Google has opened applications for the latest round of the $2 million Indie Games Fund, which offers hands-on support to small games studios in Latin America.
The Latin American market is one of the fastest growing in the gaming industry, with mobile at the forefront, thanks in part to its accessibility, affordability, and the increasing penetration of mobile devices throughout the region.
The fund is open to small independent developers with fifty or fewer employees, while those who work with publishers will need to comply with further requirements. Eligible studios must have a high quality title available, and will be required to use the investment to build or grow their titles on Google Play, including making them available on Google Play Pass.
A major influx
The fund will select around ten studios, each receiving between $150,000 and $200,000, with priority given to games which will use the funding to port their titles to Android or use the investment to grow their titles on the platform, however studios with additional plans for the funding will still be considered.
The Indie Games fund was first launched in 2022, with 10 studios receiving investments. Five of these studios - Aoca Game Lab, Asantee Games, Cafundo E Criativo, Glitch Factory, and Orube Game Studio - are based in Brazil, the region’s biggest gaming market, and home to some of the biggest gaming events in South America such as BIG Festival. Peru and Argentina each saw one studio receive funding, while Guatemala is home to the remaining developer, Selva Interactive.
The fact that the fund is open to game makers who have worked on titles for other platforms, including console and PC, highlights once again the growing push for cross-platform gaming. More and more major names in console and PC spaces are making increasing moves onto mobile, and the increasing power of mobile phones is consistently lowering the divide between gaming platforms.
Earlier this month, Google announced that it will soon allow NFTs in apps and games sold through Google Play.
