Screen NSW opens Gamescom 2025 Market Travel Program to support local game developers
Courtesy of Screen NSW, up to five NSW-based games developers will receive funding to attend the world’s largest games industry event, Gamescom 2025.
The announcement:
Screen NSW has opened the Gamescom 2025 Market Travel Program to support experienced NSW digital games developers heading to Gamescom 2025, the world’s largest event for the games industry and a key trade conference held annually in Germany.
As one of the leading trade events for the games industry, practitioners supported through Screen NSW’s Gamescom 2025 Market Travel Program will have the opportunity to explore global gaming trends, discover new innovations, and build connections with decision-makers and peers from around the world. They will also bring valuable insights and experiences back to Australia to help shape and strengthen the future of NSW’s gaming sector.
Up to five experienced practitioners will be supported through the program, with up to $5,000 per applicant available to cover travel, accommodation, and registration costs. Applicants must have a commercial game or games to market at the event.
Gamescom is held annually in Cologne, Germany, and showcases the latest in gaming through hands-on exhibitions and exclusive insights into the global games industry. In 2024, Gamescom hosted 1,462 exhibitors from 64 countries and welcomed 335,000 attendees from 120 countries—demonstrating the scale and global appetite for gaming content.
This is the second round of the Gamescom Market Travel Program, first launched in 2024. It is one of several travel support initiatives now offered by Screen NSW to help NSW game developers gain exposure and experience at leading local and international events, including the GCAP 2024 Travel Support Program and GDC 2025 Market Travel Program.
These initiatives complement other forms of industry support, including the Digital Games Seed Development Fund and the Digital Games Rebate, which recently saw its minimum expenditure threshold lowered to $350,000 to make it more accessible to developers.
Applications close Thursday 22 May 2025 at 2pm AEST.
For more information and to apply, visit the Screen NSW website here – https://www.screen.nsw.gov.au/funding-support/gamescom-market-travel-program
Quote from Kyas Hepworth, head of screen NSW:
“We heard from last year’s recipients how invaluable the opportunity was to travel to Germany for Gamescom 2024, and I’m thrilled that Screen NSW can open another round of travel support for Gamescom 2025.
“With Screen NSW levelling up its support for the local games industry, including making the Digital Games Rebate more accessible through the lowering of the expenditure threshold, it’s vital we also support practitioners to travel overseas for events like Gamescom 2025. This will ensure our NSW developers can showcase the high calibre of work we produce here and ensures they stay on the cutting edge of global gaming trends and gain exclusive insights that they can bring back to help grow our local industry.”
Previously supported recipients from the Gamescom 2024 Market Travel Program included practitioners from NSW studios such as Blowfish Studios, Chaos Theory Games, Epiphany Games, Lamington Games and Lemonade Games. The recipients spoke with Screen NSW about their key insights and highlights from Gamescom 2024 here – https://www.screen.nsw.gov.au/news/insights-highlights-and-key-takeaways-from-gamescom-2024
Source: Screen NSW
