11 Most Popular Online Games in Canada

Video games are increasing in popularity, though it already feels like everyone is a gamer. Whether you prefer racing games, casual puzzle games, or shooter video games, there’s a whole world of video game options out there. The average gamer in Canada spends over 60 dollars on games annually.

Additional stats show that up to two-thirds of Canadian residents play games regularly. Additionally, hundreds of thousands of individuals earn from playing games through different means, including play-to-earn gaming apps, wagering on sports results on the best sports betting apps Canada, YouTube and Stream games, Games testing, and video game coaching.

That said, Canada is also renowned as a significant video producer in the world. The North American country comes third globally behind the United States and Japan in the video gaming industry size. Moreover, the Canadian gaming industry reportedly contributed $5.5 billion to the nation’s Gross Domestic Product last year.

 

Most Popular Online Games In Canada

Read on to learn about the 11 most popular online games in Canada.

 

1. League of Legends

League of Legends is the kingpin in the Multiplayer Online Battle Arena (MOBA) games niche. In a MOBA, both teams battle it out in an arena, and players bring their skills to play to lead their team to victory.

While many other video games have attempted to take after the MOBA games’ formula over the years, the League of Legends leads the pack of MOBA video games anywhere.

A report on the company’s earnings in 2020 says that the League of Legends produced $1.75 billion in revenue – regardless that the games are free-to-play. The game’s producers earn by selling game items and skins.

 

2. Fortnite

Fortnite is an online video game from Epic games. The video game is available in three distinct modes and versions that technically have the same gameplay. There are numerous modes for every game player, allowing gamers to watch a concert, fight, or build an island.

Fortnite went public in 2017 and instantly became a favorite for gamers globally. Millions of players globally apparently fancied the game’s cartoonish graphics and free-to-play model. A free-to-play shooter, Fortnite skyrocketed to become one of the big games – even though it wasn’t the first Battle Royale game to hit the market.

 

3. Dota 2

Here’s another MOBA game that has dominated the homes of Canadians since 2021. DotA 2 is a sequel to the Defense of the Ancients (DotA) and has a similar premise to League of Legends.

Two teams containing five players occupy and defend a base. The base typically includes an Ancient. If a team manages to rupture the opponent’s structure, they get away with the victory.

Dota is popular among online video games in the country, and the esports world, with several professional leagues and tournaments related to the game. Millions of players globally join the 5v5 battle to defend their ancient in the free-to-play game.

 

4. Minecraft

Minecraft has maintained a top spot among the most renowned video games over the last 11 years. Minecraft went public in 2011 and has sold over 200 million copies, earning it the best-selling video game of all time.

Minecraft’s players have unending possibilities and entertainment from the game, despite its relatively straightforward gameplay loop.

Every player has something to do, from building the most amazing structures to crafting powerful weapons. The video game is available on almost all gaming platforms, including PC, consoles, and mobile devices.

 

5. Apex Legends

EA Sports released The Apex Legends to get their share of the Battle Royale market a couple of years after Player Unknown’s Battleground and Fortnite turned on their servers.

Developed by the creators of the FPS multiplayer game Titanfall, the Apex Legends game centers around video characters with unique skills and abilities. Players could choose among 16 characters and a vast array of weapons in the game’s arsenal.

Similar to Battle Royale, the ultimate player’s goal is to be the last man standing when all players are eliminated. Every season after the other, the Apex Legend’s developers introduce new characters and features to make the game all the more satisfactory to gamers.

 

6. Call of Duty

Call of Duty will undoubtedly make this list of the 11 most famous online games Canadians play. The free-to-play game by Activision has kept millions of players globally glued to screens, eliminating opponents and pursuing victory in its different game modes. Another Battle Royale game, Call of Duty, is one of the longest-surviving battle games on the internet.

Statistics show that thousands of Canadians self-reported to have played at least one Call of Duty game – either WW2, Warzone, Mobile, Modern Warfare, or Black Ops 2 & 4. Warzone, for instance, hosts 150-player Battle Royale matches, making it quite challenging to defeat 149 other players and emerge champion.

With plenty of options and game modes to play, multiplayer games fans can readily have an excellent video game option in Call of Duty.

 

7. Assassin’s Creed Valhalla

After a one-year break from Quebec-made Assassin’s Creed Odyssey, Ubisoft released Assassin’s Creed Valhalla in 2019. No doubt, the entire Assassin’s Creed games are popular in Canada, but Assassin’s creed Valhalla comes with new features and camaraderie than previous Assassin’s Creed games.

In the game, the gamer plays as Elvor (male or female, depending on choice), a Viking raider in 873 AD amidst an Assassin-Templar conflict that lasted for hundreds of years. Valhalla players and the entire Viking squad have a variety of activities to participate in, including raids, drinking contests, and even rap battles.

The game’s mode displays a sprawling English setting and some elements of Norse mythology. Valhalla gets deeper into the multi-layered RPG-like progression systems in Assassin’s Creed Odyssey and Assassin’s Creed Origins, allowing the player to develop Elvor into the ultimate warrior.

 

8. Gears Tactics

Gears Tactics is renowned for various reasons. Apart from being one of the few Xbox Series X/S launch titles, Gears Tactics readily translates from a long-standing third-person franchise to the strategy game niche. Here are some further details about this popular game from the stables of Ubisoft.

Players can engage in visceral shootouts with their squad from a clever, turn-based, top-down perspective. As the player combats the Locust, the player’s character levels up and could consequently become outfitted with unlockable skills, mods, and gear.

Although Gears Tactics doesn’t have a multiplayer mode, the game displays a challenging campaign that could take the player 30 hours to win. While there are few Gears games expected in the games industry, Tactics has shown that there’s room for various degrees of experiences for players.

 

9. Animal Crossing: New Horizons

Animal Crossing: New Horizons became popular in the country during the heat of the pandemic when people were under lockdown in 2020. However, the game is still popular among gamers across the country. Players control a character that motions toward a deserted island to develop the island over time.

Immediately after its March 2020 release, the game quickly gained a massive following, registering 5 million gamers in the first month. The readily customizable title quickly took the second bestseller position on the Nintendo Switch and the 15th bestseller spot in the history of video games – even though the game was only available on one platform.

 

10. PUBG

Player Unknown’s Battlegrounds is another popular game in the Battle Royale category, with millions of fans worldwide. Apart from being in the Battle Royale games category, every battle in PUBG is unique. While the game feels like just another Fortnite’ copy’, it will become apparent after the first few sessions that it’s entirely different.

For instance, Fortnite players have sometimes complained about having limited content and that they had to use the same weapons and maps repeatedly. PUBG features a map of 8 x 8 kilometers. Like most Battle Royale games, the game is a fight to survive. The island’s last man alive wins the game. Meanwhile, the game isn’t a walk in the park – each player battles against 99 others.

Dropping on the island too soon could pose a risk of an early exit for a player. You want to take cover while searching for weapons and other utilities to avoid getting hit by enemy weapons. Players who know when’s best to take cover or to attack stand a fair chance of outliving several other players.

 

11. Counter-Strike: Global Offensive

Counter-Strike: Global Offensive was one of the most popular online video games among Canada’s professional gamers. It’s a team-based game, pitching terrorists against counter-terrorists. Depending on a player’s chosen side, the game assigns the player a mission to diffuse bombs and kill terrorists or soldiers.

CO: GO features nine modes, which include arms race, danger zone, and demolition. The game unites the most skilled gamers in the world for annual esports championships. The top players get away with millions of dollars.

 

Conclusion

In various ways, Canadians have entertained themselves and earned by playing online video games, including the above 11 most popular video games in the country.

Regardless of demography, Canadians love video games – and there are stats to prove that. Statistics also reveal that Canadian game developers release multiple quality titles across different categories.