Creative BC opens Video Games Early Stage Growth grants up to $50,000

What was announced

Creative BC has launched the 2026/27 intake of its Video Games Early Stage Growth programme, a pilot funding stream designed to support early-stage game studios based in British Columbia. The programme offers non-repayable grants to help young game companies develop original intellectual property and build the business capacity needed to reach sustainable production and sales. The total funding pool is CAD $300,000, with a maximum request of CAD $50,000 per company, awarded competitively based on merit rather than automatically.

Who can apply

Applicants must be for-profit companies incorporated in British Columbia or Canada with their head office in British Columbia. The company must be Canadian-owned and Canadian-controlled, meaning a majority of ordinary voting shares must be held by British Columbia residents who are Canadian citizens or permanent residents. Those shareholders must have lived in B.C. for at least 200 of the preceding 365 days and filed B.C. income tax returns for the previous tax year. Companies registered only extra-provincially in B.C., foreign-owned studios, and individuals without a qualifying company structure are not eligible.

Early-stage status is defined as having zero or one shipped commercial game available for purchase or download through a commercial publishing platform. Companies with two or more released titles should apply to Creative BC's separate Video Games Business Development programme instead. Previous successful recipients from the 2025 intake are not eligible to apply in 2026/27, and each company may submit only one application per intake.

What the funding can support

The grant is intended for business-focused development activities, not unrestricted artistic work. Eligible costs include labour and personnel, technology, content creation and design, publishing digital content, development and copyright clearance, technical administration, promotion, user acquisition, market entry, and playtesting. At least 75 per cent of total eligible project costs must be paid to goods and services providers based in B.C., making the choice of local collaborators central to any application. Travel costs may be included up to 10 per cent of the total grant allocation.

Ineligible expenses include real estate purchase or renovation, debt repayment, operating deficits, and content the applicant does not own or control. The application should demonstrate how creative achievement translates into intellectual-property value and sustainable game production, with measurable technical objectives and business goals such as completing a prototype, improving player onboarding, or testing product-market fit.

• Applicants must show how requested funding will measurably improve the company's pace and capacity
• A four-page Business Development Plan must explain the company vision, talent and diversity plans, and how the project benefits B.C.'s game sector
• A ten-page presentation deck should cover artistic direction, visual assets, gameplay mechanics, production timeline, target players, and commercial strategy

Key dates and next steps

Applications opened on 18 September 2026 and close at 4:00 PM Pacific Time on Monday, 2 November 2026. Applicants must submit an online application with a four-page Business Development Plan, a ten-page presentation deck, and links to trailers or videos of a demo or prototype. The guidelines state applicants should not upload executable game builds or installation files.

After the intake closes, Creative BC checks administrative eligibility and may request missing documents within a five-day window, though applicants should not rely on this opportunity. An external advisory panel then evaluates submissions based on company profile, clarity of need, artistic originality, market potential, and contribution to the B.C. sector. The review process is expected to take at least nine weeks. Funding decisions are communicated by email, and successful applicants must enter into a contract with milestone deliverables and payment conditions. The funding period is generally twelve months, with extensions only in exceptional circumstances.

What this means for your business

This programme is designed for game studios building their first or second commercial title and seeking structured support to accelerate growth. If your company meets the eligibility requirements and has developed a clear business plan alongside your creative work, the funding can help cover the costs of local talent, production refinement, and market entry. However, the funding is awarded competitively; requesting the maximum $50,000 does not guarantee it will be awarded at that level. Before applying, studios should confirm their corporate structure, shareholding, release history, and the eligibility of their proposed budget expenses against the official guidelines.