The growth of New Zealand's gaming industry is being driven by a diverse range of studios, from small to large. The studios benefiting from financial incentives have collectively increased their revenue by 17%, reaching $829 million
The gaming industry in New Zealand is witnessing significant growth, with the collective revenue from game studios increasing by 17% to $829 million in the fiscal year 2025/26, aided by the Game Development Sector Rebate (GDSR).
NZ On Air's data indicates that 43 studios received a total of $21.9 million in funding, a slight decrease from the $22.4 million provided the previous year. The decline in funding coincides with a rise in studio numbers, while the count of games in development jumped from 170 to 194.
A large portion, around 90%, of the studios benefiting from the GDSR are small to medium-sized entities. Medium studios led with the most substantial revenue improvement at 44%, followed by small studios at 21%, and large studios at 10% growth.
Export revenues made up 98% of the total earnings for studios under the GDSR program. Despite a drop in the full-time workforce from 1,288 to 1,124, average workforce numbers per studio grew by 14%.
Chantelle Cole, the program director of NZ On Air GDSR, emphasized the crucial role small and medium studios play, highlighting their growing international acclaim for quality game production. She noted that in addition to this recognition, the sector's overall revenue growth reflects a strong and developing digital export industry.
Recently, New Zealand's game development industry achieved a major milestone by crossing $1 billion in revenue, hitting this target two years earlier than anticipated, with the 2026 revenues under the GDSR largely contributing to this figure. Originally, this achievement was projected for 2028 by the New Zealand Game Developers Association (NZGDA) after the introduction of the GDSR in 2023.
The preceding year saw the industry produce $758.9 million in revenue, alongside a 29% increase in the number of employees.