The South Australian Film Corporation (SAFC) has doubled its Digital Games Fund to $1 million for its second round, reopening the program for local developers on Wednesday 21 October. The figure is twice the $500,000 shared by 11 studios in the inaugural round, which launched in October 2025.

The expanded fund sits alongside a new Games Studio Placement Program, which will subsidise salaries and superannuation for six- or 12-month full-time placements at eligible South Australian studios. Applications for the placement program are expected to open later in 2026.

What does the first round's track record show?

The inaugural $500,000 round has already produced commercial results. Retro AFL-inspired title Pro Jank Footy from Powerbomb Games reached No. 1 on Nintendo Switch following its August release and is also available on PlayStation, Xbox and Steam.

Bad Plan Studios' End of Ember has secured a publishing agreement with Thailand-based Rising Tide Publishing. Two other funded titles — The Troll & The Witch's House by Little Bandit and Peppermint by Cowboy Fish — were selected for exhibition at PAX Aus in Melbourne and are currently wishlistable on Steam.

How is the $1 million structured?

The new round splits funding across three streams covering distinct development stages:

• Pre-production — prototyping, proof of concept, early design and market testing
• Production — projects being developed toward commercial release
• Post-release — localisation, porting and other work to extend a game's commercial life

The stated aim is to help South Australian studios develop original games, grow their businesses and reach players in international markets.

What changes for studios and developers?

The placement program targets both ends of the labour market. Studios can apply for subsidised salary and superannuation support for full-time placements of six or 12 months, letting them expand headcount at reduced cost. For emerging and mid-career developers, the program creates paid roles and structured career experience — a response to a persistent gap for early-career staff in Australia's games sector.

Both initiatives complement the SA Video Game Development Rebate, which provides a 10 per cent rebate on eligible projects with a minimum South Australian spend of $250,000. That rebate has supported more than 40 South Australian games to date, spanning mobile, PC and console releases, including titles associated with Nintendo and Microsoft.

What did officials say?

South Australian Minister for Arts Kyam Maher framed the doubling as a statement of ambition for the local sector. "The Labor Government is proud to back our world-class video games industry through the SAFC's expanded $1 million Digital Games Fund, giving local developers more opportunities to create ambitious, globally competitive games right here in South Australia," Maher said.

SAFC Acting CEO Leanne Saunders pointed to the first round's outcomes as evidence the model works. "With the success of DGF funded titles like Pro Jank Footy already showcasing the innovation coming out of South Australia's games sector, we can't wait to see what's next from our talented local industry," Saunders said.

For studios weighing an application, programme guidelines and further detail are available through the SAFC's games portal. The Digital Games Fund opens for applications on 21 October, with placement program applications expected later in 2026 — a staggered rollout worth tracking for studios planning hiring and production timelines around both windows.