Velan Studios, the developer behind Mario Kart Live: Home Circuit, has established a new office in Toronto

Velan Studios has made its way into the Canadian market by setting up a branch in Toronto.

Situated in Downtown Toronto, this new establishment is poised to support Velan in crafting upcoming self-published games and establishing partnerships with other gaming intellectual properties. Furthermore, Velan has joined Ontario Interactive, a non-profit entity.

"Our mission at Velan is to create innovative games that captivate and exhilarate players," expressed Karthik Bala, the studio's CEO and co-founder.

"With our expansion, we're thrilled to bring this vision to Toronto and work alongside local developers who are inquisitive, considerate, and enthusiastic about delivering extraordinary gaming experiences," he added.

The studio is hiring for hybrid roles necessitating three office days weekly, along with onsite positions in both the new Toronto location and their main office in Troy, New York.

Current job openings include senior gameplay animator, art director, senior technical artist, studio art manager, senior systems designer, senior combat designer, and senior level designer, with more opportunities coming soon.

Olivia Chow, the Mayor of Toronto, stated, "Toronto's renowned digital media and gaming development scene is fueled by outstanding talent and a highly skilled workforce."

She welcomed Velan Studios, celebrating their contribution to the city's interactive entertainment sector through job creation and innovative game development.

The studio was established in 2016 by Guha and Karthik Bala, who previously founded Vicarious Visions.

Their game "Knockout City" was discontinued in June 2023, two years post-launch. Co-founder Guha Bala discussed the game's shutdown and potential follow-ups with GamesIndustry.biz.

In 2024, Velan Studios announced an early-stage reorganization process after an external project was canceled, placing 46 employees' positions in jeopardy.