South Australian Game Development Fund now open
Production, development, and marketing grants now available as part of state government's AU $2 million investment fund
The South Australian Games Development Fund was officially launched this week by manufacturing and innovation minister Kyam Maher.
The AU $2 million fund was announced in November last year with the aim of building a "world leading" games development hub in Southern Australia, creating around 500 new jobs.
Game developers in the region are now able to apply for grants of between AU $15,000 and AU $50,000 to employ staff with specialist skills, invest in hardware or software, or cover additional production costs. All production grants must be matched on a 2:1 basis.
Money is also available for skills development, with grants of up to AU $20,000 for conference attendance, training, scholarships, mentorships, and event sponsorships. Developers may apply for marketing grants of up to AU $15,000.
Additionally, at the discretion of the Department of State Development, skills development grants of up to AU $5,000 may be granted at short notice without a formal assessment to enable developers to respond to short notice opportunities.
The remaining AU $450,000 has been set aside to invest in a collaborative workplace for game developers and tech start-ups. Mobile developer Mighty Kingdom recently relocated to the premises and is set to launch its new game Kitty Keeper with support from an AU $480,000 Future Jobs Fund State Development grant.
"South Australia has a vibrant game development scene and this new strategy will support our small games enterprises to test their ideas in Adelaide, tap into new markets and remain globally competitive in this multi-billion dollar industry," said minister Maher
"Around the world, Adelaide is being recognised for its innovative and high-tech infrastructure. I encourage all game developers living abroad or around Australia to look to South Australia to explore and test new ideas."