Screen Australia announces $6M fund for game development, here is how it all works

Screen Australia announces $6M fund for game development, here is how it all works

Author: SIFTER March 18, 2022 Duration: 19:57

After seven years without any federal government support for the games industry, a new grant program called the $6 million Games Expansion Pack from Screen Australia was announced on Friday last week.

This program replaces a successful but prematurely cancelled fund called the Australian Interactive Games Fund which was axed when this government came to power in 2014.

Our guests on this episode are

  • Paul Turbett of Black Lab Games, one the original recipients of the AIGF, speaks of the huge impact this small funding had on his business
  • Ron Curry of IGEA, Australia's peak game development body, shares the campaigning and lobbying it took to bring this fund to life
  • Lee Naimo, Head of Online at Screen Australia, runs through why it happened now and how it all works
  • and John Daskalopoulos, CEO of Not Doppler, who was part of the funding announcement with Minister Paul Fletcher shares how much of a difference this funding could have made, and what opportunities it'll allow now

SIFTER is produced by Nicholas Kennedy, Kyle Pauletto, Fiona Bartholomaeus, Daniel Ang & Adam Christou. Mitch Loh is Senior Producer and Gianni Di Giovanni is our Executive Producer.

Thanks to Omny Studio for their support of SIFTER.

Support the show: https://sifter.store


Ever wondered what really happens behind the scenes of your favourite video games? Lightmap-Conversations with video game creators pulls back the curtain, offering genuine, in-depth chats with the people who bring these worlds to life. This isn't just a series of interviews; it's an award-winning Australian podcast that digs into the messy, fascinating, and deeply human creative process. Each episode feels like you're sitting in on a candid conversation between friends, one of whom just happens to be a brilliant developer, a visionary artist, or a composer whose music defines entire gaming eras. You'll hear stories about the breakthroughs and the breakdowns, the initial spark of an idea and the years of grind it takes to shape it into something you can play. Hosted by SIFTER, the podcast moves beyond just the finished product to explore the craft of interactive media itself. By focusing on the creators' personal journeys and professional challenges, Lightmap provides a unique perspective you won't find in standard reviews or previews. It’s for anyone who's ever finished a game and immediately wanted to know how it was made, or for anyone curious about the intersection of art, technology, and storytelling. Tune in for thoughtful discussions that are as much about the people as they are about the pixels.
Author: Language: en-au Episodes: 100

Lightmap - Conversations with video game creators
Podcast Episodes
A voice says SLAY THE PRINCESS. What you do next is up to you [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 39:22
SLAY THE PRINCESS is a horror narrative visual novel where you've got one task. You're here to slay a princess, but if you do is actually up to you. This game brings branching narratives and a style of roguelite gameplay…
Are video games causing climate change? [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 16:26
If you want to play a video game you have to plug something in, that power comes from somewhere and Dr Ben Abraham, has completed the second annual Net Zero Snapshot for the games industry. Ubisoft is leading the charge…
The history of video games, one year and one game at a time [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 35:09
How do you condense more around forty years of interactive history into one book? Games journalist Jordan Minor (PC Mag, The Escapist) has taken on this task, with a new beautifully illustrated book "Video Game of the Ye…