As the heart of Australian game development, Melbourne became the HQ of innovation and creativity during the Games Connect Asia Pacific 2023 (GCAP) event hosted by Interactive Games & Entertainment Association (IGEA).

Our Fgfactory team was thrilled to be in the midst of this vibrant gathering, where we had the opportunity to immerse ourselves in the world of game development, connect with industry leaders, and gain invaluable insights.

Conversations That Inspire

From Melbourne, Sydney, Adelaide, Brisbane and Perth to attendees from overseas, the GCAP crowd represented a diverse and passionate gaming community.

We took this excellent opportunity to network with other game developers, publishers, and enthusiasts across Australia and beyond. We chatted extensively about the gaming industry’s future, technologies, development directions, and new trends. Connecting with industry experts and peers provided invaluable insight into their vision, current projects, and technology preferences.

Such discussions help to find opinions on essential issues of other market participants and share experiences, plans, and visions for the development of the industry.

At GCAP, we have been fortunate to meet and interact with big names in the Australian game development industry, including PlaySide Studios, Immutable, Mod.io, PikPok, SMG, Massive Monster, Blowfish Studios, Samurai Punk, and DEPT, as well as with global companies representatives from EA, Riot Games, Epic Games, Unity, Animoca Brands, Xsolla, Supercell, and others.

These industry luminaries shared their latest achievements, technological developments, and plans to change the gaming landscape. These talks served as a source of inspiration for our team and all other event participants.

Spotlight on Indie Developers

GCAP also offered a stage for indie developers and small studios to shine. With various impressive titles on display – some already released and others in production – these emerging talents demonstrated an unwavering passion for their craft.

We were happy to chat with fantastic indie teams like Soda Savy, Cranky Watermelon, Fourfox Interactive, AJ Studios, Pedal Rebel VR, and many others.

Their products and plans are inspiring and show the rapid development of young studios, thanks to the impressive support of government initiatives and programs, such as those provided by Screen Australia, VicScreen, and others.

Game Development Market Overview

This deep dive into the Australian game development industry at the event provided a wealth of insights into the current landscape.

The Australian game development scene is thriving, with over 400 companies actively contributing to this vibrant sector. These companies vary in size, with 350+ studios falling into the small or micro-team category.

A geographical overview gives an idea of the distribution of the industry across the country.

• Victoria has confirmed its status as a national gaming hub and boasts the highest concentration of game development studios of any state.
• New South Wales and Queensland share the second-largest chunk, followed by West Australia and South Australia.
• The game development presence is comparatively more minor in the Northern Territories and Tasmania.

When it comes to platforms,

• PC and Mac gaming dominates the field, with 62% of developers creating games for this platform.
• Mobile gaming follows closely behind at 46%.
• Console gaming claims a 35% share.
• While virtual reality makes up 17%.
• Web-based games, augmented reality, and other platforms comprise the remainder, each contributing 7%, 5%, and 1%, respectively.

These statistics highlight the vibrancy and diversity of the Australian game development market. On the other hand, the distribution of the gaming market in Australia is significantly different from global trends.

While the Australian market predominantly favors games created for PC/Mac, the mobile segment dominates all others globally, holding a larger market share than all other platforms combined.

These comparisons provide valuable insight into future Australian game development industry trends, suggesting a potential shift towards global trends and an increased focus on the mobile segment.

A Thriving Future Ahead

As the curtain fell on GCAP 2023, a clear message echoed through the halls: the gaming market is thriving and growing at an unprecedented pace. Every day new creative minds, advanced technologies, and innovative ideas are changing the industry. The future promises many great game studios and impressive games.

The coming 2024 promises many new names in the Australian game development market, new announcements, and fabulous products. The development of the industry reaches more and more people across the country, creates new jobs, trains existing specialists, and makes the industry more and more diverse.

Looking Forward to What’s Next

With the knowledge gained and connections formed at GCAP, we look forward to future collaborations and ventures in the dynamic world of game development.

As we say goodbye to this year’s event, we do so with excitement, knowing that we will reunite with familiar faces and forge new partnerships at the next event. Until then, we’ll keep the creative fire burning, ready to share new stories and successes in the ever-evolving world of game development. See you next year!