A London, Ontario studio built one of Canada’s most enduring mobile gaming IPs by blending music, player-driven design, and continuous community feedback into a 150M-player global experience.
At this year’s JUNO Awards, the red carpet looked a little different. Bright, furry monsters—characters from Big Blue Bubble’s flagship mobile game My Singing Monsters—took over, bringing a playful energy to an otherwise polished awards evening.
For Big Blue Bubble, the moment wasn’t a departure. It was a natural extension of what the company has been building for years.
Founded in 2004, Big Blue Bubble has developed more than 100 game titles, navigating multiple waves of technological change in the gaming industry. But one title quietly grew into something much bigger than a game.
Launched in 2012, My Singing Monsters blends collection, world-building, and music creation into a single interactive system. Players build islands populated by creatures, each contributing a distinct sound. Together, they form evolving musical compositions—turning gameplay into a creative, participatory experience. Today, the game has reached more than 150 million players worldwide.
For CEO Claudette Critchley, that growth starts with something more foundational. “The first thing that comes to mind is the people,” she says. “We’ve built a team that not only brings talent but genuinely supports each other.”
That continuity has shaped the company’s ability to build lasting intellectual property. In an industry often defined by turnover, long-standing team members have played a key role in evolving My Singing Monsters over time. “It came from our collective creativity,” says Critchley. “And we’ve been able to grow it alongside the community.”
For Marketing Director David Fardell, the game’s staying power comes down to how it connects with players. “Each monster is unique—slightly imperfect—and people can see themselves in them,” he says.
Even the audio design is intentional. “The monsters’ voices are designed to be mimicable,” Fardell explains. “You don’t need to be a professional singer. The idea is that everyone’s voice belongs.”
That design philosophy has helped build an engaged community that actively shapes the product. The team regularly incorporates player feedback into new content, reinforcing a sense of shared ownership between developers and users.
That same responsiveness carries into how the brand shows up across platforms. “How we engage on TikTok is very different from Facebook,” says Fardell. “They’re different audiences, and we adapt while staying true to the brand.” In a fast-moving digital landscape, flexibility is essential. “What works now might not work two months from now. It’s a mix of the community, the platform, and the team behind it.”
This thinking extends into Big Blue Bubble’s broader growth strategy. As part of a season of “legendary collaborations,” the company has been integrating real-world artists into the My Singing Monstersuniverse, introducing limited-time characters, music, and in-game events. Recent collaborations include artists like bbno$, with upcoming features involving T-Pain and CG5.
The goal is to bridge music and gameplay in a way that feels seamless. “We’re a music-based game coming out of Canada, so being part of that conversation made sense,” says Fardell. As the official mobile game partner of the JUNOs, Big Blue Bubble activated across multiple touchpoints—from the kickoff concert to the awards gala—where its characters became part of the live experience. “They wanted to bring more fun to the event. That’s exactly what our brand does.”
Despite its global reach, Big Blue Bubble remains rooted in London. “We have access to strong educational institutions and a growing tech ecosystem,” says Critchley. “There’s incredible talent here.”
That proximity has helped the company scale while staying connected to a regional pipeline of talent and innovation.
Looking ahead, the intersection of gaming and music continues to expand. “People aren’t just playing the game—they’re also streaming the music,” says Fardell. “They listen while they study or work. That side of it is growing in an interesting way.”
With more collaborations ahead, the company is continuing to explore how its intellectual property can evolve across platforms. “We have a broad canvas to work with,” he adds.
For teams building in the region, the advice is practical. “Find the right people to build with,” says Critchley. Fardell adds, “Invest in your community. The people who already care about what you’re building—they’re the ones who carry it forward.”
For Big Blue Bubble, growth didn’t come from chasing attention. It came from building a product ecosystem that people choose to stay in—one that blends technology, creativity, and community into something enduring.
