Queensland: A Digital Gaming Spawn Point 

An industry responsible for generating approximately $122 billion in 2020, mobile gaming holds firm as one of the most financially explosive sectors in the world.  

Thanks to the strongest competitive incentives in Australia including a generous tax rebate scheme, the world’s number one mobile game developer, French company Gameloft, has a home right here in Queensland. 

Responsible for global mega-hits like Ballistic Baseball and the Oregon Trail mobile remake, Gameloft established their Australian headquarters in Brisbane seven years ago, growing their Queensland base from a team of 15 to 60.  

The business continued on an incredibly successful trajectory in that time, delivering four games with a fifth on the way (including Oregon Trail, the number one game on Apple Arcade in 2021). 

Gameloft Brisbane’s Studio Manager and Managing Director, Dylan Miklashek, said that Southeast Queensland has evolved into a hive of creative development, energised by an exuberant digital network resulting from state-of-the-art academic offerings.  

“There’s a unique talent pool available in Brisbane, and a very creative culture buoyed by a comfortable and happy lifestyle,” he said. 

Miklashek says that Queensland’s generous tax incentives make a hefty business impact and can’t be overlooked by any studio.  

“The end result is that for a A$5 million game, we claim a refund of approximately A$2 million in development costs. That makes Queensland hugely competitive in the global games development industry.”  

In addition to Gameloft, Queensland is the home of multiple AAA and indie studios, producing games across all platforms.  

Australia’s leading tax offsets up to a value of 45% of development costs have proven attractive lures for many companies looking for locations to set up studios in Queensland. 

It’s not just tax benefits that make Queensland the first choice. Lifestyle and a robust talent pipeline are just as important for a productive and motivated team.  

“Gameloft chose Brisbane because of the unique talent available here and because lifestyle matters,” Miklashek says. “Developers who live here are happy, motivated and creative: that’s ideal for a games studio.”