Screen Australia backs 23 studios with $2 million in funding
Guck and Awesome Black are the first beneficiaries of the body's First Nations Games Studio fund
Screen Australia has announced the latest beneficiaries of its funds, amounting to AU$3 million (over $2 million) in funding for 23 studios.
The body's First Nations Games Studio fund awarded AU$600,000 (over $400,000) to two studios.
Half of the amount will go to Guck, a Victoria-based, First Peoples-led studio currently working on Aboriginal-led mobile game Future Folklore. The other half will go to Awesome Black, which describes itself as a "creative social enterprise developing original First Nations talent and unique storytelling content," working on games, but also on music, literature, digital art, and more.
Screen Australia's Games Expansion Pack fund meanwhile awarded AU$2.4 million ($1.6 million) in funding to 21 studios. The full list can be found on the body's website.
Screen Australia's CEO Graeme Mason commented: "It was amazing to see the high volume of incredibly strong applications for this latest round of Games Expansion Pack and also for the inaugural First Nations Games Studio fund.
"These projects and these studios represent a fantastic mix of exciting games from talented creators around the country and it is great to be able to support them to accelerate their skills and talent, and to bring their creative visions to life. We are so proud of the level of talent in the games industry in Australia, and feel the best is yet to come for our games developers both locally and on the international stage."
Screen Australia's First Nations Games Studio fund launched in May, to support studios "creating a culturally safe space for First Nations people to grow their skills in game development."
The country's Digital Games Tax Offset was officially approved earlier this year, providing a 30% tax incentive to Australian studios with projects above AU$500,000 (roughly $341,000).