January 2024 Newsletter

Kia ora everyone!

Welcome to 2024! We hope you had a relaxing break and are feeling refreshed and ready to tackle the new year.

We've been busy working on some updates to our website to improve your experience. While there are still more changes to come, we wanted to highlight the revamped events calendar. It's now better than ever, keeping you in the loop with all the exciting activities on the horizon. We're including both NZGDA events and external events, so there's plenty to look forward to.

If you have an event or activity that you'd like to add to the calendar, simply email us at info@nzgda.com and our lovely team member Gina will take care of it!

We've also made some changes to our member studios page. Now, the studios load randomly, giving everyone a chance to shine in the top half of the page. If you'd like any updates or changes made to your studio's information, please let us know at info@nzgda.com.

Today is our board strategy day, where we'll be diving into plans and initiatives for the upcoming year. We can't wait to share the outcomes with all of you, along with the exciting projects we have in store for 2024.

Lastly, but certainly not least, let's give a big congratulations to Chantelle Cole! Chantelle has joined the team at NZ on Air and will be working directly with the GDSR. You'll hear more from Chantelle in the message below. Here's to an amazing year ahead for the NZGDA community!

Ngā mihi,

Joy Keene

Executive Director

New Zealand's gaming sector receives late Christmas present as new Government continues tax rebate scheme

Futureverse on LinkedIn: ‘Ready Player One’ Comes To The Metaverse With Readyverse Studios Launch

Unity is laying off 25 percent of its staff. It’s a major layoff to start the year.

Secondary school students across the country will be able to boost their agri learning through a new board game.

NZ On Air welcomes new Programme Director for GDSR Team.

For more NZGDA and industry-wide events, visit nzgda.com

We would like to invite everyone to submit your games for the Wireframe Gaming Conference @ MDS and join us to feature in the interactive showcase!

At this stage we inviting digital games only due to the scope of the event. Submit your EoI here

Adaptory is an upcoming base-building/simulation game made by Wellington-based studio Stormcloak Games and will be featured in Steam Next Fest next week!!

Introducing Spookysoft's new, free-to-play browser game, Super Fun Wow Comic Creation Kit. It's an online comic-making environment commissioned by New Zealand on Air.

We're thrilled to announce our upcoming game, Bunny Haven, is now available for pre-registration!!

Yes, it's true... BLACKHEART IS LAUNCHING IN 2024!!

We're excited & nervous to share that we've put together a Kickstarter for Toroa: Skycall incl. dope rewards and a NEW demo to share with you all :))

I love how the Visual Capitalist charts the growth and shifts within the video game industry since its inception in 1970.

Netsafe shares some resources to help families stay safe online for those with new devices from Santa these holidays.

Did you know that of the 77 games featured on Netflix Games, 5 of them are developed here in NZ? Find out which!

For more game development roles visit the NZGDA jobs board.

Kia ora and Happy New Year!

This is my very first note to the wonderful Aotearoa New Zealand games community as the Kaiwhakahaere Kaupapa | Programme Director for the NZ Game Development Sector Rebate (GDSR) at Irirangi Te Motu | NZ On Air. I hope this message finds you all refreshed, rejuvenated and ready for an amazing year ahead!

Having had the pleasure of getting to know so many of you over the last few years as the CEO of Dinosaur Polo Club, I’m excited to leverage my new role to help champion and support our vibrant industry. The GDSR team here at NZ On Air is wholeheartedly committed to ensuring the success of the GDSR programme and has demonstrated extraordinary dedication, accomplishing a truly impressive amount in a surprisingly short amount of time. I am profoundly grateful for their hard mahi and to so many of you who have worked tirelessly behind the scenes for so many years.

To continue our positive start to the year, receiving confirmation of the rebate’s continuation from Minister Judith Collins, along with the Finance Minister and the Prime Minister's commitment to supporting New Zealand game development, holds immense meaning for all of us. This signals a strong acknowledgment from the new government of the vast potential within our sector.

Like many of you, I’m excited about the possibilities that lie ahead and look forward to working together to elevate our industry to new heights. On that note, let us know when you release a new game or have any success stories to share. Where we can, we want to be able to shine the spotlight on game developers in Aotearoa New Zealand. And, if you want to get in touch with me, I am always happy to chat. You can reach me on my new email chantelle@nzonair.govt.nz.

All of this to say - let's make 2024 an extraordinary chapter for our games industry, and here's to a year filled with kindness, creativity, collaboration and success!

Ngā mihi nui,

Chantelle

Do you have news to share? Send it over to news@nzgda.com