Screen Australia has announced it will support 11 emerging, Australian-made video games using its latest round of dedicated Games: Expansion Pack funding. The organisation has committed AU $1.5 million to be split across each studio team, with this particular funding going towards a number of needs.
Notably, this games fund operates separately from the Federal Government’s own National Cultural Policy plans, which will provide an additional AU $12 million to support the video games industry during a period of 4 years, from the 2023-2024 period.
Video games receiving the Screen Australia funding include Catchweight Studio’s Conscript, a stark wartime story set in the trenches of The first world war, Bilkins’ Folly from Webbysoft, a puzzle adventure game packed with treasure and quests, and Fuzzy Ghost‘s Janet DeMornay Is really a Slumlord (and a witch), a horror-comedy about terrifying landlords.
‘Alongside the recent announcement of Revive, we're very happy to support this exciting mix of games all across Australia which are bringing alive distinctly Aussie stories, from cattle farming in the Northern Territory to solving mysteries within the Victorian Alps, as well as the next project from the award-winning team at Fuzzy Ghost,’ Lee Naimo, Head of Online at Screen Australia said from the new funding round.
‘It's fantastic to determine the ambition and skill in our local game creators, including driven first-time and solo developers, because they advance their careers.’
Notably, the fund concentrates at promising small to medium independent game studios with budgets below AU $500,000. Its purpose would be to allow independent voices to shine, and to make sure creativity across the full spectrum from the local Australian games industry is supported.
Here’s the full list of games included in the latest round of Games: Expansion Pack funding, per Screen Australia:
- Bilkins’ Folly (TAS): A puzzle adventure game from Lead Developer Luke Webster of Webbysoft. Players explore an island as Percival Bilkins, treasure hunter extraordinaire, and along with their canine companion Drayton they have to complete quests, solve mysteries and discover hidden treasures to be able to solve a family mystery. Bilkins' Folly continues to be financed with support from Armor Game Studios.
- Call from the Golden Valley (VIC): A first-person, female-protagonist narrative adventure set in Victoria's High Country, where players must look for a childhood friend that has vanished in to the bush seemingly with no trace. But she's not the only one – something mysterious is luring people to the lake. Players explore a country town and navigate the enigmatic countryside to locate their friend, all while seeking how fact gets tangled up in fiction. This game is developed by Creative Director Madeleine Clute of O’Saurus Studios.
- Conscript (VIC): A journey survival game from Catchweight Studio and Lead Developer Jordan Mochi. Set throughout the First World War, this historically realistic gameplay follows a lone French soldier who must navigate twisted trenches, scavenge for limited supplies and solve complex puzzles – all while looking for their brother who is missing-in-action. Developed with the assistance of VicScreen.
- Copycat (NSW): A wholesome, narrative-driven game about rejection, belonging and also the true concept of home. The result is the storyline of the newly adopted shelter cat who becomes the victim of the elaborate plan when a jealous, stray copycat steals her place in your family. The game’s colourful visuals delight the senses while exploring dark emotional depths. Copycat is created by Spoonful of Wonder. The team includes Head of Art/Game Director Kostia Liakhov and Head of Narrative/Game Director Samantha Cable.
- Diets and Deities (NT): A rhythm cooking game that players will be able to taste. Inside a universe drained of its diversity and left to wallow in the smashed avo and vanilla soy latte, players must help Deities remember their culture by cooking dishes along to the music. Each one of the dishes can also be made at home with the original recipes based in the game. Diets & Deities is made by Larrikin Interactive and also the team includes Founder Dylan Bennett, Creative Director Miles McLoughlin, Lead Programmer Declan Smyth, Bininj Chef, language and culture consultant Ben Tyler, Composer James Mangohig and 2D Artist Skye Lavelle.
- GHOST CAM (WA): A spooky exploratory game where players look for ghosts in an abandoned bedroom which unfolds right into a labyrinth. They will reach test their ghost finding skills, navigate the eerie environment, figure out clues and identify the story carefully as the dreamscape can twist into a nightmare. Farmville is created by creative studio ARCH REBELS and also the team includes Lead Developer Amy Louise Doherty, Lead Programmer Miles Hansen, Sound Designer Chris Head and Systems Designer Camille Woodthorpe.
- Janet DeMornay Is A Slumlord (and a witch) (NSW): A horror-comedy game from Fuzzy Ghost that explores the anxieties of renting inside a world run by landlords. Players will explore their crumbling inner-city terrace house, solving puzzles to return to the real world, all while attempting to avoid the increasingly menacing behaviour of the landlord Janet, who's a witch. The creative team includes founders Pete Foley and Scott Ford.
- Misc. A little Tale (WA): A 3D platforming adventure game from Tinyware Games and Lead Developer Michael Pearce. Players join Buddy and Bag Boy, two adorable robots made of miscellaneous items, as they lend a hand to other robots, really make a difference by cleaning up mess, and follow a thrilling journey.
- Pasture: The Livestock Simulator (NT): Set in the Australian Outback, players go through the ups and downs of being a pastoralist, doing struggle with the weather, the markets, and Nature as they build their Cattle Empire. This farming simulator game comes from Salty Games, including Md Chas Cole, Lead Programmer Luke H and Creative Director Nathan Groves.
- The Sacred Acorn (SA): A journey game from A Few Dragons where players explore the beautiful, mysterious land of Tansira as Ima, an adorably courageous squirrel. They must solve puzzles, discover secrets, defeat corrupted enemies, and make strange, cute friends that will guide them on their own quest. The creative team includes Developer Keirron Stach, Art Director Lauren Nicholls and Producer Vivian Vandal.
- Trash (VIC): An online co-op survival craft adventure game set in E-Corp Island, an attractive post-human world where strange and wondrous trash-based life thrives. Players must explore the island's different open world biomes, collecting materials and crafting different character forms which give them unique abilities to outlive environmental surroundings and solve challenges. Created by Bin Chicken Studios, the Technical Director is Nick Margerison and Creative Director is Charlie Kenihan. Developed with the aid of VicScreen.
