Toronto, September 14, 2010 – The Entertainment Software Association of Canada (ESAC) is proud to welcome Warner Brothers Interactive Entertainment as its newest member. Warner Brothers recently announced the opening of its first video game development studio in Canada, WB Games Montreal.
Warner Bothers Interactive Entertainment is a worldwide leader in publishing, developing and licensing video games both internally as well as third party titles. WB Montreal will focus on the development of interactive games, and will also house a 3D animation studio, with plans to employ over 300 people in Montreal over the next 5 years.
“We are excited to join the leading companies in the Canadian video game industry as part of the Entertainment Software Association of Canada,” said WB Montreal studio head Martin Carrier. “The ESAC plays an important role in ensuring that issues of concern to us as a developer and publisher of video games are taken into account by decision-makers at both the federal and provincial levels.”
With this new major entrant in the Montreal game development and publishing industry, Montreal is further thrust into the forefront of the global video game industry as one of the largest video game clusters in the world with some 5,000 direct employees.
“The arrival of another major player in Canada is a clear indication of the overall quality of Canadian talent and the high regard with which we are seen in the industry globally,” added Danielle Parr, ESAC’s Executive Director. “We are tremendously excited to have Warner Brothers Interactive Entertainment join the ranks of our national trade association and look forward to working on their behalf in the coming years”.
ESAC is the voice of the dynamic and growing video and computer game industry in Canada. Association members include the nation’s leading interactive entertainment software developers and publishers including Electronic Arts, Ubisoft, Activision Blizzard, Microsoft Canada, Nintendo of Canada, Sony Computer Entertainment, Disney Interactive Studios, THQ, Take Two Interactive and now, Warner Brothers Interactive Entertainment, as well as distributors Solutions2Go and Team One Marketing.