Credit: Dreamstime: Sonerbakir
Games developers based in New South Wales are expected to get more financial support after the NSW Government announced a more competitive Digital Games Development Rebate.
Up until now visual effects and animations studios have been the main beneficiaries of the State Government’s Post Visual and Digital (PDV) rebate, but from October 1, 2021, the Government will broaden its 10 percent rebate to include eligible games projects in NSW, a move that’s likely to attract more games developers to the state.
NSW already has a fair share of successful gaming studios that will benefit from the announcement. Studios like Wargaming Sydney, Not Doppler, Blowfish Studios, SMG, Chaos Theory Games and 3RD SENSE have titles that have achieved success, some like Blowfish’s Siegecraft Commander with global audiences. The announcement is expected to further help these companies compete in the global market.
Credit: Blowfish Studios Ben Lee, co-founder and managing director of Blowfish Studios in North Sydney, said he was looking forward to how the incentive would help expand his company’s creative capacity. “For Blowfish it means we can employ more creatives and developers to help us build our internationally acclaimed games. We are very excited to shortly reveal our next game to the public,” said Lee.
The NSW Minister for Arts Don Harwin said games are increasingly requiring post, digital and visual effects work. “There is increasing convergence between PDV and games, so it makes sense to offer the games sector this competitive opportunity, which I am confident will lead to more employment, development and commercial opportunities,” Harwin said.
The incentive also has the support of the peak gaming body in Australia, the Interactive Games and Entertainment Association (IGEA). IGEA CEO Ron Curry said the announcement is welcome and along with the existing support, represents a boon for future games development in NSW.
“Coupled with the recent announcement of the Federal Government’s 30 percent Digital Games Tax Offset to be introduced in July 2022, NSW is in an enviable and competitive position to bolster its already successful local games development industry and attract permanent investment for this creative and high-tech sector,” he said.
