Australian Government Introduces New Funds for Game Developers

During Melbourne International Games Week, it was announced that the Australian government is partnering with Screen Australia to introduce new funds for game developers in the country. These funding programs will provide AU$12 million over the next four years to companies in the Australian games industry.

Screen Australia’s Games Production Fund will replace Games: Expansion Pack in 2022 to become the flagship fund. Studios with a budget of up to AU$500,000 can now apply for funding up to AU$100,000. The fund will distribute funding on a milestone basis, supporting various stages of game development such as finishing prototypes, launching games in early access, and more.

Additional Support for Game Developers

Aside from the Games Production Fund, Melbourne International Games Week also introduced two other forms of support for game developers. The first is the Emerging Gamemakers Fund, which focuses on the earlier parts of game development like prototyping. This fund will award up to AU$30,000 to companies that meet its criteria.

The second form of support takes a networking approach. Screen Australia’s Future Leaders Delegation aims to send developers to GDC, a costly trip for Australians. Mid-career developers who have not previously attended GDC are specifically targeted for this support.

Screen Australia CEO Graeme Mason expressed his excitement about the new funding, stating, “Today’s announcement represents an evolution of our games funding and will serve our independent game makers into the future — and is testament to our commitment to supporting Australia’s growing games industry. To all the independent game makers out there, I encourage you to share your unique visions and projects with us and seize this opportunity.”

Australian mobile games outfit iCandy has also made investments in recent years, acquiring a 51% stake in Storms and fully acquiring Malaysia-based studio Lemon Sky.