Canada is home to some of the biggest names in the world of online gaming. Think of Mike ‘Shroud’ Grzesiek, Jack ‘Zlaner’ Lane and Damon ‘Karma’ Barlow.
These Twitch influencers make six figures doing what they love the most: Gaming. According to studies, more than 10 million Canadians identify as gamers. These are some of the games they play the most:
Minecraft
Minecraft was the best-selling video game in Canada in 2020. Two years later, the video-game is still a top-seller in Canada. Why is Minecraft so popular in Canada? For starters, you can create virtually anything in the sandbox ecosystem. From designing the pyramids of Giza to crafting an entire city, Minecraft allows you to be creative in all aspects. It’s also a survival game that challenges you to survive in extremely harsh conditions. In the grand scheme of things, Minecraft is popular because of its versatility. It allows you to explore places you would never think existed. It lets you create fun stuff with your friends and has a soundtrack that can keep you hooked for hours.
Call of Duty
Call of Duty is one of the most successful video game franchises of all time. Released nearly two decades ago, the action-packed multiplayer game has been pushing the boundary of what excellent gameplay should feel like for years. Canadians love Call of Duty for different reasons. For starters, it’s exciting to play. Everything about this video game was designed with entertainment in mind, from the mechanics and graphics to the soundtracks and the maps. Unlike some of its competitors, developer Activision is always trying to make a better version of Call of Duty. These days, the developer is investing in eSports to turn COD into one of the best video games of the eSports community. That includes COD: Mobile, one of the fastest-growing mobile games online.
Casino Games
The online casino industry is growing rapidly in Canada. This follows the legalization of single-event betting last year, which has encouraged provinces to commercialize the industry left, right and center. Truth be told, Canadians have been gambling online for years. Some of them have been lucky to win millions of dollars in jackpot money. However, most people play slots, poker and blackjack for their entertainment value. The majority of Canadian casino players use offshore websites. The reason is straightforward. Online casinos are a legal grey area in Canada. You can play at these legit online casinos listed here. And you may even earn a welcome bonus to help boost your bankroll. With that in mind, shop around to find the right casino for you. Compare slots and table games. Check bonuses and payment methods. And if you primarily bet through your smartphone, pick a mobile-optimized casino site.
CS: GO
Nearly every renowned Canadian eSports influencer is a CS: GO player. Unsurprisingly, the eSports franchise is a fan-favorite in the Great White North. CS: GO is short for Counter Strike: Global Offensive. It’s an online multiplayer that pits five ‘heroes’ against five ‘terrorists.’ Lead your team to accomplish a certain mission and you win. For example, your team may get a mission to plant a bomb while the counter-terrorists are tasked with foiling this mission. The game has a total of nine modes, although most people play only a couple of them. That said, CS: GO uses a top-notch match-making algorithm that promotes fairness. Speaking of which, the game has an anti-cheating detection system that kicks out anyone suspected of using bots to gain an advantage.
Fortnite
Contrary to popular belief, Fortnite offers a lot more than its Battle Royale gameplay. You can create an island and invite your friends over. Or, you could explore an island created by someone else. However, most people play Fortnite to experience battle royale. In this game mode, you fight 99 others to be the last player or team remaining. When the game starts, your first job is to scatter for weapons and to find shelter. The island shrinks fast, so there’s only a maximum amount of time you can hide. Secondly, there’s a storm that threatens everyone trying to hide—ensuring your best bet is to attack your enemies before they eliminate you. In Canada, Fortnite is incredibly popular among young players. It has been attracting stiff competition from PUBG. But still, it’s the battle royale game to beat.
Dota 2
Dota 2 is yet another popular eSports game with a massive following in Canada. The game consists of five teammates who control specific heroes to defeat the enemy’s ‘Ancient,’ a glowing building located within your opponent’s camp. Dota 2 has 123 playable characters, ensuring everyone has a control they can like. For clarity, every hero has unique capabilities and can improve their powers during the course of a game. Unlike some eSports games, Dota 2 is a strategy game. Both your team and the enemy require great strategies to win. This may mean choosing the right characters, punishing enemies’ mistakes severally or prioritizing defense before offense.
League of Legends
Inspired by Dota 2, League of Legends is an online battle arena game created by developer Riot Games. It pits together two teams of five players in each side. The goal is to defend your team’s side of the map while occupying the opponent’s side. Similar to Dota 2, players in LOL control a character known as a champion. Every character has some unique powers that often improve during the duration of a game. Characters get better by earning points and when you buy weapons that could help defeat your opponent. To be clear, a game ends when one side defeats the enemy’s ‘Nexus.’ This is a structure located within each team’s map. With that in mind, League of Legends is a highly successful video game in both Canada and around the world.
Conclusion
Canada is a gamer nation. A large proportion of the population play video games like CS: GO, Fortnite and casino games regularly. Statistically, Canadians love both PC and mobile games. In fact, many of the games we’ve highlighted above are more popular among mobile players compared to desktop players.
