Image: Game play still from Games Grants recipient Darcy Morris' Hex Punks: 2000
Screen Queensland has revealed a fresh slate of homegrown games titles receiving Games Grants funding, with the agency backing local developers with up to $200,000 per project.
The latest round of Screen Queensland's Games Grants is supporting 12 titles from indie studios and developers, including new projects from Fuzzy Ghost, Disparity and Endless River, as well as Chunky Quail's Slumbering Woods which is currently available as a demo on Steam.
Since Games Grants funding was introduced in 2022, Screen Queensland has invested $4.3 million in growing the local indie sector, supporting more than 50 titles from prototype through to full release.
Previously supported releases have included Catto's Post Office (In Shambles Studio), Feed the Deep (Luke Muscat), Key Fairy (Owl Machine), Isopod: A webbed spin-off (Sbug Games) and Servonauts (Maxart). Both Catto's Post Office and Key Fairy were initially developed as part of Screen Queensland's Games Residency program.
Minister for the Arts John-Paul Langbroek said that backing the state's digital games sector is building employment across one of the creative economy's most lucrative industries.
"Digital games are big business, and our ongoing funding through Screen Queensland is ensuring that local games studios have a strong foundation for success in an international market worth more than $2.6 billion annually.
"We are proud to back local jobs and local IP, supporting sustainable growth for our digital games sector."
Screen Queensland CEO Jacqui Feeney said that strategic investment in the state's games industry has paid dividends, driving employment and fostering creativity.
"Queensland is fast emerging as a centre of excellence for games development and we are committed to converting this current momentum into realising that vision.
"From graduates to start-ups, industry luminaries and iconic studios, we are ambitious about Queensland being the place where careers are established, local studios flourish and some of the world's favourite games are made."
The agency's slate announcement follows a recent report from IGEA which revealed Queensland continues to shine as Australia's second largest state for games development.
The local sector upholds around 660 full-time jobs, which account for 27 per cent of a national industry generating over $608 million in annual revenue, largely through exports to the global market.
Digital games supported by Screen Queensland across its Digital Games Incentive and Games Grants funding have included the 2026 BAFTA-winner LEGO® Party! from SMG Studio and Cozy Caravan from 5 Lives Studio.
Set to join the impressive slate of recently released Queensland titles, such as Momento (Fat Alien Cat x Nomo Studio) and Schrodinger's Cat Burglar (Abandoned Sheep), will be the highly anticipated Bluey's Happy Snaps (Gameloft Brisbane) and Go-Go Town! (Prideful Sloth).
Screen Queensland is also hosting the Let's Play Streamer Summit
