Australia Backs Domestic Games Industry With $20Million
£8m to be handed out within the first year.
Screen Australia, the government organisation that helps fund domestic films and other entertainment products, has outlined a programme to boost development of homegrown video games. And it's a cracker, with some $20 million set aside for funding game projects. This is for a country with a population of 22 million people. Wowsers!
"The agency’s support for interactive and multi-platform content now incorporates new Federal Government funding through the Australian Interactive Games Fund, as well as funding previously provided through Screen Australia’s former multi-platform programs," a statement from the organisation reads.
The $20m figure will be distributed over a period of three years, with up to $8m of that passed on to Games Production and Games Enterprise initiatives within the next twelve months.
Of this, $4-5m will go to "supporting games developers to produce individual games" while $2-3m shall go to "supporting games development businesses to develop and enhance their sustainability, as well as fund ongoing development of their games projects."
Screen Australia’s Chief Operating Officer, Fiona Cameron, said, "Games are growing faster than any other entertainment sector and Australian developers have had extraordinary global cut through as demonstrated by the success of home-grown games such as Real Racing, Fruit Ninja and LA Noire.
"The pressure facing the industry is job migration and falling foreign investment. These programs released in draft today go a long way towards realising a strong and sustainable Australian games development sector, to ensure we tap into the huge global appetite for interactive entertainment."
Let the global games development race begin!
"The agency’s support for interactive and multi-platform content now incorporates new Federal Government funding through the Australian Interactive Games Fund, as well as funding previously provided through Screen Australia’s former multi-platform programs," a statement from the organisation reads.
The $20m figure will be distributed over a period of three years, with up to $8m of that passed on to Games Production and Games Enterprise initiatives within the next twelve months.
Of this, $4-5m will go to "supporting games developers to produce individual games" while $2-3m shall go to "supporting games development businesses to develop and enhance their sustainability, as well as fund ongoing development of their games projects."
Screen Australia’s Chief Operating Officer, Fiona Cameron, said, "Games are growing faster than any other entertainment sector and Australian developers have had extraordinary global cut through as demonstrated by the success of home-grown games such as Real Racing, Fruit Ninja and LA Noire.
"The pressure facing the industry is job migration and falling foreign investment. These programs released in draft today go a long way towards realising a strong and sustainable Australian games development sector, to ensure we tap into the huge global appetite for interactive entertainment."
Let the global games development race begin!