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South Australia’s $1m Games Fund Adds a Studio Path
By GamesHub
The South Australian Film Corporation (SAFC) has doubled its Digital Games Fund to $1 million, giving local developers a larger pool of support and marking the state government’s biggest single investment in game development. The increase follows the fund’s inaugural round last October, which distributed $500,000 among 11 studios, according to GamesIndustry.biz.
More funding and a path into local studios
The fund is designed to help create original South Australian games, grow local development businesses and get more games from the state in front of players around the world. Its expansion also arrives alongside the new Game Studio Placement Program, which will subsidise salary and superannuation costs for eligible early- and mid-career creators taking full-time placements at local studios.
Placements will run for either six or 12 months, giving studios support to grow their teams while helping developers build industry experience. That people-focused approach matters: a bigger project budget can help get a game moving, but studios also need skilled creators to bring it to life. Independent teams such as Salix Games show the creative work happening across Australia’s games scene.
SAFC acting CEO Leanne Saunders said the expanded fund offers twice the funding opportunities for local developers and studios to bring new games to life. “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,” Saunders said.
Three funding streams cover a game’s journey
The DGF divides its funding into three streams, spanning early development through to work on a game after release. Applications open on Wednesday, October 21.
| Funding stream | Maximum | What it supports | Stage |
|---|---|---|---|
| Early development | $30,000 | Pre-production, prototypes, proof of concept, early design and market testing | Before production |
| Production | $150,000 | Developing projects as they move towards commercial release | In development |
| Post-release | $50,000 | Localisation, porting and related work | After release |
Previous projects show the fund’s reach
The pilot round attracted more than 50 applications. Among its supported projects, Powerbomb Games and Tinkertown’s Pro Jank Footy reached the top spot on Nintendo Switch, while Bad Plan Studios secured a publishing deal with Thailand-based Rising Tide Publishing for End of Ember.
Little Bandit’s The Troll & The Witch’s House and Cowboy Fish’s Peppermint were selected for exhibition at PAX Australia. The DGF and placement program also offer a route towards South Australia’s Video Game Development Rebate, which provides a 10% rebate on eligible projects with at least $250,000 in South Australian spending. Launched in 2020, the rebate has supported the production of more than 40 games from the state.
The Game Studio Placement Program is expected to launch later this year; further timing details and an application closing date have not been provided. For South Australian creators, the expanded fund means more support is available across distinct stages of making and releasing a game, alongside a new option for building studio teams.
