In a global gaming market valued at an estimated $300 billion, video game development is no longer dominated by the traditional powerhouses of the USA, China, and Japan. Independent studios are emerging worldwide, with the Pilbara region in northwestern Western Australia becoming a surprising new hub for this digital industry.
According to the Interactive Games and Entertainment Association, Australia boasted 137 game development companies in 2024, employing nearly 2,500 people. Among these burgeoning enterprises is Red Dog Studios, the first game development studio in the Pilbara, founded by 24-year-old Jai Macphail.
The Rise of Red Dog Studios
Jai Macphail chose Karratha, a city better known for its gas and iron ore exports, as the base for his studio. “I enjoy living up here, I love the community in Karratha,” Macphail stated. “It’s also fantastic in regards to the natural solar energy we’ve got here… everything requires power and it does give us the foundation to build a fully carbon-neutral studio.”
Red Dog Studios’ first production, The Farlands, a medieval fantasy game, has already garnered significant support. “It’s a game where players can go and explore, craft, and adventure with their friends,” Macphail explained. The City of Karratha has backed this innovative project with a $20,000 grant, underscoring the local government’s commitment to diversifying the region’s economy.
Supporting Industry Diversification
City of Karratha Mayor, Daniel Scott, emphasized the importance of supporting new industries in the region. “Usually we’re dealing with large industries here in the city of Karratha, but what we do know is that gaming development is one of the fastest-growing sectors in the global digital economy,” Cr Scott remarked. “What we really want is to build a larger, more liveable city, and in order to do that, we need to have a more diverse range of businesses.”
This sentiment is echoed by Paris Buttfield-Addison, the creative director of Tasmanian studio Secret Lab and president of Tasmanian Game Makers. “It’s very, very realistic to make a game in regional Australia right now — it never used to be,” he noted. “Game development is fundamentally a digital export. It’s weightless.”
Regional Developers on the Rise
Elsewhere in Australia, Darwin-based studio Salty Games is in the late stages of developing Pasture: The Livestock Simulator, a game inspired by the Northern Territory’s cattle industry. Creative director Nathan Groves highlighted the reduced impact of remoteness on game development. “Now we have high-speed internet basically everywhere… we have computers now that are affordable to build games with,” he said. “The main problem is just the transfer of skills now in regional areas, and that can be done through mentoring.”
Groves’ perspective underscores a broader trend: the democratization of game development technology, which allows regional developers to compete on a global stage.
Unique Regional Flavor
Associate Dean of Digital Design at RMIT, Li Ping Thong, pointed out that gaming is one of Australia’s fastest-growing creative sectors. “Our local studios [are] very small and independent teams — they are really creating globally competitive and culturally resonant work,” she said. Thong noted that regional developers often draw on local knowledge and experiences, creating games that reflect their environment and community.
“[Regional developers’] work would sometimes draw on place, climate, community, so it’s more thoughtful and a different kind of aesthetics and style,” Dr. Thong explained. “The different kinds of game design feel more grounded in lived experience.”
The emergence of regional game developers in Australia highlights a significant shift in the global gaming landscape. As technology continues to become more accessible, and as local governments recognize the potential of digital industries, regions like the Pilbara are poised to play a critical role in the future of gaming.
With continued support and innovation, these regional studios may not only diversify their local economies but also contribute significantly to the global gaming industry, offering unique perspectives and experiences to players worldwide.
