Despite its small size and its relative remoteness from the rest of the world, New Zealand possesses a fast-growing and exciting games development industry. While not a major player in the global industry due to Australia dominating the continent in terms of game development (and even managing to develop rugby titles over the Kiwis in a move you can imagine they weren’t too happy about), this small Pacific nation has garnered a reputation for producing several successful game developers across multiple genres including casual mobile games, online casinos and hardcore RPGs. A recent study by Bond University found that 79% of Kiwis regularly play video games, highlighting the country’s love for all things gaming. Considering this, let’s take a look at some of the best developers that have come out of New Zealand while looking forward to see what is on the horizon for the future of Kiwi gaming.
Acid Software
Founded in 1990, Auckland-based developers Acid Software were one of the first successful game developers in New Zealand. Operating during the innovative 1990s development period, where players saw a huge shift from simple video games to more expansive gameplay and 3D graphics, Acid Software mainly produced games for the Amiga computer, however, they also produced several games for Windows as well. While they produced a variety of game types, most of their productions were racing-style games such as their most popular, Super Skidmarks, released in 1995. At the time this was critically acclaimed becoming a best seller across many countries. Unfortunately, Acid Software is no longer around, however, their impact on the game development industry in New Zealand cannot be understated with those who followed sure to have drawn inspiration from these early innovators.
PikPok
Originally operated as Sidhe, this development and publishing company was founded in 1997, and rebranded to PikPok in 2012 as they began to focus more purely on the mobile games market. The success of many of their app-based mobile games has established them as the largest games developer in New Zealand at current. Most well known for their sports games, in particular, Flick Kick Football and their series of Rugby League games. PikPok has also received praise for its innovative spin on retro brick breaker games with its release, Shatter. Recent releases have seen them collaborate with high-profile companies such as Adult Swim and Dreamworks Animation highlighting their diverse development portfolio and respect within the industry. Fans are eagerly awaiting their latest game, Into the Dead: Darker Days, which is due to be released in early 2025.
NinjaKiwi
NinjaKiwi is an online and mobile game developer based in Auckland, founded by brothers Chris and Stephen Harris in 2006. Their first productions were browser-based games that could be accessed free to play on online game sites however they then successfully moved into games on other platforms such as iOS, Android and Steam. Their major breakthrough which has maintained as their most popular game has been the Bloons and Bloons Tower Defense games series’. These games revolve around monkeys using pins to pop balloons, and although the concept sounds simple, the result has been hugely popular across the globe. The most recent release in the Tower Defense series, Bloons TD6, topped the paid app ranking on the App Store in its first week of release, ultimately becoming the world’s most-purchased paid app in 2018. In 2021, they were acquired by Swedish entertainment company Modern Times Group, for an impressive 186 million USD, with the company impressed by the financial potential of NinjaKiwi games. Following the acquisition we can expect to see more exciting releases in the future.
SkyCity
SkyCity is best known as one of the premier land-based casinos in New Zealand, operating within the illustrious Sky Tower in the centre of Auckland. Recently, however, aware of the recent emergence of the iGaming industry, the company has decided to diversify their business by developing an online gaming platform. Much like the rest of the world, the country is experiencing a shift from more traditional casinos to online alternatives with a whole host of NZ online casinos now available to play through review aggregate sites like casino.org/new-zealand/. The emergence of this new market has provided game developers with a new space to use their creativity and is sure to be a huge area of innovation for future game development. The fact that major players such as Sky City are becoming involved is indicative of the potential of the online casino landscape.
Grinding Gear Games
Another Auckland-based game developer, Grinding Gear Games (GGG) was also founded in 2006. Unlike other developers in this list GGG has only released one game, the free-to-play RPG game Path of Exile made available in 2013. Famed for its deep character development and exciting action gameplay as well as its complexity, the game was immediately a huge hit when released and has continued to be popular despite the game being over 10 years old. Developers at GGG are themselves hardcore gamers and hold as one of their core values a desire to provide a genuinely free-to-play game which has attracted many RPG lovers. While they have only released a single game, they have provided constant updates and add-ons to maintain a dynamic gaming experience, while in 2019 they officially announced that the game’s sequel Path of Exile 2 was in development. With the sequel expected to be released at the end of this year, the company will be looking forward to showing fans and critics alike their hard work and will be hoping to further establish themselves as a true leader of the Kiwi gaming industry.
The diverse nature of the games being developed in the nation, particularly in the apparent development hub of Auckland, highlights the variety of creative minds working in the industry. The long history of games production in the country has established the industry as a mainstay in the Kiwi entertainment sector. Many of the leading companies have new releases waiting in the wings, while others are focusing on emerging markets and the incorporation of new technologies such as VR. Whichever way you look at it, it is clear that New Zealand continues to punch above its weight.
