Game Development in Sydney & Melbourne

Engine choice depends on the game. Simple 2D and casual games can run on web or mobile frameworks, while 3D games usually use an engine such as Unity or Unreal. We recommend based on the game, your team and your target platforms.

The Digital Games Tax Offset gives a 30 percent offset on qualifying Australian development expenditure for eligible companies, with a $500,000 minimum on a game in an income year. Applicants get certificates through the Office for the Arts, and it applies to expenditure from 1 July 2022. Whether it fits your project, including how contractor spend counts, is a question for an adviser.

Since 22 September 2024, computer games with paid loot boxes or similar in-game purchases linked to chance must be classified at least M, and games with simulated gambling must be classified R 18+. The changes apply to games on computers, consoles, phones and tablets. If your design uses chance-based purchases, plan for classification early.

Possibly. The OAIC's draft code covers relevant electronic services, which include online games with chat, where the service is likely to be accessed by children. It is due to be registered by 10 December 2026 and the start date is not yet confirmed. Whether your game is covered is a legal question, so ask a privacy adviser.

You can, but it changes your classification, your audience and your risk. Paid loot boxes carry a minimum M classification, and simulated gambling is R 18+. Many studios choose purchase models without chance mechanics. We will build what you decide, and we recommend taking advice on classification and consumer law first.

Most live games need player accounts, saved progress, leaderboards, real-time or turn-based messaging, purchases and receipt checks, analytics, moderation and support tools, and a way to run events without a new app release. Planning these early is much cheaper than adding them after launch.

It depends on the genre, the amount of art and content, the platforms, the multiplayer and back-end needs, and the testing the risk requires. A simple casual game is a very different project from a multiplayer title. We scope with a playable prototype first.

You should. We aim to build in your own source control and cloud accounts, assign intellectual property to you and hand over documentation, so you can take the game to another team or investor.