Video games in New Zealand


In New Zealand, 67% of the population plays video games, 46% of video game players are female and the average age of a video game player is 34. New Zealanders spend an average of 88 minutes a day playing video games.
As of 31 March 2020, the New Zealand video game development industry employed 747 full-time game developers and New Zealand studios earned $323.9 million in revenue, of which 96% came from international audiences. In addition, New Zealand consumers spent $501.4m on video games in 2019. Despite the difference in population size, New Zealand game development is comparable to Australia's, in terms of revenue and employment.
Industry bodies for video games in New Zealand include the New Zealand Game Developers Association, which supports video game developers, and the Interactive Games and Entertainment Association, which represents publishers and platforms.
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History

New Zealand was an early adopter of the video game phenomenon, despite its remoteness. Many Atari 2600 titles were assembled under licence by Monaco Distributors in Auckland. New Zealand developed its own Pong-style game console, the Sportronic, in the late 1970s, as a result of import licensing laws.
The development of games in New Zealand was continued in the 1980s and 90s. Notable games include Laser Hawk, which was developed for Atari 8-bit computers in 1986 by Andrew Bradfield and Harvey Kong Tin, and Super Skidmarks, which was released for the Amiga in 1995 and was developed by Auckland-based company Acid Software.

Major companies and global recognition

Although a minor player in the global video gaming industry, New Zealand has had success with homegrown game developers. PikPok, the largest game studio in New Zealand, have developed a number of sports games, including several titles in the Rugby League series. Dinosaur Polo Club developed Mini Metro. The action RPG Path of Exile, perhaps the best-known New Zealand game, was developed by Grinding Gear Games and released in 2013, enjoying international success. The video game series Bloons was made by the New Zealand company Ninja Kiwi.
The New Zealand Game Developers Association was formed in 2001 to support the development of games in New Zealand.

Events and exhibitions

The New Zealand Game Developers Conference is held annually. The New Zealand Games Festival is held in Wellington around Easter each year and includes several events including the Play By Play conference and The Pavs, the New Zealand Games Awards. There are many regular Meetups in cities nationwide.
The Game Masters exhibition was held at the Museum of New Zealand Te Papa Tongarewa from 15 December 2012 through to 28 April 2013. The Arcade:Homegrown Video Games exhibition was held at Dowse Art Museum from 10 Nov 2012 – 24 Feb 2013 and then toured nationally.

Independent scene

The rise of digital platforms has seen independent studios publish video games worldwide, including Rainbite and Screenshock Games, each consisting of developers trained at Media Design School in Auckland.

Banned games

In 2003, Manhunt became the first video game officially banned in New Zealand. In 2004, Postal 2 and its demo were banned on the basis of gross and abhorrent content.

Video Game Development

Game developers from New Zealand

Misc Games

  • 2UP Games
  • CerebralFix Limited
  • DOTDOT Studio
  • GEO AR Games
  • Grinding Gear Games
  • Mad Carnival Games
  • Media Design School
  • Method Studios
  • Mighty Eyes
  • * M-Theory
  • * Oddboy
  • RUSH Digital Interactive
  • Scarlet City Studios
  • Swibo Ltd

Co-Development Services

  • Blind Squirrel Entertainment, Inc.
  • * Blind Squirrel Games
  • InGame
  • Prismatic Studios
  • Second Intention Limited
  • Space Rock Games

Defunct video game developers of New Zealand

Video game publishers of New Zealand

Publisher & developer firms

  • Astronaut Diaries Limited
  • Atawhai Interactive
  • Atorcoppe Games
  • Banana Hardsoft
  • Bardsley Creative
  • Blackout Games
  • Catobyte Ltd
  • Cloak and Dagger Games
  • Cloudfire Studios
  • Dead Teapot
  • Delphinium Games
  • Deep Field Games
  • Digital Confectioners
  • Dinosaur Polo Club
  • Dry Cactus Games
  • ENDESGA
  • Esenthel
  • Flightless Studios
  • Gaugepunk Games
  • Hashbane Interactive
  • Irreflex Studios
  • It's Anecdotal
  • KraiSoft Entertainment
  • Kreg
  • Lighstromo Studios
  • Liquid Donkey Games
  • Liquid Static Studio Limited
  • Luminous Games
  • Mainframe Games
  • Majic Jungle
  • Many Worlds Limited
  • Mecha Weka
  • Mental Drink Ltd
  • Ninja Kiwi
  • Outerdawn
  • Phat Loot Studios
  • PLECTRUM SOFT
  • Rexoto Games
  • Rocket Jump Games
  • RocketWerkz
  • Runaway Play
  • SciViewLearn
  • Sky Bear Games
  • Space Crab Labs
  • Spotted Kiwi Interactive
  • Thousand Tonic
  • Tiny Kiwi Games
  • Unclear Games
  • Undermog Games
  • Usual Suspects Studios
  • Wicked Art Studios
  • Wildboy Studios
  • XR Games Studios ltd

Defunct game publishers of New Zealand

  • Acid Software
  • Little Lost Fox Limited
  • Monaco Corporation
  • Poseidon Software
  • Vision Software, Inc.