- With a focus on fostering the ingenuity and creativity of local games developers in Queensland, 14 new projects through the latest round of Screen Queensland's Games Grants will share in $1 million enabled through an uplift in the grant cap available.
- An additional $1.1 million will support three projects through the Digital Games Incentive.
- Since 2021, Queensland Government investment in the digital games sector has delivered economic impact including 155% growth in employment and a 23% increase in local expenditure.
Today the Miles Government has announced 17 recipients of Screen Queensland's enhanced Games Grants program and its Digital Games Incentive will share in $2.1 million to grow the state's digital games industry.
Recipients of the Games Grants have accessed up to $200,000 for projects at varying stages, following Screen Queensland's announcement late last year to double the maximum grant cap available per round.
Funded projects include the highly anticipated cosy room decorator game Momento and party puzzle game Servonauts, which are moving into proof of concept (vertical slice) and full release stages of development respectively, while Janet DeMornay is a Slumlord (and a witch), a horror-comedy game, has also received funding.
Queensland studios also receiving support include Abandoned Sheep, Everplay Games, Lemon Jolly Games and Salt Punk Studio.
In addition, Screen Queensland's industry-leading Digital Games Incentive has supported three projects including Cozy Caravan by 5 Lives Studios. This incentive, at 15% of eligible Queensland Game Development Expenditure is open to local, national and international studios developing their games in Queensland and supports further investment and growth in existing local games developers and studios.
The Queensland Government through Screen Queensland has previously supported projects including Go-Go Town by Prideful Sloth, Len's Island by Flow Studios and The Oregon Trail by Gameloft Brisbane.
Since the introduction of the Digital Games Incentive and Games Grants in 2021, Screen Queensland has helped drive a 155% increase in local sector employment and a 123% increase in local expenditure by games studios on their supported projects through to May 2024.
The agency's Games Residency program is now also in its second year of operation, helping 16 early-career developers to build their industry and business management skills.
Run in partnership with Birdifi Bridge, a Workforce Australia Self-Employment Assistance provider, the Games Residency is a unique development program that supports participants' access to co-working space, leading industry experts, business mentoring and income support over a 12-month period.
As stated by the Minister for the Arts Leeanne Enoch:
"The success of Queensland's digital games sector reflects the energy and innovation of the state's screen industry creatives," Minister Enoch said.
"Miles Government investment through Screen Queensland in games studios and developers is providing significant job opportunities and positive economic benefits for the sector, delivering on the priorities of our 10-year Creative Together strategy.
"Ongoing Government backing for our local industry is securing Queensland's flourishing reputation as a destination for leading international games platforms and publishers, attracting the interest of fans across the world."
As stated by Screen Queensland CEO Jacqui Feeney:
"Queensland is home to a burgeoning ecosystem of incredibly imaginative, highly skilled games developers—we are strategically supporting the sector at all levels through our Digital Games Incentive, Games Grants and Games Residency program," she said.
"Through targeted programs, collaboration with the wider sector and government agencies like Trade and Investment Queensland, we are working to ensure the Queensland games industry is set up for success. Our rapid growth in recent years shows that this strategy is already paying dividends for the state."
As stated by Fuzzy Ghost co-founder Scott Ford:
"Receiving this funding is huge for us. It means we have the time and space to create a (we hope) truly excellent game that will reach an even wider audience all over the world," he said.
"Returning to Queensland also means being able to work closer with all the artists we have collaborated with on our previous games—the people we grew up, studied, worked and lived with. It is such an exciting time to be making games in Queensland, and we are chuffed to be a part of it."
As stated by MAXART Director Dale Thompson:
"We are enormously grateful for the support that Screen Queensland has provided our team. Their grant programs have been critical to our studio's entry to the industry, allowing us to sustainably grow our passionate team of Queensland games developers.
"Beyond our studio, we've seen the enormous, positive impact their programs, industry engagement and advocacy are having across the industry."
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