The South Australian Film Corporation (SAFC) has appointed developer and academic James O’Connor as game development executive.
He will join the corporation after more than three years at South Australian games studio company Mighty Kingdom, where he began as a graduate mentor before becoming a narrative designer and writer, and then project narrative lead.
Before this, he completed a master’s thesis on player-driven narrative experiences and in 2023 was awarded Best Games Reviewer at the Samsung IT Journalism Awards, otherwise known as The Lizzies.
In his new role, O’Connor will work closely with the Production and Development team to facilitate the growth of the state’s game development sector, manage the administration of the SA Video Game Development (VGD) Rebate, and use his connections within the local, national, and international game development community to leverage opportunities for the sector.
His appointment follows the addition of games industry veteran Clara Reeves to the SAFC Board in 2023.
SAFC CEO Kate Croser said O’Connor brought a wealth of experience to the role.
“We are delighted to welcome James O’Connor to the SAFC as our new game development executive,” she said.
“He brings a deep knowledge of the industry in South Australia and globally, and we are confident he will bring great value to this role supporting the game development sector in South Australia.”
O’Connor will commence his role on Monday, May 6.