The world’s largest gaming trade event ‘Gamescom’ kicks off in Germany today, where six South Australian gaming companies will make their mark on the global stage.
The companies will showcase their work to major global studios in a bid to bring big dollars into the state’s rapidly growing gaming sector.
Six South Australian studios have been backed by Invest SA to attend the event, including Paper Cactus Games, Lamplight Forest Games, My Colourful Mind, Dino Rocket, Mighty Kingdom, and Mini Mammoth Games.
These emerging talents are set to unveil their unique products and ideas to an eager international audience and the five-day event helps prepare local companies in the lead-up, assisting with securing investment opportunities or publishing deals.
“We’re attending Gamescom in the hopes of making deep and long connections with publishers as we push our first project Fox and Shadow towards release,” Paper Cactus Games Director Leo Cheung says.
“Secondly, we hope to hook up with game developers all over the world to learn and bond with both established studios and up and coming indie developers.”
Major names in the gaming industry are looking to connect, such as Nintendo, Xbox, SEGA, and Amazon Games. Even entertainment giants like Netflix and TikTok are stepping into the gaming arena, recognizing its potential for engaging audiences in new and interactive ways.
Last year, Gamescom attracted more than 265,000 visitors and featured over 1,100 exhibitors from 53 countries which showcased business networking, expert talks, big game reveals and livestreamed coverage.
South Australia is increasingly considered an investment destination for international gaming studios, backed by the state’s Video Games Development rebate.
The rebate, which received a $3 million boost under the State Government, allows video game studios to claim a 10% rebate on eligible costs above $250,000 to develop a game in South Australia. The incentive has lured major players like Keywords Studios and Big Ant Studios to the state, generating dozens of local jobs and millions of dollars in work.
It comes as latest ABS data reveals South Australia experienced the fastest employment growth of digital game development businesses in the nation, growing at 47% each year between 2015-16 and 2021-22, more than double the national average growth rate over the same period.
Revenue forecast for the global games industry is expected to rise from US$227 billion in 2023 to US$312 billion in 2027, with 2022 figures almost 10 times larger than the film industry’s box office revenue of US$26 billion over the same period.
South Australian game development studios employ more than 300 full-time workers, with more full-time employees per capita than New South Wales and Queensland.
Minister for Trade and Investment Nick Champion recognised the major business in the gaming sector.
“South Australia produces world-class talent and this event will showcase that to leading industry figures looking to expand and grow their businesses in new markets,” Minister Champion says.
“Studios are increasingly drawn to what our state has to offer, and the jobs and economic growth which follow are achievements we continue to unlock.”
For more information on Gamescom, click here.
WHAT: Gamescom 2023.
WHERE: Cologne, Germany.
WHEN: 23 – 27 August.
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