VANCOUVER, BC.- Did you know that Vancouver played a role in Nintendo establishing their North American headquarters? Or, that one of the top manufacturers of video game controllers during the late '80s and early '90s was located in Burnaby?

The Canadian Video Game Museum (CVGM) is partnering with the Museum of Vancouver (MOV) to open a temporary exhibition called Press Start: A Vancouver Game History Pop-Up opening July 9, 2026 and running until Fall 2026.

Press Start explores Vancouver’s many contributions to gaming from mobile games like Marvel Contest of Champions, to big budget blockbusters from publishers like Electronic Arts and Microsoft, to award-winning indie games like Celeste and Darkest Dungeon—and it includes the chance to get hands-on with retro gaming hardware with made-in-Vancouver connections.

To showcase these Vancouver stories, the pop-up will include vintage video game systems, playable arcade cabinets, game demos, and interactive glimpses into the game development process.

“Starting research for this project began all the way back in 2016 beginning with a database of game companies that have existed in Vancouver, later expanding to include all of BC. Over time this concept evolved, recognizing a need for a physical entity to spread awareness and education around game development and Canada's role in the game industry.” —Ryan Dunnison, Executive Director and founder of the CVGM





For decades, Vancouver has been a global hub for video game development. The MOV is excited to partner with CVGM to share stories of how our community has helped to shape this half a trillion-dollar global industry. The gaming industry in particular is born out of Vancouver’s unique crossover of people in film, VFX, and games. Press Start will spotlight, celebrate, and document the people, stories, and games that make up the city’s ever-changing video game landscape.

“The Museum of Vancouver exists to share Vancouver’s stories and the people who’ve built Vancouver’s video game industry have made an indelible mark of global storytelling. We are excited to provide a platform to an emerging museum focused on video games and the people who make them.” —Ryan Hunt, CEO of MOV

Admission to Press Start will be offered as a stand-alone ticket, or as a combination ticket with MOV admission.