Key Notes
- South Australia’s second Digital Games Fund round doubles the available pool to A$1 million, with applications opening on October 21.
- Developers can seek up to A$30,000 for pre-production, A$150,000 for production or A$50,000 for post-release work, subject to local eligibility and project requirements.
- A separate placement program will support six- or 12-month studio roles later in 2026, alongside the expanded project funding.
South Australia will double its Digital Games Fund to A$1 million, expanding public support for local studios as they build, release and extend the life of their games. The South Australian Film Corporation (SAFC) will administer the second round, with applications opening on October 21.
The agency announced the expansion on October 6, describing it as the state government’s largest single investment in game development funding. The A$1 million is the total available for this round, rather than a payment to one studio or an additional A$1 million on top of the previous pool.
Three Grant Streams Cover Different Development Stages
The updated program details divide support into pre-production, production and post-release streams. The structure gives developers separate routes depending on how far their project has progressed, rather than requiring an early concept and a nearly finished game to seek the same type of award.
Pre-production grants reach A$30,000 and can support testing a concept through prototypes, early design, technical experiments and market research. The aim is to establish whether an idea has the creative, technical and commercial foundations for further development.
Production grants reach A$150,000 for games already in full production or preparing to enter it. Applicants must show that the project is sufficiently developed, its scope is realistic and there is a route to an audience, release or further financing. Larger requests require stronger evidence of readiness and team capability.
Post-release grants reach A$50,000, supporting work that expands a game’s audience, platform availability or commercial lifespan. Routine maintenance and minor patches are not the intended use unless they belong to a substantial, clearly defined strategy. That distinction makes the stream more targeted than a general operating subsidy.
Local Teams Need a Defined Milestone
The October guidelines require at least 75% of a project’s team to be primarily based in South Australia. Individual applicants must be adults with an active Australian Business Number and meet residency requirements; companies must have their principal place of business in the state for at least six months before applying.
Eligible projects are intended for digital release across platforms including PC, consoles, mobile and VR. Applicants need the necessary intellectual-property rights, and funding cannot reimburse a development milestone already completed. Gambling and social casino games are excluded.
Assessment considers originality, gameplay and presentation, the practicality of the budget and schedule, the team’s record and its intended audience. A production application also calls for footage of the current game, an audience engagement plan and an accessibility plan. These requirements put a concrete development outcome behind the funding request.
Developers apply through SAFC’s online grants platform and are instructed to read its Terms of Trade and discuss their proposed request with the agency first. The published opening date is October 21; teams should use the current program materials for application requirements rather than dates from the pilot round.
The Pilot Funded 11 Studios
The agency’s pilot results, announced in May, provide context for the larger pool. More than 50 applications were received after the fund launched in October 2025, and 11 studios were selected to share A$500,000. Eight had previously appeared at the SAGE game exhibition, including four award winners.
Recipients included Powerbomb Games’ retro Australian football project Pro Jank Footy, Little Bandit’s point-and-click adventure The Troll & The Witch’s House and We Made a Thing Studios’ Life, Death and Ramen. The selection spanned different genres and development teams, with three female-led projects among those supported.
Alongside the expanded fund, SAFC is introducing a separate Games Studio Placement Program. Eligible studios will be able to seek subsidised salary and superannuation support for six- or 12-month full-time placements for emerging and mid-career developers. That program is due to open later in 2026.
The grant route adds another form of backing alongside private investment. We recently covered Oddmar developer Mobge Games securing venture funding. South Australia’s program instead allocates support around a specified game milestone, giving eligible local teams another option when planning how to finance development.
