12 studios from across Aotearoa received prototype and production funding in the New Zealand Centre of Digital Excellence (NZ CODE) second national funding round.
Pictured: Teeto, action-packed 3D platformer by Eat Pant Games based in Wellington, received $40,000 in CODE funding
A total of $358,341 was awarded to nine studios within the KickStart grant funding category for the creation of innovative, commercially viable game prototypes.
A further $450,000 was allocated to three studios in the StartUp funding category to support production work for titles already in development. These include Tiny Kiwi Games (Christchurch) and WildBoy Studios (Wellington), both of which received earlier CODE funding, and Incandescent Games (Auckland).
“We received 52 applications for Round 9, our second national funding round, with almost as many expressions of interest as the first. Demand for CODE support for early stage studios in Aotearoa is showing no signs of diminishing, and it bodes well for the future pipeline to see that 8 of the 9 successful Kickstart grantees were fresh applicants in this round.
“The independent assessment panel had a challenging time working through such a strong field.”
CODE Funding aims to support the Aotearoa - New Zealand game development ecosystem by assisting diverse creators and studios to develop digital game prototypes, found new studios or expand existing companies’ ambitions.
CODE’s tenth KickStart and StartUp funding round for Dunedin-based studios, is due to open for expressions of interest in January 2025. Click here for more information about NZ CODE Funding.
Pictured: NZ CODE StartUp Funding recipients (L-R): Design & Conjure (Tiny Kiwi Games); PlanetSmith (Incandescent Games); Tunnels Tactics (WildBoy Studios)
In Round 9, CODE received 96 expressions of interest and 52 full applications were submitted. These were assessed by an external, independent assessment panel drawn from global industry experts and 12 were recommended for funding.
Details on KickStart category recipients and game projects:
Studio: Cass Bay Games (Christchurch)
Project: Davy Jones Deckhand
Grant: $40,000
Break free from Davy Jones’ locker in this swashbuckling adventure where every voyage is a rogue-like deckbuilder! Craft the perfect deck, carefully select your ship’s cargo, and hone your strategy to survive brutal voyages. Sail the globe, kill the Leviathan, and free your soul from Davy’s grasp.
Studio: Interactive Tragedy, LTD (Wellington)
Project: KUU
Grant: $40,000
KUU is an atmospheric game of perseverance. You are the caretaker of a deteriorating moonbase, managing limited resources and complex interpersonal relationships to survive for 30 in-game days. Some will starve, and some will snap: Your only choices are hard ones in this Interactive Tragedy.
Studio: SLUMPS (Wellington)
Project (working title): Britannia Inferior
Grant: $40,000
Britannia Inferior is a branching narrative adventure game, where you create alternate timelines through your actions and jump between them to explore every possibility. Bungle your way through a near-future version of Northern England, and unintentionally unravel a sinister plot along the way.
Studio: Eat Pant Games (Wellington)
Project: Teeto
Grant: $40,000
Join Teeto, a tiny blob, and his obnoxious bunny sidekick, Nory, in this absolutely adorable adventure platformer! Use Teeto’s absorbing ability to become different elements, harnessing their powers to fight shadow monsters and tackle challenges for a cast of crazy characters.
Studio: Plimmerton Games (Wellington)
Project: Slam Dad
Grant: $38,370
Slam Dad is an absurdist platformer where you guide a cast of colourful dads through treacherous terrain. The titular body slam lets you smoosh different themed dads together, combining their skills to find creative options for overcoming obstacles and escaping the creeping Brotherhood of Fathers.
Studio: Crayonix (Christchurch)
Project: Rollick N’ Roll
Grant: $40,000
Put your reflexes to the test, as you guide amusing miniatures through vibrant diorama mazes! Marvellous marble runs, with a modern twist. Rollick N' Roll combines fun physics with intuitive controls to deliver a joyful puzzle experience for all ages.
Studio: Big Adventure (Wellington)
Project: Dream Team Supreme
Grant: $40,000
Dream Team Supreme is a bold and vibrant Online Co-Op Roguelike Deckbuilder where friends pilot a Giant Robot together to save the day from the Monster of the Week.
Studio: Little Dragon Pictures/Interactive (Invercargill)
Project: The Order of the Damned
Grant: $40,000
The Order Of The Damned is a story-driven and atmospheric 2D action-RPG side-scroller, set in a beautifully haunting dark fantasy world. Possessed by an unknown spirit, you must journey through the decaying land in a brutal quest to restore The Order and destroy the Revenant invasion.
Studio: Lazy Bones (Auckland)
Project: Pinball Hero
Grant: $39,971
Pinball Hero is a retro-meets-contemporary roguelite game where the hero IS the ball; level up, collect hundreds of powerful artefacts and battle your way to the top - only then, can you escape the machine.
Details on StartUp category recipients and game projects:
Studio: Tiny Kiwi Games (Christchurch)
Project: Design & Conjure
Grant: $150,000
Design & Conjure is a single-player decorating game with light puzzle elements, following Dalia, a young witch. Players meet interesting characters as they clean and decorate the town, all while listening to lo-fi beats.
Studio: Incandescent Games (Auckland)
Project: PlanetSmith
Grant: $150,000
Embark on an adventure in PlanetSmith, a spherical world sandbox game offering unique exploration and creative building. Journey into procedurally generated voxel worlds that defy conventional limits of block building. Showcase your artistic touch on your own spherical canvas.
Studio: WildBoy Studios (Wellington)
Project: Tunnel Tactics
Grant: $150,000
Survive in a post-apocalyptic world overrun by sentient plants. Build and upgrade your base, command squads and face relentless enemies in this RTS, Base Building, and Roguelike blend.
For access to any of the teams, please contact Tim Ponting, tim@nz-code.nz for initial contacts and introductions.
About CODE
CODE is the New Zealand Centre of Digital Excellence – a Dunedin-based hub designed to progress the sustainable growth of New Zealand’s video game development industry. CODE’s regional programme in Dunedin is funded by Kānoa – Regional Economic Development & Investment Unit – and its national expansion by Hīkina Whakatutuki, Ministry of Innovation, Business and Employment (MBIE).
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