These elements have included:  When the Toronto Game Jam began, Toronto was not a recognized city for game development, as it was overshadowed by Vancouver and Montreal, where major studios like Electronic Arts and Ubisoft had settled. The event was first suggested by Nelson Yu, a developer-turned-writer, in the IGDA community boards as a way to get more local game development, in an attempt to retain talent. The first TOJam occurred in 2006. TOJam carries on a good-natured rivalry with the Nordic Game Jam, with which it competes for attendance and output. This rivalry has not been officially acknowledged by the organizers of the Nordic Game Jam.