The Australian games development industry is increasing pressure on the government to provide the same tax breaks and funding that the file industry receives. A number of game studio heads showed up on the ABC 7:30 report last night, where they made the case that the only thing holding the games industry in Australia back is a lack of investment money. Obviously, more funding for development studios means more original games, rather than more devs being forced to do “work for hire” contracts for overseas publishers. The big problem with these “work for hire” jobs is that Australia is losing most of them to countries like India and China, where the labor is much cheaper. Of course, the Screen Producer’s Association is less than pleased with the idea of sharing any of their proceeds from the six federally-funded bodies that support them.
It’s a fight that may determine the future of games made in Australia, so stay tuned for more.
Naturally the Screen Producers Association is not impressed with any suggestion that they might have to share one cent of the proceeds of the six separate federally-funded bodies that support the Australian film and television industry.
3 Comments to Australian Game Developers Pushing for Government Funding
by: S.T.A.L.K.E.R.
On April 28, 2007 at 12:25 pm
The Aussies have very strict game laws, so I don’t see the gov’t helping the gamers out in anyway, they are too busy trying to police everyone anyway
by: ObiKKa
On May 4, 2007 at 4:45 pm
The Victorian & Queensland state governments have very good support for their local game developers. The Federal Government? Pretty non-existent as far as I know thanks to that wayyy-too old-fashioned crone that’s been reigning the PM throne for over 10 years!!! But he’s, thankfully & hopefully, got a very good chance of losing!
“Naturally the Screen Producers Association is not impressed with any suggestion that they might have to share one cent of the proceeds of the six separate federally-funded bodies that support the Australian film and television industry.”
ONE PER CENT!?!?!?! What the h3ll!?! Most films, especially almost all of the Aussie local films are boring, & depressing life issues shit that ain’t the least tiny bit re-watchable, let alone be watched by most of us Aussies. Barely only the critics loves them so much it bores my brain shitless!
You see, when looking at the vibrancy of the evidence AND the future potential of the vibrancy, the atmosphere, cool & solid gameplay mechanics that challenges your brain &/or makes you so happy to be playing them, good story (well, only sometimes, of course), the lovely colours, the originality, a little bit of innovation in evolutionary terms, just that ‘it factor’, & more, you know that the video game industry AND, AND, AND, wait, there’s more!, yes, that’s right! US! We boy gamers! (OK, & girls, so what? I don’t care!) really, really, & desperately needs all the funding that they can get. One per cent taken away from the Oz’ film industry’s funding, & suddenly they’re unhappy at the prospect of that having happened? Bahlalala!
This will be inevitable. Film industry = PWNED!
by: rabid midget
On May 17, 2008 at 10:01 pm
not even one percent? I am hoping to be a game designer and i dont want to have to move to america and i think that there is a MUCH higher chance that an australian game would be an international success then a film. probably because the screen producers association is run buy a bunch of bias, old farts who think that the game industry isnt an art form and therefore doesn’t deserve the funding since they still consider videogames “new”.