Screen Queensland awards $1.3m in funding to nine indie studios

The games grant secures the development of 12 games

Image credit: Sbug Games

Screen Queensland has awarded $1.3m in funding to nine independent studios.

The Games Grant funding – which will secure the development of 12 games – will also support “an additional 40 positions” for developers working in the region.

This funding supports projects “across all stages of development” with up to $200K per round, and a lifetime cap of $300K available.

The organisation says this latest round of grants will support games at Fuzzy Ghost, Saltpunk, BaristaGamer Productions, Sagestone, Sbug Games, Maxart, Flow-State, and Spitfire Interactive, as well as the full release of 5 Lives Studio’s Cozy Caravan.

Three new additional projects at Prideful Sloth, The Tea Division, and Spunge Games have also secured funding via the digital games incentive.

“Screen Queensland’s investment extends across all levels of the local sector and that is paying dividends, with renewed confidence in our state’s studios and the games they are developing,” said Jacqui Feeney, Screen Queensland CEO.

“We are proud to be driving a step-change in ambition and opportunity across an industry where Queenslanders can be world leaders in the creation of unique and innovative games.

“After doubling the funding level for Games Grants rounds, we achieved a 133 per cent increase in the number of projects we are now supporting and these indie games are driving real ‘bricks and mortar’ highly skilled technical jobs,” Feeney added.

Screen Queensland is a state government-owned agency “investing in locally made games, films and series, and attracting international and interstate production and post-production.” Applications for the next round of grants commences in December 2024.