3 Reasons Why Australia Became an Innovative Force in Gaming
The pace of gaming advances in recent years has been quite phenomenal to behold, and never more so than in Australia, where thinking ahead of the curve has become the name of the game. The vast digital technology landscape Down Under is enriched by creativity and innovation. And this makes digging a little deeper at what makes the games industry tick in this part of the Southern Hemisphere.
Blockchain Gaming
There’s a buzz around the potential of Web3 gaming at the moment, particularly across mobile platforms, with leading Aussie developers and publishers exploring the benefits of blockchain technology. The aim is to revolutionize the whole concept of gaming participation, ranging from in-game assets to decentralized game servers, giving players more design input and ownership of in-game assets. Industry experts call this the democratization of gaming, with users having more say.
Nevertheless, the use of blockchain in gaming has already taken important strides. Within the iGaming sector, which focuses on betting and wagering, many of the best real money casino sites in Australia have already deployed blockchain technology. Alongside accepting cryptocurrencies like Bitcoin for transactions, leading operators use blockchain to provide transparent and fair gaming, improve safety and security, and comply with regulatory requirements.
User Generated Content
While the concept itself is certainly far from new, there’s a growing impetus among developers to get players more involved in the process of making games. Just think about games that have generated huge modding communities, and Skyrim or the Fallout series instantly spring to mind. They are the very essence of User Generated Content (UGC) in action, deepening the connection between people making the games and those playing them.
In fact, this was the inspiration for Australian company mod.io taking UGC further, creating dedicated modding platforms that studios can integrate within their games. And these people clearly know about the modding scene, dating all the way back to 2002 as nothing more than Aussie gaming enthusiasts, when they also launched the ModDB website. That went on to become one of the largest online repositories for mods. Now their modding platform is live across many of the biggest digital storefronts and AAA gaming brands.
Supportive Environment
Perhaps the biggest reason why Australia is at the forefront of the gaming innovation, the ambitious nature of the country itself has provided a supportive environment, laying down solid foundations upon which to build a thriving industry. The government recognizes the value of gaming to the national economy, so federal and state tax offsets are available for up to 45% of development costs, which certainly helps local companies within the sector.
Organizations like the Interactive Games & Entertainment Association fly the flag for developers in Australia, hosting national and international trade shows, alongside providing business and educational support for the industry. And speaking of education, universities and colleges Down Under have become some of the most renowned in the world, offering courses on all aspects of games development, helping to fill an exceptionally gifted talent pool.
Bright Future
Most of the Australian population now plays games, across all societal demographics and age groups, while the country itself has become one of the most innovative hubs for development in the world. Thanks to being home for so much passion towards gaming, Aussies will continue shaping the scene for decades to come, collaborating with global partners and showcasing their knowledge.
