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The Australian gaming industry is constantly evolving, thanks to a thriving scene of creative developers, and an expanding audience. Statista forecast the sector to grow at a CAGR of 10.34% from 2023 to 2027. At the end of the forecast period, the market volume of the gaming industry in Australia is expected to reach approximately US$ 3996 million.
Australian-made games are also taking the global market by storm. The credit goes to the multicultural, dynamic, and savvy software developers and entrepreneurs. Also, renowned Aussie education institutions produce top-notch talent yearly, further boosting the gaming industry.
Here, we’ll explore the fun facts about the Australian gaming industry, from its value to the audience and gaming studios.
Let’s get started.
Australians Love Playing Online Pokies
Australia is the land of gambling, and Aussie players spend millions on gambling every year. 20% of the world’s e-gaming machines are found in Australia—the country has at least 200,000 slot machines, and pokies are the most popular games. The average payout percentage of pokies ranges from 96% to 98%.
Online pokies have multiple symbols and spinning reels and are made by trustworthy developers like Microgaming and NetEnt. The popular online pokies for real money in Australia include 3-reel, 5-reel, 7-reel, and 3D pokies. There are also progressive jackpots with massive prizes.
There are hundreds of different online slots you can play for fun, and if you are lucky, you can win real money. But you need to play the Aussie pokies on licensed casino sites that are safe and fair. They use industry-standard security features and offer generous welcome bonuses, as well as having an extensive selection of games and tournaments.
81% of Australians Play Video Games
A recent Interactive Games and Entertainment Association (IGEA) and Bond University study shows that 81% of Australians play video games. The results, released in August 2023, are based on responses from 1,219 households.
Breaking down the findings, 94% of the households have at least one video gaming device. Consoles lead the way at 81%. Smartphones come second at 71%, PCs at 59%, tablets at 43%, and dedicated handheld devices at 6%. Only 5% use a VR headset to play games.
The average age of the Australian gaming audience is 35 years, with women making up 48% of the total players. Men spend an average playtime of 97 minutes daily, while women do 81 minutes. 95% of the respondents set limits for their children.
The Value of the Australian Games Market is AU$4.21 Billion
In 2022, new software releases and hardware availability fuelled the game market’s healthy growth. The industry’s value was AU$4.21 billion, recording a 5% increment from the previous year.
Mobile gaming was the most significant contributor, with Aussie players spending AU$1.56 billion on mobile games. The players spent 1.5 billion AUD on full-game purchases and 750 million AUD on in-game transactions. Nintendo Switch remains the top-selling gaming hardware, followed by PlayStation 5 and Xbox series.
As of December 2022, the gaming industry employed 2,104 full-time employees. The number is expected to grow due to the influx of investors, developers, and studios.
Australia has a Digital Games Tax Offset (DGTO) Policy in Effect
The Australian digital games industry enjoys government backing. The DGTO is a tax incentive that allows Aussie game development companies to claim 30% of qualifying expenditures.
To be eligible for DGTO, a company must spend a minimum of $500,000 on digital games. The companies should also obtain an eligibility certificate (indicates DGTO and total QADE) issued by the Minister for Arts. The maximum cap a company can claim per year is $20 million.
In March 2022, the government established the Games Expansion Pack. The scheme funds games with budgets below $500,000. Since its inception, the Games Expansion Pack has spent $8.1 million on over 60 gaming projects.
Action-adventure is the Most Popular Gaming Genre in Australia
When it comes to gaming genres, most, if not all, Aussie players prefer action-adventure game titles. So, why do players like this genre? Action-adventure blends combat and problem-solving abilities, allowing gamers to use physical skills and wit to navigate a compelling storyline.
Action-adventure titles can be first-person, third-person, survival, stealth, or platform games. In most of these games, you control an avatar as the protagonist, experiencing frantic gameplay.
Popular titles under this category include Spider-Man, GTA, Assassin’s Creed, God of War, Mortal Kombat, Call of Duty, and Red Dead Redemption 2.
Mighty Kingdom is the Largest Independent Games Studio in Australia
Based in Adelaide, South Australia, Mighty Kingdom is Australia’s largest independent game studio. Since its launch in 2010, the studio has developed 50+ games played globally by over 50 million players. The company credits its diverse team of over 100 developers for the award-winning stories.
The studio has created games for prestigious companies like Disney, LEGO, Mattel, Spin Master, Paramount, Dreamworks, and Sony. Popular games by Mighty Kingdom include Shopkins, Conan Chop Chop, Danger Days, Wild Life, and Star Trek Lower Decks. In April 2021, the studio was listed on the Australian Stock Exchange (ASX), raising AU$18 million.
Australia is a Booming Hub for Digital Games
The global digital games industry is growing at a fast pace, and Australia is no exception. The Australian government is fueling the gaming industry’s growth through DGTO and Games Expansion Pack tax incentives. The expanding audience is also a win for the industry, as it makes more software and hardware sales.
