Screenwest announces $2 million boost for WA’s digital games and interactive industry
Screenwest and Culture and Arts Minister David Templeman are pleased to announce a $2 million boost for Western Australia’s digital games and interactive industry from the McGowan Government.
Screenwest and Culture and Arts Minister David Templeman are pleased to announce a $2 million boost for Western Australia’s digital games and interactive industry from the McGowan Government.
The new pilot funding will assist WA’s digital games and interactive sector to create content, connect to market and grow, as well as access the recently announced Federal Digital Games Tax Offset for eligible projects.
The funding will be administered by Screenwest, and will boost the growth of WA’s digital games sector by supporting content development, capability development and strategic industry building opportunities.
“There is enormous demand for screen content globally and this funding will assist WA’s small but vibrant digital games sector to grow and achieve national and international success.” said Rikki Lea Bestall, Screenwest CEO.
In addition, five WA games studios are set to attend Gamescom 2022 – the world’s biggest computer and video games event in Cologne, Germany – thanks to a $50,000 McGowan Government grant.
WA games studios Black Lab, Hungry Sky, Big Bench Games, SpaceDraft and EarthLingo will attend the event from 24 to 28 August 2022, alongside newly-appointed Screenwest Games and Interactive Program Consultant Caitlin Lomax, who commences her role later this month, and representatives from Interactive Games & Association (IGEA), who are hosting an Australian pavilion stand at the event.
“The digital games industry is large and growing rapidly, this investment will enable WA games developers to support content development and access worldwide markets. The games and interactive technology industry can provide significant economic and cultural benefits to WA. Games and immersive technologies present a major opportunity for economic diversification of the State as identified in the Diversify WA Economic Development Framework. The WA presence at Gamescom 2022 will provide valuable networking opportunities and showcase WA Games studios on the international stage.” said Culture and Arts Minister David Templeman.
The creative industries provide significant economic and cultural benefits to WA and the McGowan Government is committed to growing and fostering the development of the gaming and interactive technologies sectors as a key part of its economic diversification strategy.
Australia is the official partner country of this year’s Gamescom. The pavilion stand is also supported by Austrade, Screen Queensland, Trade and Investment Queensland, Investment New South Wales, Creative Victoria, South Australian Department for Trade and Investment, South Australian Film Corporation, Screen Tasmania and Tasmanian Department of State Growth.
Applications for funding in Games & Interactive will open at screenwest.com.au later in the year.
ABOUT THE GAMES STUDIOS
SpaceDraft
SpaceDraft is an easy-to-use no-code design tool invented to empower the next generation of game designers. It helps people tell non-linear stories and share visual plans for any virtual or physical spaces. The software company based in Perth, Western Australia has over 60,000 users on the platform and solves market problems that have plagued the creative industries for decades. Its goal is to become the go-to pre-production and planning tool for all web 3.0, gaming and metaverse content. Where there was once paper and power-point, now there is SpaceDraft. Founder, Lucy Cooke is a behavioural scientist and the Founder and CEO of SpaceDraft. After spending a decade in Hollywood working in film production and visual effects, she knew there had to be a better way for people to communicate new plans for designing virtual worlds and non-linear stories.
Hungry Sky
Hungry Sky is a multi-award winning interactive design studio based in Perth, Western Australia. They create experiences, from interactive projections to multiplayer AR and immersive VR games. They are excited to bring their first self-published mobile game, Nekograms to the European market at Gamescom. Nekograms is an adorable puzzle game about helping cats get to sleep. Hungry Sky started in 2011 as a business and creative partnership between Nick Lowe (Director) and Minh Tran (Director). They have since expanded their team to include Lauren Fletcher (Art Director) and Ben Hammersley (Producer). Minh and Lauren will be showcasing Nekograms at Gamescom this year.
Big Bench Games
Big Bench Games is a Perth-based indie game development studio. Founded in 2022 by two friends Alex Sosin and Josiah Ward, the company aims to produce exciting and engaging party games for all ages. Whilst a relatively young company, Alex and Josiah have a combined total of five years working professionally in the industry and look forward to many more years of creating engaging titles. At Big Bench Games, we value the social and family experience of games. We seek to create accessible games to bring families together and create a space where kids can enjoy a party game with their parents, uncles, and aunts. As well as, a platform for friends to duke it out and have a good laugh in the evening.
Earthlingo
Earthlingo is both the WA studio and video game created by Zilin Su and Raymond Corrigan. Players take the role of an alien exploring Earth, meeting humans and battling villainous robots. Players use language as their main tool for exploration and battling opponents. We believe the best way to learn is through play, and our goal is for players to become conversational in a second language through playing the game. Earthlingo started out as a hobby, as it gained traction and we saw the positive impact it was having, we made the decision to develop the game as a company. Both of Earthlingo’s founders have had a journey through language learning. Zilin migrated to Australia as a child and Ray has lived abroad. These experiences have led to the belief that language is key to interpersonal connection and understanding. Only through personal communication can people truly understand and befriend each other. We believe this friendship is what enables people from across borders to forget their animosity.
Black Labs
Black Lab Games is a Perth-based developer of high-quality video games for PC and consoles. As well as original titles, we are best known for our strategy games Battlestar Galactica Deadlock and Warhammer 40,000: Battlesector. We were honoured to be named Studio of the Year at the 2021 Australian Game Developer Awards.
PICTURED: Culture and Arts Minister David Templeman and Screenwest CEO Rikki Lea Bestall with some of the WA games delegation being supported to attend Gamescom 2022 in Germany.
The Nostalgia Box in Northbridge is the first video game console museum in Australia. Back: Bella Taylor (SpaceDraft), Lauren Fletcher (Hungry Sky), Minh Tran (Hungry Sky), Minister Templeman, Natalie Marinho (Immerse Australia and Screenwest Industry Advisory Group Committee) Front: Lucy Cooke (SpaceDraft) and Rikki Lea Bestall (Screenwest CEO).
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