The ESIO is coming to Game Con Canada to showcase the work by the participants in two of our Strategic Initiatives Fund (SIF) programs, the Trailhead Program and the Summit Push Program.

THE TRAILHEAD PROGRAM

The Trailhead Program was set up to support recent graduates of the University of Alberta’s Computer Game Development Certificate program to take their projects to the next level, providing hands-on industry experience, mentorship and an opportunity to add to their portfolio and help prepare them for jobs within the games industry.

The ESIO recognized an opportunity to bolster the current program and provide students with an opportunity to get hands-on industry experience, mentorship and get a project portfolio under their belt, to prepare them for jobs within the games industry. The 6 week program culminated in each team showcasing their work at Game Con Canada 2024.

The 2024 projects were reviewed by a committee comprised of UofA faculty and the ESIO and the selected proejcts were:

The Drawnjuring

Play as G’lich—a pixelated, immortal lich—on a quest to maintain peace and quiet in SGiknea—a prison on a comet wherein you are incarcerated. Your prison mate, arch-enemy, and giant-floating-hand: the “Oodler” has escaped, leaving behind his ferocious, reanimated doodles, or Oodles! Consume the life forces of your enemies, and raise your own army of the slain in swift retribution. Finally, confront the Oodler and maybe, just maybe, he’ll leave you be (maybe, no promises).

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Infernal Bloodrush

INFERNAL BLOODRUSH is a 2.5d first-person doomlike where instead of shooting bullets, you spew flames. As demons threaten to spill into the world, it’s up to you to protect the Realm by burning every demon to ash.

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Within the Vault

The Fixer’s job is supposed to be simple. When a job needs a weapon, he goes into the Vault and gets one out. Simple. That was until the Vault started growing. Now the Boss has tasked the Fixer with figuring out why and how to stop it for good.

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Vain Ascendance

Vain Ascendance is a fast-paced roguelite platformer where you ascend an ever-changing office tower. Use Valerie’s dash attack to steal blood from enemies and take it home to make blood cocktails that upgrade your abilities, or drink it to heal in a pinch!

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SUMMIT PUSH PROGRAM

The Summit Push Program aims to increase the visibility of local producers/developers by showcasing their work at internationally recognized events and providing support to engage their ideal investment targets. The program includes an educational component to prepare participants to showcase at these events through workshops or other activities about exhibitor strategies, presentation skills, and effective networking at industry events.

The ESIO will lead and coordinate showcase opportunities at specified international markets for participants by providing access exhibition space for demos, sponsored events, meetings, and other events or activations benefiting the group. The ESIO will also provide financial support to succesful applicants to help alleviate the burden of costs studios face in preparing to attend these events.

The 2024 particpant studios were:

Caldera Interactive

Caldera Interactive is an indie game studio based in Edmonton, Alberta dedicated to making wholesome quality games with cute aesthetics.

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Occlusional

We are a development studio with a passion for games and real-time applications. We utilize decades of experience in Unreal Engine to create games that leave players speechless.

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Itzy Interactive

We’re an independent game developer from Edmonton, AB. We started making mobile games, and we have since expanded into console and PC games.

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Crimson Herring Studios

Crimson Herring Studios is an Edmonton, Alberta, Canada based software development company, focusing on development of role-playing video games for the PC and console markets.

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Only by Midnight

Only By Midnight is an indie game studio based in Edmonton, Alberta. We develop visually stunning games that tell a story, and we have fun doing it.

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Frozen Machine

Frozen Machine is an indie studio currently working on Penguin vs. Pirates – an Antarctic Adventure!
Set sail to the world of Penguin vs. Pirates, the first Twin-Stick Slider game! Slide into action as PC the Penguin, our small, but plucky heroine who must rescue her penguin pals and restore Waddle Isle to its former glory.
Battle a boatload of bullying pirates in this colourful, cartoon adventure that takes you from the tip-top of icebergs, to the mystic and murky depths of the ocean. Your mission is to storm the half-sunken Pirate Galleon and face the Pirate Demon himself – Davy Jones!

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