The Arcade (company)

The Arcade is an Australian nonprofit company that houses indie game developers in designated workspaces in order to foster a creative community "using game methodologies and technologies".[1] They share property rent and are open to game testing each other's games to offer critique and support.

The Arcade
TypePrivate nonprofit
IndustryWorkspace
FoundedSeptember 2013 (2013-09)
FounderTony Reed
HeadquartersLevels 1-2, 71-75 City Road,
Southbank, Melbourne, Victoria 3006
,
Australia
Number of locations
1 (2016)
Area served
Melbourne, Australia
Key people
  • Tony Reed
Services
OwnerGame Developer's Association of Australia
Websitethearcade.melbourne

History

The company was established in 2013 in Melbourne.[1] Tony Reed, president of the Game Developer's Association of Australia, came up with the idea in 2010. After being declined two times by the Australian government, they were given a chance to test it successfully, after which they were given funding from Film Victoria, as well as seed money from the GDAA.[2] Part of the rationale is due to politician Joe Hockey cancelling the Interactive Media Fund, thereby taking $10 million out of the Australian video game industry.[3]

As of 2016, the company hosts 33[4][5] video game studios from a small amount the previous year.[6] The company moved to a new premises in South Melbourne in early 2017.

In March 2020 IGEA merged with GDAA, acquiring all assets including The Arcade.[7] Key Arcade members Ceri Hutton and Sav Emmett Wolfe continue to run The Arcade whilst also assuming new roles within IGEA.

Culture

According to the Sydney Morning Herald, the company "offers discounted office space and hot desking, plus the significant benefits of shared knowledge and networking that come with working alongside others".[8]

One of the devs explained: "I was working from home, going insane. I found out that this space was starting up...It’s been incredible. If I’ve got a question from a tech perspective...I can just go and talk to some of Australia’s foremost experts...That kind of expertise is just invaluable as a developer".[9]

Companies

It currently houses 33 Australian gaming development studios including:

  • CG Spectrum
  • Considerable Content
  • DBolical
  • Dime Studios
  • Double Jump
  • Fluffy Kitten Studios
  • Game Developer's Association of Australia
  • Goat Entertainment
  • Grapple Gun Games
  • Green Stripe Snake
  • igda Melbourne
  • Ironworks Games
  • Log
  • Lumi
  • ManyMonkeys
  • Mighty Games
  • Minimega
  • Mountains
  • Points of Engagement
  • Positomic
  • Rocket Jump
  • Samurai Punk
  • Surprise Attack
  • The Otherworld Agency
  • The Voxel Agents
  • Tin Man Games
  • VectorStorm
  • Wander
  • Yak&Co

See also

References
  1. "The Arcade Melbourne". The Arcade.
  2. "The Arcade: a capitalist commune of indie game development". CNET. CBS Interactive. 22 December 2014.
  3. "The Arcade And Funding For Australian-Made Video Games | Kotaku Australia". Kotaku.com.au. 12 September 2014. Retrieved 17 February 2016.
  4. "Digital games". Invest Victoria. Retrieved 16 September 2016.
  5. Francis, Hannah (22 September 2015). "How Siobhan Reddy turned video games into high art". Illawarra Mercury. Retrieved 15 September 2016.
  6. Kye White (15 October 2014). "The Arcade opens its doors for a day to aspiring game developers". StartupSmart.
  7. "Media Alert: IGEA and GDAA update". 5 March 2020.
  8. "Arcade the clear winner for Australia's digital games industry". The Sydney Morning Herald. 19 October 2014.
  9. Kye White (15 October 2014). "The Arcade opens its doors for a day to aspiring game developers". StartupSmart.com.au. Retrieved 17 February 2016.
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