International Reputation
Since its inception, the CATAPULTE program has had a major impact in terms of growth and outreach on independent video game studios in the province of Quebec. The program received an award from the International Economic Development Council (IEDC) in 2018 and now enjoys recognition on the international scene. This initiative is also one of Canada’s top leverage tools for the video game industry ecosystem and for the 18 entrepreneurs who benefited from it so far. At the moment, thanks to these exceptional results, the program can count on the support of numerous local, national and international partners.
A $115,000 Prize
This year, the CATAPULTE program will award a prize of almost $115,000 in value, including a $50,000 cash prize and nearly $65,000 worth of services. As in previous years, the prize value for the 2020 edition is not only the biggest ever awarded since the program launch in 2014 but also the only one of this scale in Canada in the video game industry.
5 Finalists Competing
The five independent studios that will be competing in the CATAPULTE 2020 final were also announced during the launch this morning:
STUDIOS | PROJECTS |
WhileOne Productions | Guild of Ascension |
Folklore Games | Spiral |
Fika Productions | Ship of Fools |
Qwerty Stud.io | ReWorld Arena |
RageCure | Goons: Legends of the Hockeyverse |
CATAPULTE Final
The final competition will take place on Thursday, April 16, at 5 p.m. at the Impérial Bell in Québec City, during the Semaine numériQC. The evening will be hosted by the famous video game journalist Denis Talbot.
“Caisse Desjardins de Québec is proud to support the CATAPULTE program since day one. Fostering innovation and creation in Québec City is very important to us. In 2019, the Caisse redistributed over $800,000 in sponsorships, donations and through its Community Development Fund in order to support many initiatives in culture, education, business development, and other sectors. This allows us to support dynamism in our community. We wish the best of luck to all finalists in the 2020 CATAPULTE program.”
Martine Dufresne, Market Development Manager, Caisse Desjardins de Québec
“Ubisoft Québec is proud to be encouraging the local creative genius by partnering with the CATAPULTE program, a driver of our ecosystem. As a partner since the beginning, we have seen these entrepreneurs evolve, grow and create outstanding projects that push the boundaries of our industry. It is essential for us to take part in their development by providing the winner with coaching and financial support, but also by granting them access to our user research lab to help them perfect their projects.”
Andrée Cossette, Managing Director, Ubisoft Québec
“Initiated in Québec City by the cluster, the CATAPULTE program has been building its reputation since the first edition and has generated significant economic benefits for video game businesses in the province of Quebec. The successes of past participants not only contributed to strengthening Québec EPIX’s position as a hub for this major industry but also strengthened the province’s position as a leader in this sector in Canada and internationally.”
Dali Berthiaume, Cluster President, Québec EPIX
“Québec International’s team is proud to support the CATAPULTE program, an economic driver that combines the mobilization and cooperation efforts from industry stakeholders to create a beneficial environment for businesses in the video game industry. This program also allows the industry to distinguish itself internationally with the outreach of local talent and techno-creative expertise.”
Carl Viel, President and CEO, Québec International
About Québec EPIX
Québec EPIX is a major cluster of techno-creative businesses and stakeholders in the video game, animation and immersive experience sectors in the Québec City region. This collaboration and mobilization nexus is driven by a common desire to take part in the innovation, growth, and positioning of the creative technology industry in the greater Québec City region.
