The Andrews Labor Government is backing the state’s growing digital games industry to take locally made games to the world, through a major new marketplace event – Play Now Melbourne.

Minister for Creative Industries Steve Dimopoulos MP today announced Play Now Melbourne which is set to connect local developers and studios with international games heavy weights.

Australian game developers are invited to apply to be part of the event where they can pitch their games to international publishers, platform holders and decision makers with the aim of securing career-changing deals and selling their games on the global market.

Play Now Melbourne is being delivered by VicScreen and will be part of an action-packed Melbourne International Games Week (MIGW) this October, with games industry leaders from around the world converging in Melbourne.

Leading global publishers and platform holders such as Kepler Interactive and Meta are already confirmed to attend the market with more announcements to come.

In recent years, Victorian made games such as Cult of the Lamb and Kinder World have taken the global games industry by storm, and Play Melbourne will help our next slate of games level up.

Play Now Melbourne adds a local post to the calendar of international games industry trade events, including GamesCom in Cologne, Germany and the Game Developers Conference in San Francisco, USA, and will support Australian developers to build international relationships without leaving home.

Created by the Labor Government and curated by Creative Victoria, Melbourne International Games Week 2023 runs from 30 September – 8 October. Play Now Melbourne, taking place on 5 October, adds to the range of industry conferences, awards, showcases, and public events.

Expressions of interest are now open for Australian developers who are seeking a career, for more information visit vicscreen.vic.gov.au/playnow

Quotes attributable to Minister for Creative Industries Steve Dimopoulos

“Play Now Melbourne is set to catapult the careers of local games makers by connecting them with global industry partners – helping to create local jobs.”

“Victoria is a games industry leader and that’s a reputation we’re committed to growing through initiatives like Play Now Melbourne, an exciting addition to our already jam-packed Melbourne International Games Week.”

Quote attributable to Massive Monster Creative Director Julian Wilton

“By fostering connections between developers and key stakeholders in funding, publishing, and storefronts, this groundbreaking initiative empowers developers to establish and sustain robust games enterprises, significantly enhancing their prospects for success.