More than 15 million Canadians identify as gamers, including 90% of teenage males. Overall, the country’s gaming sector is worth $6 billion and is expected to hit $10 billion by 2027.
Mobile gaming is Canada’s biggest gaming niche. It’s worth $4 billion, according to Statista. With that said, let’s look at some of the most popular online games in the country.
Minecraft
Minecraft became the bestselling video game in Canada in 2020. Since then, it still reigns supreme. To be fair, Minecraft is the most popular video game in the world.
It has sold roughly 240 million copies since its launch in 2011. It has over 140 million fans and generates $150 million in annual sales. What makes Minecraft so popular?
Minecraft is about survival and creativity. When the game starts, you have nothing. You risk dying unless you can find shelter, food, and supplies in the game’s expansive world.
If you survive harsh weather conditions and dangerous animals, next, you can think about being creative. You can create anything in the video game:
- Farmhouse
- Bridge
- Pyramids
- City
- Garden
- Fountain
Like most video games, Minecraft has a huge online community. You can interact with fellow fans on Discord, Reddit, Twitter, or Twitch. Minecraft also features activities that have been immortalized in the Guinness World Records.
You can chase records like building the largest pyramid, the biggest cake, or the longest marathon playing Minecraft.
Online Casino Games
Online casino gaming is a $2 billion industry in Canada. It’s expected to generate as much as $10 billion by 2027. The sector’s rapid growth has a lot to do with the commercialization of online gambling in Ontario.
Ontario welcomed online casinos officially in April last year. Since then, over 40 operators have received their licenses.
Over one million Canadians have opened betting accounts in the past year. Outside Ontario, most Canadians play casino games through offshore sites. The majority of overseas betting sites are safe.
Still, it’s in your best interest to learn how to identify the features of the best online casinos. Look for security measures like SSL encryption, a genuine license, and testimonials. Check out the games and bonuses provided. More importantly, select a reputable casino.
Grand Theft Auto V
Grand Theft Auto is a blend of everything gamers love about a video game. It’s about racing, action, heists, and side missions that have nothing to do with the game.
For example, the online version of GTA V features an online casino through which you can play slots, blackjack, and poker. Of course, you don’t win real money. If you want to win real cash, join real money casino sites.
Beyond casino gaming, GTA provides an adventure into one of the most realistic games out there. It’s beautifully designed, packed with sports cars and missions that will make anyone fall in love with the game.
Interestingly, Grand Theft Auto isn’t all about crime. You can work as a police officer, a medical technician, or a government worker—boring but legal jobs.
The popularity of GTA V could be about to change, however, as Rockstar (the game’s developer) has announced the production of the next installment in the series. Considering the hype, it would be fair to assume that GTA VI will eclipse GTA V with ease upon its release.
Candy Crush Saga
Candy Crush rules in the mobile gaming space. It has 2.7 billion downloads on app stores and tens of millions of daily users. In Canada, the game attracts two million daily users—ranking it at the top of the most played games.
What makes Candy Crush so successful? It’s simple to play. You earn points by matching colored candies. The game has several levels. There’s a time level. Then there’s a jelly level. It requires you to clear blocks in a few moves.
The beauty of Candy Crush is that it’s a casual game. Although you play to complete levels, it doesn’t matter how long you play. The game’s selling point is that it’s fun.
It’s exciting to match candies, form color bombs, and complete levels. It also gives you retries, although you get a maximum of five lives at a time. Another benefit is that it’s popular. You can bond with friends and colleagues while playing or talking about Candy Crush.
Fortnite
In 2017, no video game was as popular as Fortnite. Everyone was playing it. In fact, it became so popular that the 2018 Fortnite World Cup had 40 million competitors. The winner took home over $3 million.
Is Fortnite still popular in 2023? It is. It faces stiff competition from games like PUBG. But it’s still one of the biggest Battle Royale games online. Don’t take our word for it. Look at these stats:
- 350m PLAYERS
- Attracts up to 15m concurrent players
- Streamed at an average of 13m hours every week
- Over $10m paid out to eSports players
Although Fortnite is associated with kids, it’s also a fun game for adults. It’s free. You can play on your PC or smartphone. It has millions of online players, but it’s also challenging.
At its core, Fortnite is about survival. It releases 100 players into a small island where they need to fight until one person remains standing. You fight for weapons, shelter, and other resources. But make no mistake. You need a lot of practice to become good enough that you can finish among the top 10 players.
Call of Duty: Warzone II
Call of Duty is one of the bestselling video games in Canada in 2023. It trails Hogwarts Legacy but ranks ahead of NHL 23, FIFA 23, and Elden Ring. Surprisingly, Warzone II has attracted a series of mixed reviews since its launch.
The biggest complaint so far is that the game glitches constantly, and the interface isn’t friendly. Activision Blizzard has been working hard to fix these issues. And it better succeed in fixing them because Warzone is an intriguing game.
Warzone II is a Battle Royale set in an ancient Islamic world riddled with war. You fight enemies while using gigantic cars. But take note that everyone has a stronghold.
If you want to win, you need powerful weaponry. You need great strategies and a little bit of experience. Similar to Fortnite, you won’t win matches here until after you’ve practiced for hours.
CS: GO
When it comes to eSports, few games rival CS: GO in popularity. It has a community of 50m+ people. It features organized competitions throughout the world, although you can also play it casually with others.
Counter-Strike is a multiplayer game. It pits two teams in a game of terrorists versus counter-terrorists. The bad guys complete missions like planting bombs while the good guys fight to diffuse bombs.
If you want to become a good player, play the game casually with strangers online. CS: GO has a great matchmaking tool that will match you with opponents of the same skill level. Once you become a decent player, you can get into the eSports space by streaming on Twitch or joining a pro team.