We forge games that glow in the dark.
SmartEmberForge builds original titles, rock-solid multiplayer netcode, and the live-ops backbone that keeps players coming back — from our workshop in Old Town, Toronto.
- Titles shipped
- 43
- Platforms certified
- 8
- Monthly players served
- 2.1M
Titles shipped
Platforms certified
Monthly players served
Deep Reef — our flagship co-op survival title, rendered in real time.
From a two-desk workshop to a full production studio
We started SmartEmberForge to prove that a lean Canadian studio could ship console-grade games and the infrastructure behind them. A decade later, we handle everything from first prototype to platform launch.
- 2016
Founded in Old Town
Two engineers and a designer set up a studio on Adelaide Street East, taking on contract engine work for indie teams across Ontario.
- 2018
First title shipped
We launched our debut original game on Steam, hitting 120,000 wishlists before release and reaching the platform’s Popular Upcoming list.
- 2020
Netcode framework launched
Our rollback-based multiplayer framework went into production, cutting perceived latency for fast-paced co-op games to under 45ms.
- 2022
Live-ops studio opened
We built a dedicated telemetry and live-content team, running seasonal updates and in-game economies for four partner studios.
- 2024
40+ titles and growing
The team crossed 25 people, shipped our 40th title, and expanded into console certification for PlayStation, Xbox and Switch.
Drag to see the grey-box become the game
Every project starts as an untextured prototype. Slide the handle to compare our early grey-box passes against the final lit, shaded and VFX-complete scenes.
Final
Grey-boxDeep Reef — Bioluminous Trench
A blocked-out cave sequence transformed with volumetric fog, caustics and reactive glow flora.
Final
Grey-boxEmber Run — Foundry Level
From flat geometry to a molten-lit platforming stage with heat haze and particle embers.
Full-stack game production under one roof
Pick a single service or hand us the whole pipeline. Every engagement includes a free 45-minute scoping call before any invoice.
We build and extend engines in Unity, Unreal and bespoke C++, plus the editor tools your designers actually want. Typical tooling sprints run 4–8 weeks and ship with documentation and a handover session.
Authoritative servers, rollback and prediction, matchmaking and dedicated hosting. Our netcode framework has kept fast co-op titles under 45ms of perceived latency across North American regions.
Real-time dashboards, A/B testing, seasonal content pipelines and balanced in-game economies. We run 24/7 monitoring with a 15-minute incident response window on live titles.
Asset pipelines, custom shaders, VFX and animation systems tuned for performance. We optimize to hold 60fps on mid-range hardware without flattening your art direction.
Structured test passes, soak testing and full platform certification for Steam, PlayStation, Xbox and Nintendo Switch. We manage the submission checklists so your launch day stays boring — in the best way.
Teams that shipped with us
We work alongside indie studios and publishers across Canada. Here is what a few of them said after launch.
Their netcode team took our janky co-op prototype and made it feel instant. We shipped six weeks early and the multiplayer reviews were our highest scores.
Marcus L. · Kitchener, ON
Co-op survival title · Shipped Mar 2024
The live-ops dashboards changed how we run our game. Day-30 retention climbed 22% in one season because we could finally see what players were actually doing.
Priya S. · Toronto, ON
Live mobile RPG · Partnership since 2022
The custom editor tools they built saved our designers hours a day. Certification for three platforms went through on the first pass — I have never seen that happen.
Devon R. · Montréal, QC
Console platformer · Shipped Nov 2023
Retainers that scale with your project
Transparent monthly rates in Canadian dollars. Switch to annual and get two months on us. No lock-in beyond the current sprint.
Indie Forge
For solo devs and small teams needing focused engineering help.
- One dedicated engineer
- Engine or tooling support
- Weekly build reviews
- Email support, next business day
Studio Forge
For studios in active production across multiple disciplines.
- Cross-discipline pod (up to 4)
- Netcode + backend infrastructure
- Live-ops dashboards & telemetry
- Slack support with 15-min SLA
- Platform certification prep
Enterprise Forge
For publishers running multiple live titles at scale.
- Multiple embedded pods
- 24/7 live-title monitoring
- Dedicated technical director
- Custom SLAs & on-site sprints
- Full certification management
Tell us what you’re building
Send us a note about your project and we’ll reply within one business day to set up a free scoping call.
Call the studio
+1 (416) 364-6725
Visit the workshop
47 Adelaide Street East, Old Town, Toronto, ON M5C 1K6
Email us
[email protected]
Studio hours
Mon–Fri, 9:00am – 6:00pm EST
47 Adelaide Street East, Old Town, Toronto, ON M5C 1K6
Two minutes from the St. Lawrence Market, at the corner of Adelaide & Church.