Screen Queensland today announced a major increase in its funding for the state's thriving digital games sector by boosting its Games Grants program to support projects with up to $200,000 per round.
Designed to fund Queensland developers through prototype, early access and full launch, the Games Grants uplift will also allow projects to receive a maximum of $300,000 in funding during their lifecycle.
Screen Queensland CEO Jacqui Feeney said that the enhanced Games Grants offering is reflective of the strong momentum in Queensland's indie games sector.
"Queensland games like Witch Beam's Unpacking and Toast Interactive's Richie's Plank Experience have rightly attracted incredible interest from international publishers and enthralled gamers all over the world.
"Screen Queensland is proud to support the ingenuity and creativity of our local games developers in creating Queensland IP.
"Increasing our Games Grants is another vital step in ensuring they have every opportunity for success."
Screen Queensland Head of Games, Jed Dawson said that the Games Grants program is part of a record $5 million funding package from the Queensland Government and the state screen agency.
"Alongside our industry-leading Digital Games Incentive and ground-breaking Games Residency program, we are investing in all levels of our local games sector. This elevation of the industry in Queensland is only just beginning.
"We are seeing incredible growth in the number of games coming out of Queensland right now, and the quality of these games is astounding."
Projects recently supported by Screen Queensland include Bears in Space, Go-Go Town!, Len's Island, My Little Pony: Mane Merge, On Point and Servonauts.
In the 2022-23 financial year, Screen Queensland invested more than $2 million to support 19 games which generated an estimated $11.5 million in local expenditure. In the current financial year, Screen Queensland has already supported 13 games and invested more than $1.5 million in projects.
Last year, Queensland achieved an 11 per cent increase in the number of full-time games jobs (around 300 positions) following the introduction of the Digital Games Incentive and Games Grants, equating to almost half of all game development jobs created nationally.
Applications for the Screen Queensland Games Grants are open until Monday 29 January 2024 via screenqueensland.com.au/games/games-grants/.
DIGITAL GAMES SUPPORTED BY SCREEN QUEENSLAND July to December 2023
Digital Games Incentive
- Flow Studio, Len's Island
- Gameloft, unannounced project
- Playside Studios, unannounced project
- Toast Interactive, Max Mustard
- Unannounced project
Games Grants
- Actuator Digital, On Point
- Arkanpixel, unannounced project (originally Games Residents)
- Fat Alien Cat X Nomo Studio, Momento (originally Games Residents)
- Games with Wings, Treegaze Cove
- In Shambles Studio, Catto's Post Office (originally Games Residents)
- Lil Elephant Studios, Ribbet
- Owl Machine, Key Fairy
- Wield Interactive, unannounced project
