Five video games were showcased at Durham College (DC) on Friday during the MRC Arcade, an interactive event which provided insight into the projects DC’s Mixed Reality Capture (MRC) Studio produces with local game designers, students, researchers and industry experts.

“Durham College is leading the way in the Canadian gaming industry while setting students up for success,” said Don Lovisa, president, Durham College. “The MRC Studio has hired dozens of students for more than 40 industry projects, which means students get to work directly with our industry partners. This hands-on learning and early introduction to real-life industry scenarios offer a unique advantage to our grads when the time comes to enter the workforce.”

The MRC Studio offers organizations access to technical expertise and state-of-the-art gaming equipment and technology to create solutions that increase productivity and growth, while placing the student experience at the forefront of it all.

“Qualified individuals with leading-edge expertise are in high demand and short supply, which is why Interactive Ontario is proud to support Durham College and the MRC Studio,” said Lucie Lalumière, president and CEO, Interactive Ontario. “The MRC Studio is a trailblazer in its approach to developing talent. It works hand-in-hand with industry on real-life games and immersive applications and in doing so, develops the talent we need to succeed and compete on the global stage. Thank you, Durham College, for being visionary!”

DC’s expertise and co-development of the five games shared during MRC Arcade are proof of the amazing collaboration between DC students, researchers and industry partners. As one of five applied research centers at the college, the MRC Studio diversifies the college’s applied research offerings and capabilities, blending the physical and online worlds to explore human interaction within the virtual space.

“Since its launch in 2020, the MRC Studio has helped numerous clients build and improve their games by providing access to new technologies and applied research they otherwise would not be able to access or afford to enhance their product,” said Ryan Miller, project manager of the MRC Studio, Durham College. “Offerings such as improved graphics, processes and access to new technologies are provided to our clients, translating into games such as the ones showcased at MRC Arcade.”

The MRC Studio is home to one of only three Captury Live motion capture systems in Canada, offering students unique experiential learning opportunities to boost their future employability.

“The MRC Studio has been an incredible opportunity to get real work experience with exactly the kinds of projects that I want to work on as a future career,” said Zoe Straw, third-year Computer Programming and Analysis student at Durham College. “I know that thanks to this experience I’m going to be able to flesh out my portfolio and give myself the absolute best start to my career possible. I’ll graduate with a year of experience in the gaming industry and several credits to my name before I even receive my diploma.”