Screen Australia gives $2.6 million to 21 indies

Australia's government-sponsored media funding body Screen Australia has given $2.6 million to 21 independent Australian developers. The funding is part of continuing emergency action by the Australian government to support a sector that saw employment drop from 1,431 to 581 people between 2011 and 2012. With overseas investment in recent years dryer than December in the outback, the country's indie scene is needed to maintain a functioning ecosystem.

"Game development is the fastest growing sector of the worldwide audiovisual market but Australian independent studios have faced a shrinking workforce and extremely tough terms of trade. Yet the sector continues to showcase its creative force with breakthrough mobile games including Fruit Ninja and Ski Safari," said Fiona Cameron, Screen Australia's Chief Operating Officer.

The hope is supporting the 21 companies will grow creative businesses, spawn original intellectual property, shift the reliance away from work-for-hire (contract) gigs and retain a skilled workforce in the region. The 21 recipients are listed after the break.

[Image: Story via Shutterstock]

Recipient companies (and projects) in alphabetical order:

• Animal Dash (SA) Shark Jump Studios

• Animus (VIC) Playcorp Studios

• Assault Android Cactus (QLD) Witch Beam Games

• Big Baby (NSW) Big Ice Cream

• Blight of the Immortals (QLD) Iron Helmet

• Bonza (QLD) MiniMega

• Burden (VIC) Pixelpickle Games

• Defect: Spaceship Destruction Kit (VIC) Three Phase Interactive

• Feng Shui Master (VIC) Many Monkeys

• Framed (VIC) Loveshack Entertainment

• Gems of War (VIC) Infinity Plus Two

• Knowledge Quest Mobile (VIC) Media Saints

• Locomotivation (NSW) Garoo Games

• Muse (VIC) Current Circus

• Ninja Pizza Girl (QLD) Disparity Games

• Oscura: Adventures in the Driftlands (VIC) Chocolate Liberation Front

• Rotorhead (VIC) Trickstar Games

• Siegecraft Commander (NSW) Blowfish Studios

• Snow Spin (WA) Ezone

• Towncraft (NSW) Flat Earth Games

• Zombie Outbreak Simulator (WA) Binary Space