The Centre for Digital Excellence (Code) is an economic development initiative to support New Zealand’s burgeoning video game industry.
The initiative, established and headquartered in Dunedin, announced the recipients of its first round of national funding last week.
Code chief executive Tim Ponting said Code had now expanded its funding capabilities to two streams: its regional level funded by Kanoa and ring-fenced to Dunedin, and its new national level funded by the Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment.
For its first couple of years operating, Mr Ponting said game developers from around the country had wished Code was available for all of New Zealand’s video game industry.
"There was a lot of pent up demand in Dunedin and it was awesome to realise those studios that were waiting for the opportunities, but we know that the same is true from around the country to a greater or lesser extent."
Despite an international post-pandemic downturn in the gaming industry, Mr Ponting said New Zealand’s industry was still growing and was "completely bucking the trend" — Dunedin being the second-biggest city making games in the country.
Mr Ponting said Dunedin was one of the most positive, collaborative and supportive game development communities he knew.
Code had injected a total of about $3.4 million of grants into the city’s gaming scene and plans to offer further localised-funding until 2026.
Runaway Play, a Dunedin gaming studio established in 2009, was a recipient of one of Code’s first funding rounds for the development of a larger long-term project set to be released this year.
Runaway Play chief executive Zoe Hobson said the production had involved more investment, innovation and risk-taking than the studio’s typical releases, and the support from Code had been "really pivotal" for getting the ball rolling in the earlier development phases.
Mrs Hobson said Code had been influential in building Dunedin’s stronghold in the country’s gaming industry, and had even accelerated growth in the local industry.
"It’s been really exciting to see more companies move into game development, more studios forming here in Dunedin and there’s been some really great success stories come out of that," she said.
A total of 14 studios received $1 million worth of national funding, including Tiny Kiwi, of Christchurch, and Stormcloak Games, of Wellington.
