How a Halifax venture capitalist sold Hollywood on a made-in-Nova Scotia video game, burned through millions in government money, and left behind a trail of jilted investors.
Two Waddell Avenue in Dartmouth, NS, where James Drage maintained offices for several companies, became the epicenter of a financial saga that would eventually ensnare federal agencies and private backers alike.
What began as a promising pitch—a high-stakes video game based on the hit television series Sons of Anarchy—quickly devolved into a cautionary tale of mismanaged funds and broken promises. As the Orpheus Interactive project stalled, millions in Atlantic Canada Opportunities Agency (ACOA) funding evaporated, leaving industry experts questioning the due diligence processes behind the investment.