NZ On Air Announces Second-Year GDSR Recipients — Showing Improved Economic Value And Job Creation
In the second year of the GDSR, the number of studios receiving the rebate has also grown by 24 percent, up from 33 in 2024, showing more studios are meeting eligibility thresholds and actively scaling in response.
'These figures are hugely encouraging to see,' says Chantelle Cole, NZ On Air GDSR Programme Director. 'They show that the GDSR is not only allowing studios to sustain jobs but actively grow their teams.'
'The key objectives of the GDSR from the outset were to retain industry talent, keep studios from heading offshore and enable studios to stabilise, scale and invest in long-term capability. The data is showing that we're on the right track.'
The GDSR, introduced in 2023, provides a 20 percent rebate on eligible expenditure to support the growth of Aotearoa New Zealand's game development sector. The GDSR is administered by NZ On Air, with policy oversight from MBIE. The rebate is capped at $3 million per studio per year, with a minimum qualifying expenditure of $250,000.
This year's recipients represent a diverse range of studios from across the motu, developing original IP and contributing to a thriving digital export industry.
'The GDSR is clearly starting to play a big role in retaining talent and IP in New Zealand, while also boosting our presence and capabilities in the global marketplace,' says Cole.
'Over the next few years, its impacts will continue to become even clearer– but it is evident that the rebate's existence has already resulted in studios continuing to do business in Aotearoa New Zealand and ignited further investment in our local sector.'
Key GDSR 2025 data highlights:
• Eligible staff numbers grew from 1,141 to 1,353, an 18.6 percent year-on-year increase. Full-Time Equivalent (FTE) roles similarly grew, up 20.5 percent from 1079 to 1300.
• Average revenue per GDSR-funded employee reached approximately $525,260, up 14.8 percent from 2024 – highlighting the sector's high-value, export-oriented output.
• Overall, total eligible expenditure increased by 16 percent, with three studios more than doubling their eligible spend.
Preliminary data for 2025 from NZGDA shows revenue is now tracking 61% higher than it was two years ago, before the introduction of the rebate, when annual growth had slowed to just 7%. Finalised 2025 revenue figures are expected in September.
'These early indicators suggest the GDSR is delivering on its economic promise — supporting a high growth sector that's making a meaningful contribution to Aotearoa New Zealand's creative economy and export success,' says Cole.
GDSR 2025 Recipients
2Up Games
A44
Balancing Monkey Games
Beyond Studio
Big Adventure
Blind Squirrel Entertainment
Camshaft Software
CerebralFix
Conical
Deep Field Games
Digital Confectioners
Dinosaur Polo Club
DreamLoft
Dry Cactus
Evans Taylor Digital
Flightless
Floating Rock Studio
Futureverse
Geo AR
Gfactor
Grinding Gear Games
Insight Creative
Melodics
Mighty Eyes
Mytona
Niantic Aotearoa
Ninja Kiwi
Outerdawn
PikPok
PlaySide Studios
RiffRaff Games
RocketWerkz
Runaway
SharpMind Games
Snickerdoodle Games
Space Rock Games
Splitting Point
Staples Productions
Synty Studios
Wētā Workshop
* The rebate amount received by each individual studio is confidential and commercially sensitive. The amount each business received – grouped in dollar bands – will be published on the NZ On Air website two years after the rebate is paid out.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
RNZ News
a day ago
- RNZ News
Minister Shane Jones looks to coal as businesses grapple with gas shortage
Shane Jones Photo: RNZ / Mark Papalii Resources Minister Shane Jones is seeking advice on where the electricity system can use more coal as businesses grapple with a gas shortage. Big industrial gas users met with Jones, who is also the Associate Minster for Energy, in Auckland on Friday to discuss the problems with securing an affordable supply. "From their perspective, the Crown needs to contemplate a triage system so that the gentailers don't drive businesses and manufacturers out of existence," Jones told Checkpoint . "The gentailers, due to the profiteering, always have more money to out bid everyone else." Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment (MBIE) figures show natural gas reserves are down 27 percent compared to last year . Jones said he has sought advice on where the electricity system can use more coal to reduce reliance on gas. "I am a politician that is pro-coal, I'm a politician that's pro-fossil fuels because I don't believe in these indulgences and luxury beliefs any longer," Jones said. "... Unless we pace ourselves on the decarbonisation journey, we are going to hallow out the manufacturing sector and no one is going to thank me, as a politician, for mass unemployment. There is so much fiction associated with the costs and period of time it is going to take for decarbonisation." It comes after a Taranaki fertiliser manufacturer revealed it was looking to shutdown production for up to four months because it cant get a guaranteed gas supply. The manufacturer, Ballance Agri-Nutrients, uses the gas to power its production and as a raw ingredient for fertilisers. It lost its supply to Contact Energy, which essentially outbid Ballance to secure the gas for electricity consumption. Ballance said it cant find a reliable replacement supply and prices quoted are up to 100 percent more than what the co-op is currently paying. It will keep its 120 plant workers on during the hiatus while it hunts for a solution. Jones believes there is good news on the way for short term supply of gas, after meeting with various gas extraction companies on Friday morning. He said they told him they were confident they could continue to excelerate the delivery of gas over the next nine to 12 months and beyond. "But lets not pretend that this isn't a very gruelling time for a lot of gas users," Jones said. The Business NZ Energy Council has long been warning a gas shortage could lead to business closures. Business NZ Energy Council executive director Tina Schirr said the biggest concern for gas-using businesses over the last couple of years was securing long-term contracts and the rise in gas prices. Schirr said as a result some companies could consider swapping to "dirtier substitutes" or otherwise shut down, which would result in job losses. "The long term problem is we need more energy in the system, and in this case, more gas. There were a few users in the room today that could switch to electricity for example, or bio-gas, but obviously the short term problem is the same - you've got to build infrastructure around it," Schirr said. She said the idea of prioritising certain businesses in the queue for gas contracts was floated, but that would only be an emergency short time solution. "It wouldn't be healthy or sustainable long term in the market." Schirr said programmes are being rolled out to potentially support businesses that can switch energy sources and there is talk about the government providing cheaper or interest free loans. She said there will be follow-up conversations on how to solve energy shortages long-term.
NZ Herald
2 days ago
- NZ Herald
Airports say nanny state risks stifling business but airlines say ‘monopoly' airports exploit customers
He said the airport had been 'subjected to repetitious reviews of regulatory settings over the last 15 years'. He told MBIE: 'Regulation of New Zealand airports is supposed to be light-handed.' Clarke said airports faced a 2018 MBIE review, replacement of the Airport Authorities Act with the Civil Aviation Act 2023, and a 2018 Commerce Amendment Bill. Clarke said the Commerce Commission also imposed a 'thorough interrogation' of all airport investment decisions in the past two years. 'If the Government would like to support effective infrastructure investment by airports, it should do so by supporting investor certainty and allowing airports to get on with the job.' Clarke suggested constant interference in rule-setting would corrode investor confidence. 'If investors cannot be guaranteed a stable return over the 20-to-50 year life of a project, they will simply take their capital elsewhere, likely offshore.' Auckland, Wellington and Christchurch airports are subject to information disclosure regulation under the Commerce Act. That means the Commerce Commission reviews airport pricing decisions to better understand their performance. Umbrella group NZ Airports said the current system was working well with no additional rules needed. 'It is principled, predictable, and trusted by consumers, investors, and regulators alike.' NZ Airports complained of 'discredited arguments' circulating and said a more regulated approach would undermine the Government's stated commitment to cutting red tape. But a major airline group said airports would exploit a system soft on regulation. Auckland Airport's $6.6 billion infrastructure upgrade includes a new integrated jet terminal. Photo / Michael Craig Cath O'Brien, Board of Airlines of New Zealand (Barnz) executive director, said rules were needed to stop 'monopoly' airports becoming exploitative. O'Brien today told the Herald that Auckland Airport's decision to spend $6.6 billion on infrastructure upgrades by 2032 was of huge consequence to customers. 'At the moment the airport can set their capital plan to be any amount of money, and the customers must pay, and there's no contract. And that's why you have regulation.' She said if the country wanted a chance at having cheaper domestic flights, the Government should curtail fee increases from agencies such as Airways NZ, Aviation Security, and the Civil Aviation Authority. O'Brien said Auckland, Wellington, Christchurch and Queenstown were monopoly airports. She told MBIE rules were needed to constrain the ability of airports to extract 'above normal' returns or take advantage of local or regional monopoly powers. Barnz said big airports already benefited from lenient rules. 'Once a regulated airport sets prices, airlines are then required to pay those prices as set, usually within a calendar month of prices being struck.' Barnz said the system was too soft on airports. 'It should be that the regulated airport feels the threat of further regulation, driving them to follow the commission's findings.' But the country's biggest airport took a dim view of what it called an 'ad hoc' MBIE review. Auckland Airport's chief strategic planning officer, Mary-Liz Tuck, said the company was making major investments and the MBIE process jeopardised that. In late March, Auckland Airport cut its airline charges after the Commerce Commission found airport forecast revenue was excessive and targeted returns were unreasonably high. Tuck, however, characterised the commission's report as 'highly favourable' regarding Auckland Airport's pricing and capital plans. She said it was strange for MBIE to get involved 11 days after the commission's report. 'Airlines are acting in their own self-interest, lobbying for more power to hold up airport investment.' Tuck said Auckland Airport just last year raised $2.5b in capital for new infrastructure. 'Auckland Airport can only raise that capital because investors believe we have stable regulatory settings.' Tuck said Auckland Airport charges comprised 4-6% of domestic fares. MBIE said it considered the feedback and provided advice to the Minister of Commerce and Consumer Affairs, Scott Simpson. No law change was being pursued at this time, but MBIE said the Commerce Commission might review the information disclosure rules next year. John Weekes is a business journalist mostly covering aviation and courts. He has previously covered consumer affairs, crime, politics and courts.
Newsroom
2 days ago
- Newsroom
Wayne Brown company faces delisting over regulatory omission
A company jointly owned by Auckland mayor Wayne Brown and his highest-paid office advisor is on a path to be de-registered for failing to provide information. The Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment (MBIE) told Newsroom that Asia Pacific Hotels Limited, 'failed to respond to our letter under section 365 of the Companies Act 1993. This section relates to the Registrar's powers of inspection.' The company was formed 14 months ago by Brown, his close friend and mayoral office consultant Chris Matthews, and Harminder Singh of Whangarei. The mayor is a 33.4 per cent shareholder, with the other two owning 33.3 per cent each. Mathews filed the company's annual return on March 31 this year. Brown declined to answer specific questions posed by Newsroom in April about the formation of this company and a second one, jointly with Mathews, Asia Pacific Platforms, and has again declined to answer specific questions about the de-registration process. Neither MBIE nor the mayor has given any detail about what information had been sought, and not provided in the de-registration process for a company which Brown had previously told Newsroom was 'inactive'. One of the many grounds on which the Registrar of Companies can de-register a firm is 'the company is not carrying on business; and there is no proper reason for the company to continue in existence.' The section of the Companies Act 1993 which MBIE said was being used in the possible de-registration, covers a wide range of material which the Registrar can demand be provided. MBIE said the process has been paused temporarily due to an objection, and the mayor said he was 'not aware of any objection to the removal of Asia Pacific Hotels Limited from the Companies Register.' 'The objection is currently temporary as the objector is required to provide further information. If no further information is received the company will be removed after 20 August 2025,' said Bolen Ng, MBIE's National Manager of Business Registries. MBIE would not disclose who had objected to the de-registration, but Ng said the objection ground was : 'that it would not be just and equitable to remove the company from the New Zealand register.' 'To date no additional supporting correspondence has been received from the objector. The company will be removed on 20 August 2025 if no further information is provided, which by default would mean that the objector has until then to provide additional documentation,' said Ng in a statement. In April, statement from the mayor's office on the formation of Asia Pacific Hotels Limited, half-way through Brown's term in office said it was: 'was set up for prospective business interests outside of Auckland.' '(It) has no connection to local government or any activities related to the mayoralty. Both companies (also Asia Pacific Platforms) are inactive and do not own any assets so there is no financial benefit involved.' Asia Pacific Hotels Limited did not appear on the mayor's council declaration of business interests, and his office in April told Newsroom it would be added.
