Queensland Unveils $23M Boost for Local Games Industry
The Queensland government has announced the development of 20 new digital games projects, a move it says will support 330 local jobs and contribute a record $23 million to the state’s economy. The announcement is part of a broader effort to strengthen Queensland’s reputation as a global hub for games development.
According to government figures, employment in the state’s games industry has grown to more than 665 full-time positions, marking a four-fold increase. Queensland is now the second largest state for games development in Australia, with local studios attracting attention from major publishers and platforms such as Sony PlayStation, Xbox, and Nintendo Switch, as well as online platforms like Steam and Apple Arcade.
The new projects include Prideful Sloth’s Go-Go Town! and Broadside Games’ CHUNK, along with Momento from Fat Alien Cat x Nomo, which emerged from Screen Queensland’s Games Residency program for emerging developers.
Queensland Minister for the Arts, John-Paul Langbroek, credited the current government’s support for the industry’s growth, contrasting it with what he described as a period of decline under the previous administration. Langbroek said the latest round of project announcements highlights a significant increase in high-quality titles produced in the state and noted a 20 percent rise in local industry expenditure in just six months.
Screen Queensland CEO Jacqui Feeney stated that the agency’s funding initiatives have helped reinvigorate the sector. Feeney said the industry has surpassed previous peaks and that Screen Queensland remains committed to supporting local developers and fostering talent to meet global demand for Queensland-made games.
Recent successful titles include SMG Studios’ LEGO® Party!, which earned an international nomination at The Game Awards 2025, Cozy Caravan by 5 Lives Studios, and Isopod: A Webbed Spin-off from Sbug Games. The next round of Games Grants funding, offering up to $200,000 per project, is scheduled to open in the second half of 2026.
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