Zombies, mountains and blizzards: Post-apocalyptic Alberta sets scene for video game

Dead Matter represented an ambitious independent game project emerging from Calgary, with developer Quantum Integrity Software using Alberta itself as the setting. Created by Calgary developer Nikolas Zorko, the open-world zombie survival game drew directly from locations between Calgary and Banff, including Canmore and Dead Man’s Flats, while incorporating Alberta-inspired weather, seasons and extreme temperatures. The project also demonstrated how crowdfunding could provide an alternative financing route for Alberta developers. Dead Matter raised more than $250,000 through Kickstarter and another $316,000 US through Indiegogo, allowing Zorko to hire staff and contractors to expand development. With approximately 80 per cent of Kickstarter supporters coming from the United States, the project attracted an international audience while showcasing recognizable Alberta landscapes. Plans to eventually expand the game world into Calgary would further make the province’s geography and urban environment a central part of the game’s identity.