Edmonton’s gaming industry is on the rise, with creators like Caldera Interactive adding to the city’s presence on the global stage.
Caldera Interactive was co-founded by CEO, Isael Huard, Technical Director, Mickael Zerihoun, Art Director, Titus Lo, and Jeff Cho after graduating from university and has since grown into a full-time studio. Their current project, The Rabbit Haul, a cozy farming-meets-tower-defense game, won the 2024 GDC Pitch competition in San Francisco and is set for release in summer 2026.
A Pivotal Moment: Gamescom 2023
One of Caldera’s first major milestones came in 2023, when they brought an early prototype of The Rabbit Haul to Gamescom in Cologne, Germany, the world’s largest gaming convention with more than 300,000 attendees.
That first trip was part of a trade mission organized by Edmonton Screen to help local creators access international markets.
“It gave us two years’ worth of experience in a week,” says Huard.
“The feedback we got there helped us secure further funding from the Canada Media Fund.”
The experience opened doors to publishers, production partners, and future opportunities. It also laid the groundwork for their return in 2024 through Edmonton Screen’s Summit Push Program, which further amplified their visibility and helped strengthen industry relationships that continue to grow today.
Levelling the Playing Field
Alberta currently offers no provincial tax credits for interactive digital media, which creates a challenge for local game developers competing with studios in British Columbia and Quebec.
By providing funding and access to industry events, Edmonton Screen helps Alberta game developers remain competitive, visible, and connected to the global screen industry.
“The more we show up at these events, the more those relationships grow,” says Huard.
“That’s what leads to real opportunities.”
Building Edmonton’s Game Development Ecosystem
Caldera is not just focused on their own success. They actively share resources with other local studios, contribute to industry discussions, and advocate for a stronger, united Edmonton screen industry.
Their vision is sustainable growth that allows them to hire more talent, develop multiple projects at once, and help position Edmonton as a recognized hub for game development.
“We want to keep building momentum, not just for our studio, but for the whole industry here in Edmonton,” Huard says.
Author: Merilyn
Communications & Social Media Consultant