Download I, Simon Joslin, as a co-founder of The Voxel Agents would like to

Future of Australia's video game development industry
Submission 102
I, Simon Joslin, as a co-founder of The Voxel Agents would like to put forth
recommendations for the senate enquiry from the point of view of an independent game
developer who has been making original intellectual property successfully for seven years.
We believe there is huge opportunity for the Australian games industry. Although our
industry is small relative to the major countries, we continue to produce hugely successful
titles and have a very strong track record as a creative nation who continues to innovate and
adapt. The fully capitalise on the opportunity we have we need better access to investment, a
more diverse development culture, and support to overcome our distance from the major
centers of the world.
To capitalise on the opportunities available to Australian game developers, I recommend the
following:
1. Bring back the funding program for the creation of original intellectual game properties
This program is hugely important to enable teams to create bigger, more adventurous titles
and to gain the ability to become self-sustaining. It is very much possible for studios with
great talent to produce original games, retain the profits and create a self-sustaining business.
Within Australia there is very little understanding from commercial investors. However the
program that the previous government began has already demonstrated the ability of the
Australian industry to turn a small amount of support into a significant return on investment.
However without this program we have a distinct lack of funding available in our country to
capitalise on the talent that we have locally.
Games are a very unique product with the ability to take a small investment and turn it into a
very significant return. Australian games like Fruit Ninja, Flight Control, Real Racing,
Antichamber, Ski Safari, Train Conductor, Crossy Road all were made with less than a few
hundred thousand dollars but returned in the millions, some are now in the hundreds of
millions of revenue. There is huge opportunity on the table, but we are missing the boat! Help
Australian developers continue this huge run of success. With funding we will find scores of
new talented developers take off and create self-sustaining business that bring in huge
revenues to our country.
2. Extend the Producer Offset to include games
Extending the producers offset will encourage large and small developers to flock to
Australia, like they already do to other countries with the same tax incentives. Without the
offset we are at a disadvantage from attracting the types of large studios we need to round out
our development culture. We need large studios to incubate upcoming developers, to train
and to diversify skill sets that then cross-polinate into other teams, and become freelancers
who help many teams. Big studios are really important for skill advancement across the entire
industry.
3. Support precincts
We are situated in a development cluster and it is tremendously useful to our team. We learn
from each other, and together we mutually grow faster, and we are more productive because
there is always someone in the building who can help solve a problem. We would love to
have other creative industries follow our model so we can get to know them better too, and
help them and receive their help too.
Future of Australia's video game development industry
Submission 102
4. Support the digital economy
Australia should invest in the creation of intellectual property of all kinds, but especially
types that are relatively light on the environment, have great potential for international
virality and to grow exponentially without an equal increase in labour/effort/expense, and
ones that can maintain full domestic ownership. Games are exactly that product. Our
disadvantage here in Australia is that we are physically quite far from all the major centers of
the world. Our closest is still a 10 hour plane ride. The programs that help close that game are
immensely helpful.
We hope the government sees the potential sitting on the table and chooses to act soon!
Good luck with the review.
Regards,
Simon.