Pair of Game Devs Make Canada's Top 100 Employer List
Pair of Game Devs Make Canada's Top 100 Employer List
October 9, 2009
Mediacorp Canada’s 10th annual list of the Top 100 Employers in the Great White North includes two game development companies.
It should be no surprise, of course, that BioWare made the list. The Alberta-based developer made the list because of such employee-friendly perks as referral bonuses (up to $1200), free breakfasts, free on site gym (with saltwater pool), top maternity leave benefits, seven days off during the Christmas season and seven-week long paid sabbaticals for veteran employees to help them avoid burnout.
Ontario-based Digital Extremes gained a spot in the Top 100 due to tuition subsidies (up to $2500 per year), liberally granting a new employee vacation time based on past work experience and maternity benefits. The Unreal Tournament co-creator also added over 30 new positions in the past year.
Grades will be assigned to each Top 100 entrant later this month.
Thanks Goose!
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GamePolitics ShoutBox
Posted 03/16/10 at 09:12pm
chadachada321: Parents were divorced, and each parent thought that the other was taking the child.
chadachada321: Parents were divorced, and each parent thought that the other was taking the child.
Posted 03/16/10 at 09:11pm
chadachada321: Meanwhile, in local news...Child left by parents at birthday party in Caesarland and forgotten...
chadachada321: Meanwhile, in local news...Child left by parents at birthday party in Caesarland and forgotten...
Posted 03/16/10 at 04:14pm
ZippyDSMlee: JD:Ya but the organ grinder got tired of all the "fluffing"...
ZippyDSMlee: JD:Ya but the organ grinder got tired of all the "fluffing"...
Posted 03/16/10 at 11:45am
JDKJ: Have you tried partnering with an organ grinder? If you do a good job, passerbys will fawn over you and throw change in your tin cup.
JDKJ: Have you tried partnering with an organ grinder? If you do a good job, passerbys will fawn over you and throw change in your tin cup.
Posted 03/16/10 at 10:59am
ZippyDSMlee: JD is jsut pissy cuse he is not getting enough attnetion...hey neither am I damnit!!!!
ZippyDSMlee: JD is jsut pissy cuse he is not getting enough attnetion...hey neither am I damnit!!!!
Posted 03/16/10 at 10:18am
Valdearg: @Cminer: LMAO. I was about to say the same thing. The typical Youtube comment implies they've been at it for years.
Valdearg: @Cminer: LMAO. I was about to say the same thing. The typical Youtube comment implies they've been at it for years.
Posted 03/16/10 at 10:17am
CMiner: JDKJ: That happened years ago. Look at your average forum poster/youtube commentor/etc for proof.
CMiner: JDKJ: That happened years ago. Look at your average forum poster/youtube commentor/etc for proof.
Posted 03/16/10 at 10:16am
JDKJ: BREAKING: Goodall Institute for Primate Research teaches chimpazee how to type and post to the Internet.
JDKJ: BREAKING: Goodall Institute for Primate Research teaches chimpazee how to type and post to the Internet.
Posted 03/16/10 at 08:39am
ZippyDSMlee: Afirejar:Left you a warm pile in the Venezuela/censorship article. :P
ZippyDSMlee: Afirejar:Left you a warm pile in the Venezuela/censorship article. :P
Posted 03/15/10 at 04:05pm
Andrew Eisen: I'm still here and I'm doing a lot of behind the scenes work (as time permits me). But it's true, I've only written one piece under the new GP but if that Facebook/JT bit is the last thing I write for the site, I’d be okay with that.
Andrew Eisen: I'm still here and I'm doing a lot of behind the scenes work (as time permits me). But it's true, I've only written one piece under the new GP but if that Facebook/JT bit is the last thing I write for the site, I’d be okay with that.
Posted 03/15/10 at 04:01pm
ZippyDSMlee: I suppose its not inane enough for petes muses*giggles*
ZippyDSMlee: I suppose its not inane enough for petes muses*giggles*
Posted 03/15/10 at 03:55pm
PHX Corp: It had the Video Games tag on it, I thought that it had been a video game law that was concerning it
PHX Corp: It had the Video Games tag on it, I thought that it had been a video game law that was concerning it
Posted 03/15/10 at 03:54pm
JDKJ: And what happened to "Senior GP Correspondent, Andrew Eisen, reporting from San Diego [and who has a better finger on the pulse of GP's readership than some others]?" Huh? Did he fall victim to the Night of the Long Knives?
JDKJ: And what happened to "Senior GP Correspondent, Andrew Eisen, reporting from San Diego [and who has a better finger on the pulse of GP's readership than some others]?" Huh? Did he fall victim to the Night of the Long Knives?
Posted 03/15/10 at 03:53pm
Andrew Eisen: No, but my one example was not meant to cover the entire spectrum. Besides, multiplayer is a big part of video games.
Andrew Eisen: No, but my one example was not meant to cover the entire spectrum. Besides, multiplayer is a big part of video games.
Posted 03/15/10 at 03:50pm
Andrew Eisen: PHX Corp - Are you referring to AB 847? I haven't read the bill but the summary doesn't appear to apply to video games.
Andrew Eisen: PHX Corp - Are you referring to AB 847? I haven't read the bill but the summary doesn't appear to apply to video games.
Posted 03/15/10 at 03:49pm
DarkSaber: 2 mediocre games do not "a big part of video games" make.
DarkSaber: 2 mediocre games do not "a big part of video games" make.
Posted 03/15/10 at 03:49pm
JDKJ: I suspect that'll fall victim to the "pass." Wrong side of the fence. It's North Korea we aren't supposed to like.
JDKJ: I suspect that'll fall victim to the "pass." Wrong side of the fence. It's North Korea we aren't supposed to like.
Posted 03/15/10 at 03:48pm
DarkSaber: Although, following the "MW2 Made Lots of Money" excuse for a story, GP would be hard pressed to justify WHY they passed on it.
DarkSaber: Although, following the "MW2 Made Lots of Money" excuse for a story, GP would be hard pressed to justify WHY they passed on it.
Posted 03/15/10 at 03:47pm
Andrew Eisen: DS - Not necessarily. See recent Ubisoft stories.
Andrew Eisen: DS - Not necessarily. See recent Ubisoft stories.
Posted 03/15/10 at 03:47pm
Andrew Eisen: Zip - Or it will and GP hasn't had a chance in the last couple hours to get to it yet. Or yeah, maybe he’ll pass on it.
Andrew Eisen: Zip - Or it will and GP hasn't had a chance in the last couple hours to get to it yet. Or yeah, maybe he’ll pass on it.
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Comments
Go BioWare! Man, free breakfast? No wonder they make such good games, they're employees are satisfied and ready for work every day.
Although I'm curious about the saltwater pool. I wouldn't want that. I'd go to the ocean for saltwater. I want my pools freshwater. Must be a Canadian thing....
I'm just as confused as you are, and I'm Canadian.
I was curious enough to Google the answers. Turns out the main difference between saltwater pools and normal chlorine pools is a lower maintenance capacity, ie, less work needs to be done on the saltwater pool than on a normal one to maintain it.
BioWare must've had the "big picture" in mind. =)
After having swum in a saltwater pool, I would never go back to chlorine. They are safer for kids. Easier on the skin and eyes. And better maintainence as has already been pointed out.
E. Zachary Knight
Oklahoma City Chapter of the ECA
http://www.theeca.com/chapters_oklahoma
BooYa! I am Canadian.
You missed Vancouver's Next Level Games...they made the list too: http://www.eluta.ca/top-employer-next-level-games
Maybe Bioware offers free breakfasts to its staff because Ray and Greg are medical doctors? And as sauch they do understand the value of a good and hearty breakfast before going to work e.g. you can't work if you're hungry. And as I understand it, Bioware's maternity leave breakfast is one of the best in any country? If I we're an aspiring game developer I know where I would want to work.