Video games are one of Australia’s largest arts sectors, with up to 10,000 creative workers in the sector and 82% of Australians playing games every month. Some of Australia’s independent games titles reach larger global audiences than successful Australian films. However, video games do not attract much government support. This report canvasses how Australia’s games sector can weather economic headwinds and compete in a more challenging global games market. It calls for three key changes:

1. develop a coherent and nationally consistent definition of games so game makers have certainty about whether they can access different federal, state and territory programs
2. catch games up on a decade of underinvestment by bringing public games funding up to 10% of film production’s total public investment
3. set up a dedicated national agency to support games development, assess games funding and promote games in Australian and internationally.