Game on: Toronto’s Video Game Month returns with more than 50 events citywide

Game on: Toronto’s Video Game Month returns with more than 50 events citywide

Video Game Month returns to Toronto, building on last year’s proclamation by Mayor Olivia Chow. The month-long celebration will bring together industry leaders, creators and fans through a diverse lineup of programming, ranging from conferences, talks and workshops to interactive public experiences and showcases.

Boasting more than 50 events, many free or low cost, Video Game Month highlights the city’s thriving game development sector — one of the largest in North America — by celebrating innovation, emerging local talent and new ideas.

Throughout June, residents and visitors of all ages are invited to explore the artistry, technology and cultural impact of games while connecting with Toronto’s growing gaming community.

Event highlights include:

• Giant Video Games & Toronto Games Week Kickoff (Thursday, June 11): This outdoor kickoff invites attendees to play locally made games projected onto historic Canada Malting Silos at Bathurst Quay Common, alongside an arcade and food vendors.

• The Beautiful Game: A Playable History of Soccer Video Games (Thursday, June 11 to Wednesday, June 17): This interactive exhibition at the Royal Ontario Museum explores how the world’s most popular sport has been brought to life on screen, with visitors invited to play soccer video games spanning the last 50 years.

• Intro to the Torontrons Workshop (Saturday, June 13): This hands-on workshop at University of Toronto’s Bahen Centre for Information Technology introduces game developers to the Torontrons — Hand Eye Society’s custom arcade cabinets — and teaches them how to prepare their games for arcade-style exhibition.

• Rat Race: Soccer Fever Edition (Sunday, June 14): Competitors meet at Union Station’s clock tower before racing through Toronto’s underground PATH network, solving clues and earning bonus points along the way.

• Elden Ring Symphonic Adventure with Toronto Symphony Orchestra (Friday, June 26): This immersive concert experience at Roy Thomson Hall brings the world of Elden Ring to life through video montages, lighting and sound effects, synchronized with the game’s score, performed live by the Toronto Symphony Orchestra.

A full list of the more than 50 events is available on the City’s website.

Video Game Month supports the City’s economic and cultural priorities, including the Sidewalks to Skylines and Culture Connects action plans, by advancing equity and access, fostering innovation and quality jobs, and celebrating Toronto’s diverse creative industries. It also contributes to the City’s “Love Local” campaign by spotlighting homegrown talent and businesses across the digital media landscape.

Toronto is home to more than 180 digital media companies, many among them game developers creating content beloved the world over. With strong ties to the city’s film, animation and visual effects industries, the gaming sector plays a key role in Toronto’s economy and reinforces its global reputation as a hub for culture and innovation. Across Ontario, more than 270 video game studios employ over 6,000 people, with the majority based in Toronto.

Quotes:

“Toronto’s gaming and esports sector continues to grow and create jobs, attract global events and showcase local talent to the world. As we celebrate Video Game Month, we are recognizing the creators, developers, artists and entrepreneurs helping drive innovation and strengthen Toronto’s reputation as a global hub for digital media and technology.”

– Mayor Olivia Chow

“Toronto Video Game Month celebrates a sector that drives our economy and reflects who we are. Local studios create quality, competitive jobs in a dynamic and growing industry at the intersection of art and technology, where stories are shared and communities are built. The games developed here in Toronto showcase our diversity and demonstrate how homegrown creativity can inspire audiences around the world.”

– Anthea Foyer, Creative Technology Office, City of Toronto

“Toronto has been a hub for people creating groundbreaking games for decades, and it’s great that there’s now a month to celebrate our most playful arts and culture.”

– Jim Munroe, co-founder of Toronto Games Week

Toronto is home to more than three million people whose diversity and experiences make this great city Canada’s leading economic engine and one of the world’s most diverse and livable cities. As an Official Host City for the FIFA World Cup 2026™ and the fourth largest city in North America, Toronto is a global leader in technology, finance, film, music, culture and innovation and climate action, and consistently places at the top of international rankings due to investments championed by its government, residents and businesses. For more information visit the City's website or follow us on X, Instagram or Facebook.