Tassie video game developers 'Level Up'

Alien invasions, pirate odysseys, space adventures, and post-apocalyptic Australia could all soon be at your fingertips courtesy of Tasmanian video game developers.

Four video games have received a funding boost of $130,480 courtesy of the first round of the $500,000 Level Up Tasmania fund.

Minister for the Arts and Heritage, Madeleine Ogilvie, congratulated the developers, all of whom are Tasmanian locals.

“These grants will enable our artists to switch to full-time development, and get their products to market faster,” Minister Ogilvie said.

“Two of the games have also signed deals with publishers to better connect with players worldwide, which is a vote of confidence in our growing video game sector.

“As part of our 2030 Strong Plan for Tasmania’s Future, we back all forms of art, including video games, which are serious business."

The grants follow the Level Up Tasmania Video Game Showcase which took place in September 2024 and was attended by over 2,500 people.

The four recipients of the grants are:

• Captain Luckbeard (Shortbread Games): A turn-based pirate adventure where your luck is proportional to the condition of your beard;
• Loose Units (Nick Blackburn): A light-hearted top-down action game where players save their neighbourhood from aliens;
• Nullstar: Solus (Smash Attack Studios): A precision sci-fi action platformer from Launceston’s Smash Attack Studios; and
• Obliterator-X (Webbysoft): A fusion of tower defence and action role-playing game set in a post-apocalyptic Australian landscape.