Platform aims to improve \u201cfix rate\u201d for developers facing growing demands.<\/p>\n
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Montr\u00e9al-based gaming tech startup LocusX has raised $3 million to fund its artificial intelligence (AI)-powered debugging software for game developers.\u00a0<\/p>\n
LocusX is the brainchild of two gaming enthusiasts and the two Montr\u00e9al venture firms that co-led the round: venture builder Diagram Ventures<\/a> and entertainment tech-focused Triptyq Capital. The funding closed at the end of July.\u00a0<\/p>\n CEO Francois Pelland told BetaKit in an interview that LocusX\u2019s \u201cissue resolution engine\u201d can identify and propose fixes for programming bugs.\u00a0<\/p>\n \u201cThe night before the ship, I\u2019ve seen game developers more anxious about leaving bugs than the quality of the game.\u201d<\/p>\n With the engine, LocusX aims to help accelerate the development process, reduce manual work, and ultimately produce higher-quality games. The platform, which works as a plug-in for developers, uses AI large language models to identify and propose fixes for bugs. However, the program does not automatically fix bugs, as Pelland believes developers are \u201cbest-suited\u201d to make the final call.\u00a0<\/p>\n Over his career, Pelland said he\u2019s watched the typically labour-intensive work of quality assurance become more involved as games get more complex.<\/p>\n \u201cThe night before the ship, I\u2019ve seen game developers more anxious about leaving bugs than the quality of the game,\u201d Pelland said.<\/p>\n RELATED: Is Canada a secret video game powerhouse?<\/a><\/p>\n Right now, LocusX is focused on upping the \u201cfix rate\u201d through its product. But it plans to improve the \u201cfind rate\u201d (identifying bugs) in the future. The company plans to use its funding for this product refinement and bolstering its five-person team.\u00a0<\/p>\n The startup represents a convergence of players in the Montr\u00e9al gaming tech community.\u00a0 LocusX CTO Yan C\u00f4t\u00e9 built the virtual-reality headset Vrvana<\/a> alongside Triptyq Capital partner Bertrand Nepveu. The tech was eventually acquired by Apple and helped inform the Vision Pro. LocusX CEO Francois Pelland worked in the gaming sector for years, at Ubisoft, Entertainment Arts, and Google.\u00a0<\/p>\n Nepveu told BetaKit that LocusX was built through a venture studio model, with Diagram and Triptyq playing a role from the start in a first-time collaboration. Guillaume Th\u00e9rien of Triptyq and Fr\u00e9d\u00e9ric Latreille of Diagram are both joining the startup\u2019s board.<\/p>\n While Triptyq focuses on entertainment tech and interactive media, Diagram\u2019s funds have historically gone toward building and launching startups in FinTech, web3, and cleantech<\/a>.\u00a0<\/p>\n Nepveu said there is \u201cdefinitely a reshaping of the gaming industry right now,\u201d driven in part by AI. The technology is being used to create smart graphics, help with story building, and even replace humans<\/a> in character voice acting.<\/p>\n In Canada, the gaming industry has faced some labour-related headwinds since the pandemic. According to a report from the Entertainment Software Association of Canada<\/a>, the industry faced a 3.5 percent decline in employment due mostly to studio closures and \u201csubstantial layoffs\u201d at larger companies. This included Edmonton-based BioWare and Montr\u00e9al-based Behaviour Interactive. Recent changes to a multimedia tax credit<\/a> in Qu\u00e9bec, which now covers less of an employee\u2019s salary than it used to, have also cramped costs for employers.\u00a0<\/p>\n LocusX did not share names of specific game studio clients. However, its product could be useful to all types of companies, from high-budget major publishers (known as triple-A studios) to indie developers. Pelland eventually plans to market the bug resolution engine beyond game development, targeting other creative programming media like augmented reality and virtual reality projects.<\/p>\n For now, Pelland and C\u00f4t\u00e9 are locked into the world of games. Pelland\u2019s current gaming pick is Revenge of the Savage Planet, an adventure science fiction game developed by Montr\u00e9al studio Raccoon Logic. As for C\u00f4t\u00e9, he said he\u2019s surfing a nostalgic wave with Resident Evil 2 and Resident Evil 3.<\/p>\n