2024 04 09 – Media release
zodiac mountain
Screen Australia has announced more than $2 million in funding to strengthen Australia’s gaming sector. This includes funding 12 games through the Game Production Fund, 27 games through the Emerging Game Makers Fund, and three events through the Games Events Fund.
The Game Production Fund and Emerging Game Makers Fund provide vital support to Australian independent game makers, with the aim of funding original games with budgets under $500,000. Develop new talent through professional development opportunities.
These efforts are supported by the federal government’s national cultural policy Revive, which includes a commitment of $12 million over four years from the 2023/24 financial year to Screen Australia’s gaming fund.
Tony Burke, Arts Minister, said: “Video games have come a long way. This global, multi-billion dollar industry is now a great place for storytellers to connect with audiences and explore their creativity. “We offer a wide variety of unique ideas and techniques.” Our government is investing $12 million to boost the careers of game makers and fostering new talent in this fast-growing sector. ”
Deirdre Brennan, CEO of Screen Australia, said: By supporting these projects and industry events, we foster local developers and small and medium-sized studios, strengthening our position as a global leader in independent game production. ”
“Demand for gaming funding is increasing, with Screen Australia receiving more than 370 applications, double the number from last year. “This reflects the growing role of support,” Brennan said.
Since March 2022, Screen Australia has provided more than $12.5 million in matching gaming funding programs to projects such as Feed the Deep, Diets and Deities and The Sacred Acorn. The agency supports games across a variety of platforms including PC, Mac, Linux, Nintendo Switch, iOS/Android, and releases on the App Store, Google Play, Steam, itch.io, Nintendo eShop, etc. We are aiming for
Projects supported through the Game Production Fund include:
Cozy Commons (SA): A life simulation game where players go about their daily activities while discovering the secrets of a town and its inhabitants. Players can join the community, hone their skills, find collectibles, and decorate their homes, all while discovering a rich, storied world of characters they meet along the way. The team includes lead developer Tom Longo and lead artist Rebecca Hadland. Doggy Don’t Care (NSW): In this comedic adventure platformer, players take on the role of a mischievous puppy who unleashes adorable havoc. Players earn the approval of their feathered friends by exploring, collecting, and running amok around the house and beyond, and dig through a list of fun tasks to earn prank badges. The team includes founder/creative director Rohan Nowell, graphic designer Carlo delos Santos, and composer/SFX artist Dominic Parker. Frogreign (QLD): In this story-driven platformer, players join the frog prince Lil on an amphibious action-adventure to unravel royal intrigue. Use Lil’s tongue as a grappling hook and other frog abilities to seamlessly hop, swing, dive, and swim through different locations and challenges. Players can explore the depths of Callidrya’s realm, full of chaos and secrets. The team includes creative director Bryce Watson, designer Dallas Smart, writer Natasha Cox, lead developer Nico Plotz, composer Alejandro Pérez Heinze, and audio engineer Andres Buitrago. Jupiter Junkworks (VIC): A fast-paced new take on the arcade puzzle genre, featuring a narrative campaign mode in which players rebuild a spaceship salvage yard. Jupiter Junkworks is produced by lead developer and producer Will Deragon, character illustrator and narrative designer Georgia Pedersen, composer Jam Nawaz (JAMATAR), sound designer Zander Hulme, 3D artist Paul Mahoney, animator Kiat-Boon Pierce, and voice artist Composed by Audrey Willowbrook. Zodiac Mountain (WA): In this roguelike deck-building adventure game, players embark on a mystical journey as a determined panda, challenging mythical creatures and the Chinese Zodiac to prove their worth Let’s say. The team includes CEO/MD/Founder Kevin Jiang, game designer/2D artist James Knight, 2D artists May Huang and Sylvia Lian, lead programmer Laurence Anthony Valentini, UI/UX designer Daisy Chan, and sound designer Ian. Contains Chen.
Projects supported through the Emerging Gamemakers Fund include:
Aussie Rules (SA): A sports party roguelite that combines action-packed gameplay with Australian absurdist humor. Players can challenge friends to unpredictable matches driven by wild mechanics, all tied together by a retro aesthetic and surrealist satire based on Australian culture. The team includes producer David Ashby, developer Tyler Roach, writer/voice actor Broden Kelly, and composer Dario Russo. Feral Scape (NSW): Developed by developer Joseph Dowsett (BARCHboi), Feral Scape is an open-world fantasy RPG where player choices drive exploration, crafting, and game modification. Taking inspiration from Australian locations, players will engage in exploration and community building within a fantasy setting, aiming to unite disparate factions in order to complete quests related to the Wolf Prophecy. LunaGenesis (VIC): An adventurous and experimental RPG in which players assume the role of a young witch who wanders into a cursed city. Its inhabitants are trapped in a nightmare. To escape, players navigate a dream world and uncover secrets about the shape-shifting antagonist. LunaGenesis is the brainchild of Creative Director/Programmer Michaela Vranic-Peters, Programmer/Producer Natasha Vranic-Peters, and Lead Artist/AI Programmer Nathan Semertzidis. Project Backbone (ACT): The story of technomancer Sieg and alchemist Percy, two unlikely “non-boyfriends” who resolve their situation. Players take on the role of Zeke as he and Percy traverse towers that grow out of the ground like cancer, experiencing a combination of magic and technology, and praying that their situation remains strong to the end. Project Backbone is the work of creative director Alex Murphy and lead artist Hannah Levi. Project Dairy Cat (VIC): A deck-building tactical heist game set in a sci-fi future. Players take on the role of infiltrators of a space pirate crew who intercept and plunder unmanned cargo ships. The team includes technical director Joel Davison, art director Sasha Mutch, composer Jess Cerro, audio engineer Kathryn Gledhill-Tucker, and UI artist Olivia Ong. The Troll and the Witch’s House (SA): This point-and-click puzzle mystery comes from independent developer Ditte Wad Andersen. The player takes on the role of a troll character trapped in a strange house. In the process of attempting to escape, players will be able to piece together the pieces of their past, allowing the Troll to slowly unravel the truth behind the house’s tragedy, and in doing so, find the key to escape.
For a complete list of funded game makers and projects, visit Game Blockline here.
Now accepting applications
Applications are currently being accepted for the Emerging Gamemakers Fund, Games Production Fund, and Games Event Fund. Before applying, applicants are encouraged to:
Additionally, the Future Leaders Delegation will support six early to mid-career game makers with the opportunity to attend the Game Developers Conference (GDC) in San Francisco from March 17-21, 2025. Applications are now being accepted.
The Games Events Fund, established in April, has distributed more than $160,000 to Play Now Melbourne, Games Connect Asia Pacific (GCAP) and Freeplay Angles Festival. The fund aims to increase visibility, networking and community-building opportunities for Australian game makers. Click here to apply.
Screen Australia is also partnering with IGEA to host the Screen Australia Local Lounge at GCAP 2024. It will feature 34 games funded by Screen Australia, and will feature a showcase of gender diversity-led games for the first time on Tuesday 8 October. Gender Issues Task Force.
If you have any questions regarding these funds, please contact (email protected) or Program Operations on 1800 507 901.
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