The spotlight was on Canada during the Electronic Entertainment Expo (E3 Expo) this month in Los Angeles.

Canadian video game companies are turning a lot of heads on the world stage by showcasing some of the industries most anticipated and critically acclaimed titles, such as: Assassin’s Creed 4: Black Flag (Ubisoft), Batman: Arkham Origins (Warner Bros. Games Montreal), Below (Capybara Games/ Microsoft Studios), Dragon Age: Inquisition (Bioware / Electonic Arts), Gangstar Vegas (Gameloft), The Mighty Quest for Epic Loot (Ubisoft), NHL 2014 (Electronic Arts), FIFA 2014 (Electronic Arts), Splinter Cell: Blacklist (Ubisoft) and Watch Dogs (Ubisoft).

“When you look at the most anticipated games at the Expo, a significant portion of them are made in Canada,” saysJayson Hilchie, President and CEO of the Entertainment Software Association Canada. “That’s a source of tremendous pride for all Canadians.”

SEE ALSO: The Great Canadian Videogame Industry

Currently 16,500 Canadians are employed in the video game industry. Despite some turmoil the employment rate is up 5% and is growing at a moderate pace. Through provincial strategies and housing some of the world’s most creative workers, Canadian gaming industry is contributing over $2.3 billion to the economy.

ESAC reports that Canadian gaming companies’ average budget is $8.7 million and is usually produced by a team of 65 people in about a year and a half. With 329 video game studios in the country, 48% devote some of their resources to console games, while 84% are focused mainly on mobile devices. Even though in 2012 only 16% of projects were developed specifically for consoles, those games account for 66.5% of revenues.

“With some of the world’s largest video game studios located in Canada,” said Hilchie, “our video game industry is considered the biggest in the world on a per capita basis. E3 is a great showcase not only for our biggest games, but for Canadian creativity as well.”

The Entertainment Software Association brings together developers, distributers and worldwide media to experience the newest trends, products and technologies at the annual video game conference and show. Over 200 developers display their games to the public at the three-day event. With such tight competition, Canadians are hoping that their strength and vitality will keep them at the forefront of this growing industry.