Digital Arts

Digital Arts and Online Casino Game Design

Learn about Online Gaming, Casino Games and Slot Design

Digital Arts College Options With the closure of the Edmonton Digital Arts College, Alberta and Canada have one less option to pursue an education in animation and the digital arts. Let’s see the best of...

Digital Arts

Digital Arts College Options

With the closure of the Edmonton Digital Arts College, Alberta and Canada have one less option to pursue an education in animation and the digital arts. Let’s see the best of what we have left.

Western Digital Art Colleges

There are no longer any digital arts, gaming, or animation specific colleges in Edmonton but Calgary does have an option and there are some great programs out West. The Vancouver area is home to a good few options. Let’s take a look.

Visual College of Art and Design of Calgary

What started off as a campus of the Victoria College of Art has since become one of the premier digital art institutions in the country. They have programs include 3D Modeling Animation Art and Design, Visual Effects Art and Design, Game Development and Design and Graphic Design. Most importantly the main campus is located in Vancouver but there is also a campus in Calgary. Admission requirements in both BC and Alberta are a high school diploma. Mature students can also apply if they have been out of school for a year and obtained a significant portion of high school credits. Each program has their own admission requirements so be sure to explore it further on their website.

Capilano University – Vancouver

Some of the great game designers Canada has produced have hailed from Capilano. They are experts in character animation and more detailed video game creation. Alumni include some bigwigs from Rockstar, Big Sandwich Games and Electronic Arts, so they have plenty of real world cred. They also have much more stringent admission requirements. In particular, prospective students are expected to have prior computer animation experience and will need to present a portfolio of their work. The upside is that the chances of landing a job at some big time online gaming or casino gaming powerhouses like IGT, Microgaming or NetEnt are significantly increased.

Vancouver Film School

The Vancouver film school have kept up with the times and moved past traditional film studies and have developed great programs that include Animation & Visual Effects and Games, Design & Technology. Graduates have gone on to work in both the gaming and Canadian online casino industry with big name companies such as Pixar, Dreamworks and Playtech.

Edmonton Digital Arts College

Unfortunately the Edmonton Digital Arts College (EDAC) closed its doors in July of 2019. The college has 4 streams of classes each 10 months long focusing on digital media education. The closure has left a void in the digital arts education in Edmonton and Alberta as a whole.

Online Casino Software Providers

So you want a career in the Digital Arts and you have a passion for online casino games. Lucky for you there are a wealth of opportunities out their to learn and develop with the best digital artists, graphic designers, game designers and animators in the world. The best Canadian online casinos work with software providers to deliver top gaming experiences to online gamblers. Let’s take a look at the best companies in the area of online casino game design, from slot games and beyond.

Microgaming Software

Microgaming was one of the first online casino software providers, having launched in 1994. Headquartered in the Isle of Man and originating from South Africa. Existing prior to widespread internet adoption, the company was truly visionary. They are responsible for some of the most iconic and popular slot games ever created. Titles such as Avalon, Ariana, Immortal Romance, Thunderstruck and Cash Splash are still played today. Mega Moolah, a progressive jackpot slot, is one of the most popular slot games ever and has paid out hundreds of millions of dollars over the years including to a Canadian, who won over $20 Million CAD.

Microgaming’s design language was quite boring in the beginning. After all, the industry was just beginning so the original titles mimicked the land casino counterparts to attract customers. However, starting in the 2000’s, the online casino industry really took off and this led to some original titles with better graphics and more artistic vision. Today, Microgaming creates their own titles but also partners with Casino Software Studios, like Just for The Win, in order to bring new creative styles and game play to the end user.

NetEnt Software

Net Entertainment delivers cutting edge digital solutions to the online casino industry. They specialize in slots, table games and also have a live dealer experience. Founded in 1996 and headquartered in Stockholm, Sweden, NetEnt has been responsible for leading the way in branded casino games and were the first to develop advanced digital graphics. Some of their most famous games include Starburst, Gonzo’s Quest, Jack Hammer, Aliens and Mega Fortune Jackpot.

Digital entertainment is what we do, is their slogan and continually releasing exciting games is their passion. Their graphic design department is world class and they continually strive to lead the way with new technologies. From game graphic artists and automation specialists to game UX/UI designers and 3D artists, NetEnt is an exciting company to work for and deliver a thrilling gaming experience.

Playtech Gaming Software

Listed on the London Stock Exchange, Playtech is another of the big casino software providers and has been around since 1999. Scattered across 17 locations around the globe and headquartered in the Isle of Man, the company was founded in Israel by businessman, Teddy Sagi. Playtech generated 1.2 billion Euros in revenue in 2018, making it a true giant. Known for slot games with high return to player percentages, the list of gaming greats includes the Age of the Gods series of slots, Gladiator, Batman and Superman, White King, Buffalo Blitz and Jackpot Giant. They have acquired a few software studios such as Quickspin, Ash Gaming and Sunfox games.

Playtech’s design language often focused on tried and trued themes such as Greek Gods, North American pop culture and legends, and film themed slot games. They have diversified their graphics mostly through acquisitions but have also founded distinct divisions within their company that have their own artistic license. Digital arts specific careers include graphic designers, 2D and 3D animators.

Betsoft Gaming

Betsoft is a relative newcomer to the software supplier industry having been founded in 2008. They immediately developed they own niche by focusing on 3D slot games with unique features as soon as 2010. They also have lead the way with developing HTML5 games, replacing Flash style games that have dominated the landscape over the last two decades. Their game designs are generally bold and modern and rely heavily on advanced graphics. Some of their most popular games are The Slotfather, Kawaii Kitty, FaFa Twins, Sugar Pop, and Boomanji.

The Betsoft team heavily focuses on their Slots3 branded games offering cinematic quality productions. It would come as no surprise that their team is heavily weighted towards game designers, graphic artists and 3D animators.

Play’N Go Software

Formed in 1997 by a bunch of “computer geeks” that wanted to have fun developing games, Play’n Go is headquartered in Vaxjo, Sweden. The company has won many online casino industry awards and has tried to stay relevant pretty much on their own. They have partnered with some of the best online casino in Canada and abroad to become highly successful. With slot games like Banana Rock, Fire Joker, Troll Hunters, Viking Runecratf and Aztec Idols, they tick off just the right amount of classic themes and more adventurous titles.

Their Talent Hub claims to be the home of digital talent. Careers with Play’n Go include animation artists, art managers, game designers, and 2D/3D artists. With a renowned work environment that stimulates fun and artistic freedom, the company has set up a culture for digital artists to thrive.