Game developers pitch for funding at speed dating-style event in Melbourne

A giant countdown timer, a DJ sitting on the side of the room spinning tunes, nerves and anticipation, and a bell that rings when it's time to rotate partners.

The Play Now marketplace feels a lot like a speed dating event, or like the Shark Tank television program.

Held during Melbourne International Games Week, game developers from across the country are matched with prospective publishers and put their best foot forward in an attempt to secure funding for their game.

Tables and screens with laptops and controllers are arranged around the room as pitch decks are presented and developers lay out their plans to make the next big hit.

VicScreen CEO Caroline Pitcher says the event, now in its fourth year, is attracting international and local publishers searching for rare Australian talent.

"We've gone from strength to strength in terms of growing the number of publishers that are coming here, growing the number of game devs that are participating," she says.

"There's a maximum of 10 meetings so someone like Nintendo, their dance card is full."

She says that because publishers choose the teams they are going to meet with, the ice is already broken and game developers can get right into the pitch.

Opportunity for feedback for every pitch 

During a pitch, a developer will often deliver a small presentation about their game outlining their previous work, their current team and what sort of funding they are looking for to finish their work.

It's a nerve-wracking experience as last-minute bug fixes in playable demos are patched on the couches surrounding the presentation tables.

Some of the pitches immediately click, with a joy of play evident as publisher scouts disappear into the game.

Others falter, with nerves overwhelming the rehearsed spiel, or a mismatch of game format to prospective publisher. 

But these are met with kindness even when they don't go well.

To avoid too many incompatible projects and to maximise the time between developers and publishers, VicScreen acts as matchmakers, pairing up projects and organising meetings.

Rebecca Lautner, chief business officer at Swedish game developer-turned-publisher, Evil Landfall, wants to find "wacky physics-based games" and to give back after their success.

"So we follow this [event] from outside of Melbourne Games Week, we're fascinated by the Australian games industry in general and we already have two projects that we invested in from here," she says.

"Usually, we have to do a lot of research before and find the games that are interesting for us, here it's basically done for you.

"You just arrive and you meet the right people and it's an amazing time."

Evil Landfall CEO Kirsten-Lee Naidoo says developers in Australia are prepared and it's leading to some success.

"In other parts of the world there's a lot less guidance on how to pitch and how to polish your demo and it's very, very clear that people who are pitching at PlayNow, they know what they're doing," she says.

"They don't include their budget, they don't include their timeline, they're missing some key details, and coming to Australia we never have that problem because they are taught to know how to do things."

'We want video games that make us lots of money'

Bridie Roman and Daniel Lucic from publisher Devolver Digital are at Play Now to find the next big hit.

The publisher has a long history of signing games from Australia, including the hugely successful Cult of the Lamb and upcoming games like comedic fantasy game The Dungeon Experience and pachinko-like Hyper Drop.

Roman says finding a magic recipe for breakaway success isn't clear cut.

"I think the only answer that we've ever really settled on is games that we would play as gamers ourselves," she says.

"Something that makes us more connected, a fun gameplay twist, a little bit of humour, but none of these things necessarily make it a Devolver game."

Lucic says he remembers when being pitched Hyper Drop at Play Now last year, which was developed in Perth by Aaron Dark, the rest of the world just disappeared.

"When we saw the pitch and I started playing it at one point I just zoned out, I just wanted to play it," he says.

Cult favourite

Julian Wilton, creative director at Massive Monster, developer of Cult of the Lamb, has also transitioned from developer to publisher, supporting two locally made games.

The studio also launched MASS, a co-working space in Collingwood to further support the local development scene with hot desks and a game-specific fit-out.

Wilton said it was nice to be on the other side of the pitch and to share his success with others.

"It's the best position to be in. It's better than trying to pitch to people, you can just get them pitched to you, I love it," he says.

"We've got two games we're invested in at the moment, some local games, we just meet with them every couple of weeks, give feedback, give them the best chance of success.

"I love the business side of games and the marketing of it, so I'm kind of trying to impart to them how important saying what your game is and communicating it to someone."

As the final countdown clock ends the bell chimes, laptops are closed, hands are shaken and business cards are exchanged.

Some of these developers will have secured the financial and business support needed to continue making their games and might end up in players hands around the world.

Others will go home without a new prospective partner this time, but will be ready for the next round of pitching next year.