The Victorian government has committed $500,000 to help grow the state's computer game industry.
The funding is part of the government's second computer game industry plan,
Game Plan: The Next Level, which State and Regional Development Minister John Brumby released at the recent annual Australian Game Developers Conference in Melbourne.
"The Bracks government is investing $500,000 in our computer game industry to ensure Victoria remains a world hot-spot for computer game development," Brumby says.
"Victoria is already home to half of Australia's computer game industry – employing more than 300 people – and the state government is committed to further supporting local companies."
New initiatives in the government's second industry plan include investigating options for industry to establish a motion-capture facility in Melbourne and exploring ways to support the creation of local computer game content.
The $500,000 in funding also will deliver on a number of the initiative contained in the first industry plan, including:
- $250,000 to support local companies' access to computer game developer kits
- $50,000 to complete a feasibility study into establishing a computer game incubator in Melbourne
- $150,000 towards establishing the Game Developers Association of Australia headquarters in the city
- $50,000 for the Trade Fairs and Missions Program, with a particular emphasis on computer game events.
For a copy of the plan, got to
www.mmv.gov.au/gameplan.