Key information
- Status: Closed
- Grant amount: $2,289.10 via a grant to PAX Australia on behalf of each successful applicant.
- Application opened: 30 May 2025
- Application closed: 13 June 2025, 2:00 pm
Program objective
The objectives of the program are to:
- Accelerate the growth of the NSW digital games sector
- Enable NSW based independent game companies to gain recognition, attract interest and grow investment
- Provide the opportunity for independent game companies to enhance their careers and visibility
- Improve sustainability of the digital games industry.
This program is administered by Screen NSW.
Eligibility
Who can apply
Please see the full guidelines on the Screen NSW website.
Applicants must:
- If a company, be a NSW based company that is:
- Incorporated and registered in Australia and have its principal place of business in NSW (i.e. have their central management and control in NSW and carry out business in NSW for at least six months immediately before the date of application)
- Have no more than 5 full-time equivalent (FTE) employees at application;
or
- If an individual:
- Be over 18 years of age; and
- Be a NSW resident (i.e., lived in NSW for at least six months immediately before the date of application).
Applicants must also:
- Have an active Australian Business Number (ABN)
- Own or control the necessary rights to any game projects taken to exhibition or have the written permission of the rights holder to represent the projects
- Agree to travel to PAX AUS 2025 and be prepared to cover their travel, accommodation and other expenses associated with their attendance at PAX Australia 2025
- Be able to attend the exhibition and manage their designated pod at PAX Rising from 10 - 12 October 2025 during the hours of 10am-6pm daily AEDT
- Have a playable game that will be ready to showcase for PAX Australia 2025.
Types of projects funded under this grant
- Games for entertainment purposes
- Games that completely digital
- Games for any platform including console, desktop, tablet, mobile, VR/AR, Multi-player and single-player games
- Games must be playable (in at least beta form) and intended for public release.
Who can’t apply
Applicants cannot be:
- Full-time secondary or tertiary students
- Educational or training institutions or full-time employees of educational or training institutions
- 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)) or a or a Commissioning Platform or a distributor or telecommunications company, or an employee (full-time or part-time) of a company owned by any Broadcaster, Commissioning Platform, distributor or telecommunications company or a distributor or telecommunications company, or an employee (full-time or part-time) of a company owned by any Broadcaster, Commissioning Platform, distributor or telecommunications company
- A federal or state or territory government screen agency or employee (full-time or part-time) of any federal, state or territory screen agency
- In breach of any obligation under any funding agreement it has with the NSW Government.
Types of projects not funded under this grant
- Games that are likely to be rated at 18+
- Games that are likely to be Refused Classification under the Classification (Publications, Films and Computer Games) Act 1995
- Games involving gambling services, feature or link exploitative, or unethical pay-to-win or play-to-earn mechanics as defined in Clause 4 of the Commonwealth Interactive Gambling Act 2001
- Games involving ‘gambling’ and ‘unlawful game’ as defined in the Unlawful Gambling Act 1998 (NSW)
- Games must not be considered offensive and must not contain nudity or drug references
- Games developed for advertising or corporate marketing
- Games made for internal training purposes and for curriculum material
- Games that are not completely digital (board games or hybrid digital/physical games).
What your application needs to include
Prepare your application with this checklist
You must submit all core materials listed on the application form, including:
- Profile of the applicant demonstrating their relevant track record
- Statement of intended objectives for attending the event
- Details of the project and a short statement of how attending the event will benefit the project
- Intended plan for exhibition including details on how the exhibition pod will be managed
- A link to the game proposed for exhibition.
Address the eligibility criteria
Each applicant, as part of an application response, must confirm that they meet the eligibility criteria.
Applicants that do not address the eligibility criteria in full may be excluded from the application process at the department's discretion.
After the application is submitted
Successful applications will be decided by: Senior Manager, Content Investment Screen NSW
Eligibility
Applications will be initially reviewed by Screen NSW program delivery team to ensure they meet eligibility requirements, and all required application information and materials have been submitted and meet our eligibility criteria. If the application is not eligible, you will be advised by email within 7 business days of the program round closing date.
Assessment
After eligibility is confirmed, the application will be first evaluated by at least one Screen NSW staff member based on the published assessment criteria.
After the assessment is completed, the applications will be reviewed by an assessment panel which will include a minimum of one internal (Screen NSW staff member) and a representative from PAX Australia.
Please note that funding allocation follows a competitive process. Evaluations will consider the assessment criteria outlined above, the availability of funds at Screen NSW, the variety and representation of the original IP and the applicant's need for Screen NSW funds.
Screen NSW reserves the right to request additional information from the applicant at any stage of the assessment process to enable an application to be fully assessed against the published eligibility and selection criteria.
At any time during the assessment process, due diligence or other checks on an application may be carried out. This may include, but is not limited to:
- Criminal checks
- Internal conflict checks
- Disclosing information by applicants to us of any material reasonably required by us in respect to the eligibility criteria and selection criteria.
At the completion of the assessment process, the assessment panel will make funding recommendations to the Senior Manager, Content Investment Screen NSW for consideration.
Support and contact
Screen NSW PDV & Digital Games team (pdvgames@screen.nsw.gov.au)