Award-winning kids digital content specialist Johanna Egger and long-time developer Morgan Jaffit are the inaugural appointees of the Federal Government's Digital Games Tax Offset Advisory Board.
New South Wales has joined South Australia in widening its 10 per cent post, digital and visual effects (PDV) rebate to include game development.
The Interactive Games and Entertainment Association has encouraged the Australian games industry to consider its future pipeline of talent, following new data showing nearly 800 new jobs were created across the sector in the 2021/22 financial year.
The games industry in Australia is entering a new era, with the Digital Games Tax Offset and increased
direct investment in games from Screen Australia and state screen agencies. IF examines how the support will stretch beyond developers alone to benefit visual effects and post-production companies and creatives who have traditionally worked in film and television.
The Interactive Games and Electronics Association is aiming to keep gaming on the agenda in the lead up to the Federal Election, publishing a policy platform outlining objectives for the sector.
Trackdown GM Elaine Beckett believes it's not only developers who stand to benefit from the Digital Games Tax Offset and increased government investment in games, but also post-production services.
Screen Australia will commit $6 million over two years to support small to medium independent game studios with projects with budgets below $500,000.
Overall gains in employment, significant growth in the digital games industry, and rising production costs for television drama have headlined the eighth Australian Bureau of Statistics Film, Television and Digital Games survey - the first since 2015/16.