Why NAGIS Chose Edmonton and What It Means for the City's Video Game Industry

This June, publishers from across the globe are coming to Edmonton to find their next video game. For local studios, that changes everything.

The North American Game Industry Summit (NAGIS) Powered by Xsolla is making its Edmonton debut this June, running alongside Game Con Canada from June 19-21. Edmonton Screen has committed to a three-year partnership with NAGIS and Game Con Canada, and Explore Edmonton has secured the summit in the city for five years. For local studios and developers, that kind of long-term commitment means something real.

The Right City at the Right Time

Edmonton's video game community is close knit, collaborative, and growing. Game Con Canada's success last year made that clear. Now NAGIS is the next step.

Meibel Consulting, the team behind Game Con Canada, chose Edmonton over larger markets like Vancouver to launch NAGIS. That decision reflects something real about this city. The community here is connected in a way that makes Edmonton uniquely well suited for an event built on genuine relationships and real industry conversations. Eastern Canada has had events like the Montréal International Game Summit (MIGS) for years. Western Canada hasn't had its equivalent. Until now.

"Edmonton isn't just where we can host NAGIS, it's where it makes the most sense to build it, because the region is aligned, collaborative, and ready to turn creative strength into sustained industry growth for all of Alberta." -
Chris Meilleur, CEO, Meibel Consulting

Built for Business

NAGIS is not a consumer gaming event. It's a business summit built for developers, studios, publishers, and investors. Structured pitch sessions, one-on-one publisher meetings through MeetToMatch, industry panels, and a video game developer showcase, all under one roof over one weekend alongside Game Con Canada.

The pitch sessions are one of the strongest reasons for Edmonton studios to be in the room. Local developers will have the opportunity to present directly to national and international publishers who are actively looking to fund and publish new projects. Not all publishers are looking for the same thing, so the studios that get the most out of these sessions will be the ones who do their research, understand who's attending, and tailor their pitch accordingly. That kind of access typically requires an international flight. This June it requires a drive across town.

MeetToMatch, the B2B matchmaking platform that powers some of the world's largest video game industry events including Gamescom, is central to how NAGIS works. Studios can research attending publishers, book one-on-one meetings in advance, and walk in prepared. The platform's involvement in NAGIS reflects the confidence the global industry has in what's building here.

"Globally, there are very few events that successfully combine B2B and B2C. With Game Con Canada already bringing together over 40,000 people, the addition of a professional B2B component makes NAGIS a powerful opportunity for the industry." - Fedor van Herpen, Founder, MeetToMatch

Real Access, Right Here

For Edmonton's video game community, NAGIS opens doors that have historically required leaving the city to find. Publisher relationships, investment conversations, global industry connections. These are the things that help studios grow, stay, and build something lasting here.

"What happens at NAGIS is one thing, but what happens after NAGIS in the next six to twelve months is the partnerships and the potential publisher deals that hopefully lead to contractual agreements with studios from Edmonton." - Ronnie Villanueva, Digital Media and Technology Specialist, Edmonton Screen

What Edmonton Studios Need to Know

The opportunity at NAGIS is real, but preparation is what separates studios that leave with meaningful connections from those that don't.

Get on MeetToMatch two to three weeks before the event. Fill out both your individual and company profiles so publishers can find you, and start booking meetings early. Availability fills up quickly as the event approaches. Research the publishers attending, check their MeetToMatch profiles, review their websites, and look at the games they've previously invested in. Some publishers will even list their investment range directly on the platform. That kind of information allows you to walk into a pitch knowing your video game fits their mandate rather than hoping it does.

For studios not in the pitch sessions, the same preparation applies. Attend your MeetToMatch meetings ready to take notes and build relationships. The informal networking event on the evening of June 18 is also worth showing up to. You never know who's in the room.

Publisher deals that come out of events like NAGIS typically take six to eighteen months to close. But they start somewhere. This is where that conversation begins.

The Bigger Picture

NAGIS being in Edmonton for five years sends a clear signal to the broader industry that this city is a serious market. That visibility matters, not just for attracting investment, but for giving local talent a reason to stay and build their careers here rather than leaving for larger markets.

Edmonton already has some of Canada's larger video game studios, including BioWare, Inflexion, Beamdog, and Arcanaut Studios. As those studios grow alongside the region's indie community, the pathways from post-secondary programs into real industry careers become more defined. Events like NAGIS accelerate that. They bring the industry to Edmonton, legitimize the city as a place where serious creative work happens, and give students and emerging developers a front row seat to what the industry actually looks like.

"These events create valuable opportunities for local creators, developers, students, and entrepreneurs to connect with industry leaders, showcase talent, and build partnerships." - Arlindo Gomes, VP of Business Development and Venues Management, Explore Edmonton

What Comes Next

NAGIS runs June 18-19, alongside Game Con Canada at Edmonton Expo from June 19-21. Tickets and MeetToMatch access are available at nagis.ca. Edmonton Screen's 2026 Trailhead and Summit Push recipients will be among the studios on the floor showcasing their upcoming titles.

Edmonton's video game industry is building momentum. NAGIS is part of that story.

Interested in how Edmonton Screen supports local video game studios and developers? Learn more about our programs at edmontonscreen.com/programs.