Since video gaming overtook Hollywood to become the biggest global source of entertainment, it’s enjoyed a big part of its success thanks to the ease with which games can be developed away from traditional entertainment centres.
And Australia, in particular, has been showing lots of promise in developing many successful titles that range from simple mobile games to authentic online roulette simulations. But with the recent shock news that the Australian government would be cutting the nation’s subsidy, it looks like 2016 will be a pivotal year for the Australian gaming development scene.
The subsidy cut comes at a difficult time with last year’s news that Canberra’s 2K studio was closing down. The workshop had helped raise the nation’s profile thanks to successful titles such as Borderland: The Pre-Sequel that deliver a sci-fi shooter with a mainly Australian sense of humour.
But with the massive studio unable to cope with operating costs in the country, its downfall signalled a dark note in an otherwise optimistic gaming scene that has seen plenty of smaller indie companies benefitting from the mobile gaming boom.
In particular, Australia’s Hipster Whale have found global success with their Crossy Road mobile game that took inspiration from the likes of Flappy Bird and Frogger to deliver a popular chaotic road-crossing game for mobile devices.
Other brands who’ve sought to join in Australia’s mobile gaming resurgence include many, who give gamers the chance to see where the ball lands thanks to their innovative online roulette game that features amongst their range of authentic gaming simulations.
Furthermore, Brisbane’s Halfbrick Studios have managed to make the concept of slicing fruit into a great arcade game thanks to their Fruit Ninja game that just shows the range of innovation in Australia’s gaming scene.
With the smaller companies thriving in the vacuum left by the demise of Australia’s ‘Triple-A’ studios, there’s been a few determined groups like the Games Developers’ Association of Australia who have sought to provide an extra level of expertise in strengthening the games development community.
In addition to this is the increasingly popular Game Jam in Melbourne where groups of developers get together to try and make an operational game in a limited amount of time that goes to show that it’s not just online roulette and mobile road-crossing games that are keeping Australia’s gaming community entertained in 2016!
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