The Digital Games Fund offers grant funding to eligible South Australian game developers to aid in the development of digital games through to their next milestone.

The objectives of this program align with the South Australian Film Corporation Strategic Plan for 2025-2028:

• To assist South Australian game creators in reaching development milestones for
  new and upcoming games.
• To build a sustainable, long-term model of support for South Australian game creators that fosters new and innovative projects with commercial, critical, and artistic merit, fuelling SA company growth and helping local teams to thrive and
  expand.
• To grow the number of South Australian digital game titles released each year, and to assist more teams in qualifying for the SA VGD rebate.
• To advance diverse SA game development teams, and to give them opportunities to thrive in the global games marketplace.

What is on offer?

Grants of up to $100,000 are available for digital game development teams who are looking to develop their game towards its next significant milestone, including final release. This funding will come in the form of a one-off grant, which must be spent on the development of the game that the applicant has applied for.

Funding must help the applicants to develop their game to a significant milestone stage. The application must clearly define the stage the funding will support, and outcomes. Depending on the amount requested, milestone stages may include:

• Prototype
• Demo
• Vertical slice
• Early Access (Steam)
• 1.0 release
• Significant post-launch content updates (i.e. new levels, new modes, new characters)
• Porting to console, PC, Mac, VR or mobile

Key dates

Application Round — Open 23 October 2025
Deadline to apply — 5 December 2025
Eligibility Decision — 19 December 2025
Panel Decision — 23 February 2026

Guidelines & Downloads

• Digital Games Fund Guidelines – effective October 2025 (370kb PDF)

Please contact us if you require these guidelines in an alternative format – see contact details for this program below.

How can I apply?

Submit your application through the SAFC’s online grant portal: safilm.smartygrants.com.au

Before applying, all applicants must read SAFC’s Terms of Trade and speak to the SAFC
Game Development Executive regarding your intended SAFC grant request

For more information, including eligibility requirements, evaluation criteria and application instructions, download the guidelines (linked above).

Where can I find out more?

Contact the SAFC Production and Development team on 08 8394 2029 or [email protected].

Accessibility Options

SAFC supports engagement from Deaf and disabled practitioners. For a confidential discussion of your access needs, please contact us at [email protected] or call SAFC Program Coordinator Julia Light on 08 8394 2029 or via the National Relay Service.

The SA Video Game Development Rebate (SA VGD Rebate) enables video games studios to claim a percentage of costs incurred to develop a video game in South Australia. The SA VGD Rebate is paid by the South Australian Government and administered by the SAFC.

Launched in 2020 as the first of its kind in Australia, the rebate seeks to be responsive to the needs of the games industry and to establish South Australia as a leading location for games development by encouraging established South Australian games studios to scale and by incentivising other games studios to establish a base or undertake work in South Australia.

What is on offer?

A discretionary rebate equivalent to 10% of Eligible Expenditure on video game development work undertaken in South Australia on an Eligible Project*, subject to available funds.

A minimum of AUD $250,000 must be spent and retained in South Australia on Eligible Expenditure on an Eligible Project.

Key dates

The SA VGD Rebate will apply for projects with eligible expenditure incurred from 1 July 2020.

You do not have to wait until the game is completed before applying for Provisional Approval for the SA VGD Rebate. Applicants should apply when the schedule for the game is relatively certain and where funding for the costs of development have been confirmed.

Applications can be made throughout the year at regular intervals. Complete applications must be received no later than six weeks prior to a Board Meeting. Please note that SAFC Board dates may be subject to change at the SAFC’s discretion. Applicants can check latest Board dates and deadlines here.

Guidelines & Downloads

• SA VGD Rebate Guidelines – effective September 2024 (226kb PDF)
• SA VGD Rebate – Qualifying Expenditure Principles – effective February 2022 (190kb PDF)
• SA VGD Rebate – Audit and Statutory Declaration Proforma – effective June 2021 (250kb PDF)

Please contact us if you require these guidelines in an alternative format – see contact details for this program below.

How can I apply?

Submit your application through the SAFC’s online grant portal: safilm.smartygrants.com.au

Before you apply, please make sure you are familiar with the SAFC’s Terms of Trade.

For more information, including eligibility requirements, evaluation criteria and application instructions, download the guidelines (linked above).

Where can I find out more?

Contact the SAFC Production and Development team on 08 8394 2029 or [email protected].

Accessibility Options

SAFC supports engagement from Deaf and disabled practitioners. For a confidential discussion of your access needs, please contact us at [email protected] or call SAFC Program Coordinator Julia Light on 08 8394 2029 or via the National Relay Service.

Held annually at the SAFC’s Adelaide Studios, SAGE: SA Game Exhibition is a super showcase of South Australia’s video game development sector, with dozens of locally made games on show to see and play, information on games education and careers, and more.

Since the inaugural SAGE in 2023 the event has grown each year to become South Australia’s biggest and most exciting video games event. SAGE 2025 attracted record crowds of more than 3,000 people to enjoy games ingenuity and innovation from 35 local studios and developers across two exhibition spaces, informative displays and information from education providers and employers, and a two-day “talks “SAGE Advice” talks program with speakers from around Australia and the world.

What is on offer?

SAGE provides South Australian video game developers and studios the opportunity to exhibit their game to an audience of video game enthusiasts, peers, media and other industry stakeholders.

The event also features the SAGE Awards including:

• The SAGE: Elevate Award for the best game in the Elevate section, which in 2025 featured a prize of $1,000 of legal services provided by SAGE partner Cam Rogers Legal,
• The SAGE Award for Best in Exhibition, with a $2,000 cash prize for the best game overall, provided by the SAFC

Key dates

SAGE 2026 will be held on Friday 6 and Saturday 7 February, 2026 at Adelaide Studios.

How can I apply?

Exhibitor applications are open now – find out more at sagameexhibition.com

Where can I find out more?

Check out sagameexhibition.com for more information, or contact the SAFC Communications team on 8 8394 2011 or [email protected]

Accessibility Options

SAFC supports engagement from Deaf and disabled practitioners. For a confidential discussion of your access needs, please contact the SAFC Production Team via [email protected] on 08 8394 2029 or via the National Relay Service.

Held annually in Cologne, Germany, Gamescom is the world’s largest and most influential video game trade fair. Attracting more than 300,000 attendees from around the globe including publishers, distributors, gamers and international media, it is the most important event in the annual game development calendar. Gamescom 2025 will be held from 20-24 August, 2025.

In partnership with the Interactive Games and Entertainment Association (IGEA), and supported by CreateSA, the SAFC is supercharging the South Australian presence at Gamescom 2025 by supporting a delegation of South Australian video game developers to travel to the conference and showcase their work in a dedicated South Australian exhibition stand at the event.

What is on offer?

Travel funding of up to $5,000 per individual is available for South Australian game developer teams of one to three people. A total of eight applicants will be selected for the delegation.

Successful applicants will also receive a Gamescom industry pass to support their attendance at Gamescom.

Successful applicants will have access to a designated South Australian exhibition and meeting space within IGEA’s Australian Pavilion, located on the show floor of the central business area of the Gamescom conference, operational from Wednesday 20 to Friday 22 August. Attendees will be able to use this area for meetings and exhibiting their games.

Key dates

Gamescom 2025 ran 20-24 August, 2025. The Gamescom business area was open from 20-22 August.

This opportunity is now closed.

Find out more about the SAFC’s 2025 Gamescom delegation and their success here.

Guidelines & Downloads

• Export Market Travel Fund – Gamescom 2025 Guidelines – (154kb PDF)

Please contact us if you require these guidelines in an alternative format – see contact details for this program below.

This support is offered under the SAFC’s Export Market Travel Fund, which supports South Australian screen producers and game developers to take finance-ready projects to the international marketplace. These guidelines have been tailored specifically for applicants wishing to attend Gamescom 2025 (August 20-24).

How can I apply?

Applications are now closed.

Where can I find out more?

Contact SAFC Production and Development team on 08 8394 2029 or [email protected]

Accessibility Options

SAFC supports engagement from Deaf and disabled practitioners. For a confidential discussion of your access needs, please contact us at [email protected] or call SAFC Program Coordinator Julia Light on 08 8394 2029 or via the National Relay Service.

The SAFC is committed to supporting increased participation by people from groups underrepresented in the South Australian screen industry including; women, First Nations practitioners, Deaf and disabled, practitioners from Culturally and Linguistically Diverse backgrounds, practitioners from LGBTQIA+ communities and practitioners from regional and remote areas.

The Targeted Diversity Attachment scheme supports the SAFC’s mission to build a more inclusive screen industry in South Australia, by providing paid on-the-job experience for diverse key creatives, below-the-line crew, post-production, digital and visual effects crew and game developers.

What is on offer?

The successful applicant will be attached to a supervising crew member or Department Head who is obligated to provide appropriate tasks and supervision, creating tangible opportunities to learn, observe and assist in the relevant department. The attachment may cover more than one department.

The duration of attachments will vary and is negotiated between the SAFC and the host company prior to the call for applications.

Targeted Diversity Attachments are funded by the SAFC, at no less than the relevant industry award rate. Host companies are expected to adhere to all requirements of the Fair Work Act. The host company will deduct tax and employee entitlements before their payment.

Targeted Diversity Attachments cannot be used to substitute a paid role.

Guidelines

• Targeted Diversity Attachment Guidelines– effective April 2022 (152kb PDF)

Please contact us if you require these guidelines in an alternative format – see contact details for this program below.

How can I apply?

Targeted Diversity Attachment opportunities are mutually agreed upon by the SAFC and the host company in advance. When opportunities become available, SAFC will issue a Call for Applications via the Professional Opportunities page.

Before you apply, please make sure you are familiar with the SAFC’s Terms of Trade.

Shortlisted applicants will be contacted by SAFC staff for an interview with SAFC and the host company. The SAFC and the host company will mutually select the best candidate for the position.

For more information, including eligibility requirements, evaluation criteria and application instructions, download the guidelines (linked above).

Where can I find out more?

Contact SAFC Program Coordinator Julia Light on 08 8394 2029 or email [email protected]

Accessibility Options

SAFC supports engagement from Deaf and disabled practitioners. For a confidential discussion of your access needs, please contact us at [email protected] or call SAFC Program Coordinator Julia Light on 08 8394 2029 or via the National Relay Service.