The South Australian Film Corporation (SAFC) has doubled its Digital Games Fund (DGF) funding to $1 million to support local developers.
Following the success of its inaugural round last October, which distributed $500,000 among 11 studios, this year’s DGF represents the South Australian government’s largest single investment in game development.
The DGF now offers three funding streams: up to $30,000 for pre-production, prototype development, proof of concept, early design and market testing; up to $150,000 for production as projects move toward commercial release; and up to $50,000 for post-release activities such as localisation, porting, and related work.
The SAFC has also introduced the Game Studio Placement Program alongside this year’s DGF to support paid placements for early- and mid-career creators in local studios. Those eligible can apply for subsidised salary and superannuation support for a six or 12-month full-time placement.
Applications for the DGF open on Wednesday, October 21. The Game Studio Placement Program will launch later this year.
The DGF was established to boost the development of original local games, help developers expand their businesses, and increase the number of games from South Australia globally.
The pilot program last October received over 50 applications. Successful projects include Powerbomb Games and Tinkertown’s Pro Jank Footy, which reached the top spot on Nintendo Switch. Bad Plan Studios secured a publishing deal with Thailand-based Rising Tide Publishing for End of Ember, while Little Bandit’s The Troll & The Witch’s House and Cowboy Fish’s Peppermint were selected for exhibition at PAX Australia.
SAFC stated that the DGF and Studio Placement Program provide studios and developers with a pathway to the existing SA Video Game Development (VGD) Rebate, “which backs larger-scale games through a 10% rebate claimable on eligible projects within a minimum SA spend of $250,000.”
The VGD Rebate launched in 2020 and has since supported the production of over 40 games from South Australia.
“The SAFC is delighted to double down on our support for South Australia’s video game sector with a second round of our DGF offering twice the funding opportunities for local developers and studios to bring their new and innovative games to life,” said SAFC acting CEO Leanne Saunders.
“In addition, our new Games Studio Placement Program is an investment in both people and businesses, helping South Australian games studios grow their teams while giving the next generation of developers an opportunity to establish themselves in the industry.”
Earlier this year, GamesIndustry.biz spoke to numerous Australian developers and industry leaders about the rise, fall, and resurgence of game development in the country.