Gamenews Weekly
Production Pages
14 June 2005 Gamenews Weekly: Production Pages - games in development in Australia. To get the next issue, and lots more, subscribe to Gamenews Weekly today!

Dissecta Events: Check the Next Event Here

Events
Free Play: The Next Wave Independent Game Developers Conference; Melbourne, Australian 21-23 May 2004
The organisers of Free Play have announced some details for the event, stating that "Entry to Free Play is a great deal with 3-day packages at $30 full, $20 tertiary student, and $10 for secondary students. 1-day passes are $18/$12/$7. Free entry will be given to speakers, conference volunteers, press and special circumstances." The organisers are also happy to announce a Travel Subsidy Scheme, "whereby interstate visitors with something to contribute to the conference can receive a travel allowance. The subsidies are: ACT/NSW/SA $200, QLD/TAS$300, WA/NT $400, Regional Victoria $50. Preference will be given to people who can bring a demonstration game, game art, idea, initiative or innovation to share at the conference. Subsidies will be awarded relative to project quality and age/position." Should be a fantatsic event. The organisers, next wave encourage "carpooling as a way to spend the subsidy, bringing four people is better than one!". To apply to become a contributor send your name, contact details, location, "and a 300-word description of why you need our support and the idea/project/game you will be bringing to the conference to gamers@nextwave.org.au. Please include web links to past work rather than big attachments." For more information on Free Play: The Next Wave Independent Game Developers Conference, contact Fiona Maxwell on 03 9662 1099 or gamers@nextwave.org.au. For more information on the Next Wave Festival, contact Prue Bassett Publicity on 03 9820 5400 or prue@netspace.net.au. Tim Richards [10 March 2004]

Industry News
GDAA and Vic Govt: Developer Kit Deadline
The Game Developers Association of Australia (GDAA) is now calling for applications for the Victorian Government sponsored Sony PlayStation 2 Development Kit Program (third round) and the Microsoft Xbox Development Kit Program (additional applications). Development kits will be allocated for both programs by end March 2004. Applications for both programs close Friday 12 March 2004. Guidelines and applications are available at http://www.gdaa.com.au. The programs are open to all Victorian Game Developers with five or more employees, regardless of whether they are members of the GDAA. Tim Richards [4 March 2004]

Industry News
Film Victoria Has Hit the Big Time: Game Dev cash flow
The Film Victoria newsletter announced this week that the State government entity is providing Victoria game developer IR Gurus Interactive Australia Pty Ltd "with a Cash Flow Facility advance of almost $1.5 million for the development of the electronic games, AFL Live Premiership Edition, and AFL 2005 for the multinational publisher Acclaim". For the full story, click here. Tim Richards [26 February 2004]

Platforms
N-Gage Sales Below Nokia Expectations
The Financial Times reports that "Nokia, the world's leading maker of mobile phones, has admitted for the first time that sales of its N-Gagegaming device are running below its own expectations." Nokia set a 9 million sales target for the period from launch to November 2005. For the full article, click here. Tim Richards [23 February 2004]

International Business
BAM! Entertainment and Vis Entertainment
The Financial Times reports that US game company BAM! Entertainment will buy Scottish company Vis Entertainment, "the creator of the State of Emergency computer game, in an all-shares deal valuing the Scottish group at $7.5m (£4.5m)". The deal includes the purchase of SOED, a company set up by Vis Entertainment to develop State of Emergency 2. A condition of the deal is that BAM! must retain its listing on Nasdaq. For the full story, click here. Tim Richards [19 February 2004]

Industry News
Melbourne Based IR Gurus and thatgame - major US deal
A great article in the Herald Sun today, which draws together a number of Victorian and Australian game development industry elements, reports on the new game Heroes of the Pacific developed by two Melbourne game companies. The game, a result of a Victorian government game technology access policy and program, has been signed to a US based distributor. For the article, click here. Tim Richards [18 February 2004]

Industry News
Latest Game Developers Association of Australia Newsletter has been released
Issue 7 of the GDAA Newsletter, January 2004, is now available. The issue covers the Australian Game Developers Conference 2003, held in November, with articles on the event, the unsigned games competition, and educational institutions. The newsletter is edited by the same guy who edits this website, and is available free to subscribers by emailing tim@ematic.com.au. [18 February 2004]

Japanese mags Famitsu Xbox Mag Give away Unlike the Xbox mags in Oz, the Japanese Xbox magazine by Famitsu, Volume 3, released during the December period, has two notable inserts. The first being a cool sticker overlay for the Xbox console (an "Xbox dress up sheet") and the other being a 12 month calendar with Dead or Alive inspired characters. And we want to give away the cool calendar! To win the DOAX calendar, be the first to email us any one of the english words contained on the Famitsu website, to info@gamenews.com.au (Calendar comp). But be quick, we will send the calendar to the first best correct answer by ordinary mail. By Gamenews.com.au Competition Team [17 February 2004]

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