Submit Applications for Digital Games Seed Development Program (Australia)

Targeted at emerging and small-medium enterprise digital game creators, the fund will provide a grant for early-stage game development.

The funds could also be used to cover scoping technical requirements of a games project, exploring commercial, creative and market potential, as well as pitch materials.

The program is funded and administered by Screen NSW, as a unit within the Department of Creative Industries, Tourism, Hospitality and Sport (DCITHS).

Objectives

• The objectives of the program are to:
  • Support NSW game creators to advance early concept original digital games IPs to reach the next stage of development
  • Assist successful applicants to prepare their project to raise additional finance for fullscale development
  • Encourage sustainable growth for the NSW games sector and a diverse pipeline of game talent in NSW.

Funding Information

• Available funding: Up to $30,000 as a grant.

What you can get funding for?

• Funding is for direct, early development costs of a project and/or to secure investment for further game production. The funds can be used by successful applicants to invest in experimenting and developing an original IP with the goal to gain investment to transition the idea to full execution and release, including a prototype or the completion of a micro-scale game.
• Screen NSW will not fund 100% of the stage of development that the applicant is seeking funding for. Applicants are expected to supplement funding with their own (this can be in-kind) or third-party contributions and submit a finance plan which demonstrates how the project will be funded including any applicant and third-party contributions.
• Screen NSW expects at least 90% of the funding requested to be used directly for development costs. If an applicant requests funding for other costs, the applicant will need to substantiate how the other costs will contribute to development outcomes.
• Screen NSW will only fund NSW elements – i.e., all expenditure must be in NSW and spent on NSW based funding recipients, contractors or other suppliers.
• Applicants should include appropriate budget for Public Liability Insurance and legal costs for a Solicitor’s Opinion letter certifying Chain of Title.
• Funding can be used for:
  • Staffing costs and other costs associated with the game’s development including reasonable hardware, software licenses and capital costs that clearly contribute to outcomes outlined in the project’s development plan
  • Licensing costs and legal fees. This includes assistance with licensing and publishing agreements, and intellectual property protection
  • Business development activity including engagement of an experienced mentor to support key project personnel with creative, technical or business elements of the project
  • Scoping technical requirements of a games project, exploring commercial, creative and market potential, as well as pitch materials.
• The expenditure must be incurred by the applicant. Transactions with interested or related third-parties must be on an arms-length basis.
• The following expenditure is specifically excluded:
  • Payments for activities or services undertaken outside NSW
  • Expenditure on international or interstate travel or freight
  • Deferred fees which are payable from future revenue or profits
  • Payments to service providers which are offset by a reinvestment or any other financial or other contribution to the project
  • Any expenditure that precedes the date a successful applicant signs a Screen NSW funding contract.

Eligible Projects

• Eligible games must be:
  • Intended for public release
  • At concept or early-stage development
  • Completely digital.
• Eligible games for funding include:
  • Games for entertainment purposes
  • Games for any platform including console, desktop, tablet, mobile, VR/AR
  • Multi-player and single-player games.

What you can’t apply for?

• Ineligible games include but are not limited to:
  • Games involving gambling, for example games falling within the definition of ‘gambling service’ as defined in Section 4 of the Interactive Gambling Act, 2001 (Cth)
  • Games involving ‘gambling’ and ‘unlawful game’ as defined in the Unlawful Gambling Act 1998 (NSW)
  • Games developed for research, advertising or corporate marketing, or other business-to-business audiences or purposes
  • Games primarily designed for educational or training purposes
  • Games consisting of curriculum or other educational or training material
  • Games that are likely to be refused classification under the Classification (Publications, Films and Computer Games) Act 1995
  • Games that are not completely digital (board games or hybrid digital/physical games).

Eligibility Criteria

• All applicants need to fulfil the following criteria:
  • If an individual, the applicant must be a NSW resident (i.e., lived and operated in NSW for at least six months immediately before the application)
  • If a company, the applicant must be incorporated in Australia and taken to be registered in NSW, have their central management and control in Australia and carry out business in Australia
  • Applicants must have an ABN
  • Applicants must not be full-time secondary or tertiary students; or employing students who are currently studying games, or a field related to games. Part-time students are assessed on a case-by-case basis.
  • Applicants who are an employee of a Federal or state or territory government screen agency are not eligible to apply
  • An applicant cannot be a licensee of a service under the Broadcasting Services Act 1992 (Cth) or a related body corporate of such a licensee (as defined in the Corporations Act 2001 (Cth))
  • Applicants must have the right to carry out the project, for example, own or have the licenses of any relevant copyright. If the application is based on a third-party underlying work, applicants must have an appropriate option agreement. Applicants must be able to demonstrate they have the necessary rights if required by providing chain of title documents.
  • Applicants must have a project team member with a key creative credit on at least one game that has been released to the general public e.g. Steam, itch.io
  • There can be only one application for a particular game. If more than one NSW developer is working on the project, a joint application for the game will need to be made.

For more information, visit Screen NSW.