15 May 2025
New Zealand’s game development sector is one of the country’s fastest-growing creative industries, generating over $548 million in export revenue in 2024 alone. With 26% year-on-year growth, world-class studios, and a reputation for creative and technical excellence, we are on track to become a $1 billion export industry in the coming years.
But right now, our future is at risk.
The government is proposing reforms to the vocational education system that would remove game development and creative technologies from the new Industry Skills Body (ISB) framework. This change would exclude our industry from shaping the very qualifications that feed our talent pipeline — and jeopardise the education pathways into our sector.
❗ Why This Matters
Our industry thrives on innovation and talent. One of the biggest challenges studios face is attracting skilled people into roles. At a time when demand is surging, these reforms risk making that challenge worse.
If passed, the changes would:
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Remove industry from qualification development, leaving it solely in the hands of NZQA
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Break the connection between education and employment outcomes
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Put at risk the relevance and quality of game development qualifications
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Undermine government investments already made through CODE and the Game Development Sector Rebate
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Delay progress toward a more inclusive, accessible pathway into our industry
📝 What We’re Doing
The NZ Game Developers Association has published an open letter to government urging them to rethink the proposed changes and ensure that creative tech industries like ours remain at the table.
We’re calling on studio leaders, developers, educators, and supporters to join us in this call.
✅ How You Can Help
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Sign the Open Letter: HERE as an individual and/or on behalf of your studio
- Share your support: Use the hashtag #GameDevNZ and tag @nzgda
🙌 Together, We Can Make a Difference
This is about more than policy — it’s about protecting our ability to grow, to employ, to innovate, and to welcome the next generation of developers into our studios.
Let’s ensure that education in Aotearoa stays connected to the real world — and that the future of our industry remains bright.