Relic Entertainment’s Vancouver studio is a space built as much for community as for making games.
Located on the fifth floor of a modern building in Mount Pleasant, the 14,000-square-foot office has been home to the award-winning developer since 2019, when it relocated from Yaletown. Best known for genre-defining titles like Company of Heroes, Dawn of War and Age of Empires, Relic entered a new chapter in 2025 when it became an independent studio again after years under Sega ownership. The current workspace, designed in collaboration with architecture and design firm Dialog Design, reflects that evolution—open, flexible and built to adapt.
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“We primarily designed this as a community space as well as a development space,” says facilities operations manager Iain Ross. At the heart of the studio is the “community hub,” a large, convertible room that functions as a lunchroom, meeting space and event venue. With movable tables, large presentation screens and built-in AV, the space can accommodate hundreds of people at once and regularly hosts staff events, presentations and social gatherings.
The emphasis on flexibility runs throughout the office. Open work areas allow teams to reconfigure desks as projects evolve, while soundproof and movable work pods (on wheels!) offer quiet zones for calls or focused collaboration. Dedicated playtest rooms let developers observe how players interact with games in real time, while an in-house broadcast studio connects Relic’s community team directly with fans on Twitch.
The studio is intentionally designed without private offices. Instead, employees work at individual desks within shared open areas, while meeting rooms and enclosed spaces are communal.
“One of the things we worked with Dialog in this space is to have the open concept,” Ross says. “So almost anywhere you are in the studio, you can look out at least two windows.”
Beyond the workstations, Relic has carved out spaces for play and pause—fitting for a studio built around games. A small arcade area and gaming library, stocked with console titles spanning generations, offers employees a chance to recharge or revisit classics that helped shape the industry. A darts station—one of the most popular features—adds another outlet for quick breaks and friendly competition.
Upstairs, a sprawling 4,000 sq. ft rooftop patio provides a different kind of reset. With views stretching across False Creek and the surrounding neighbourhood, the outdoor space includes seating, a barbecue and even a beehive, and hosts team gatherings in warmer months.
