Mission: To inspire, unite and enable Ontario’s video game and interactive digital media community to achieve long-term growth and prosperity.