Labour promises to expand GDSR
23 October 2025

On Wednesday, the Labour party outlined its pre-election campaign strategy to strengthen New Zealand’s fast-growing game development sector.

The announcement recognises the sector’s continued success and builds on the proven impact of the Game Development Sector Rebate (GDSR), introduced by the Labour Government in 2023.

According to the 2025 NZ Game Development Association Industry Survey, the sector’s revenue has nearly doubled since the introduction of the GDSR, reaching $759 million, up from $407 million in 2023.

The industry now supports more than 1,472 full-time employees, including 375 new high-paying jobs created in the past year.

The financial return to New Zealand has been exceptional.  In the financial year ending March 2025, the government’s $23 million investment through the GDSR generated $115 million in income and payroll tax returned to the government over a 12-month period, representing a fivefold return within a single year – a significant return to the government.

The NZGDA is proud to be advocating for strategies that seek to ensure more studios benefit from the GDSR programme.