Activate Games opening first Ottawa location at Pinecrest mall early next year

Activate Games, one of Canada's fastest-growing entertainment companies, is bringing its interactive gaming concept to Ottawa early next year. The Winnipeg-based company will occupy an 18,000-square-foot space at Pinecrest Shopping Centre in Nepean, taking over the former home of Ottawa retailer Terra20.

Activate signed a long-term lease at the mall last month. "We've been wanting to open for a long time in Ottawa," said Sébastien Piché, the company's vice-president of operations. "It's just a natural progression."

Founded in 2017 by husband-and-wife team Adam and Megan Schmidt, Activate has expanded to 80 locations across North America, Europe, Asia, Australia and the Middle East. The company ranked seventh on the Globe and Mail's 2025 list of Canada's fastest-growing companies, with three-year revenue growth exceeding 3,500 percent and annual revenues in the $50-million range. Activate has doubled its location count in the last two years.

The chain specializes in active gaming—experiences that test participants' agility, reflexes and problem-solving through various technologies. Most locations range from 10,000 to 12,000 square feet with around a dozen rooms offering up to 80 different games across 800 levels. Ottawa's location will feature 14 game rooms plus two party rooms. Players participate in groups of two to five, with sessions typically running 60 or 90 minutes. Popular games include The Floor is Lava, where players collaborate to jump across obstacles and touch tiles in sequence.

Piché attributed the company's growth to shifting leisure habits. "Now, people are a little bit more cautious about their health. They want to stay active, they want to find a way where they can connect with each other and be social. You can bring your friends, you can bring your family or your co-workers and you can have an experience," he said. As alcohol consumption has declined, demand for experiential entertainment services has risen.