Cash back for NZ game developers
Don't miss your chance to claim the Game Development Sector Rebates. Our advisors will streamline your submissions so your rebates flow without worry.
What is the Game Development sector rebate?
The New Zealand Government offers the Game Development Sector Rebate (GDSR) for NZ-based developers.
The GDSR provides 20% rebates on all your eligible development costs and is available yearly. What Can I Get Rebates for?
Many of your costs over the whole development life cycle will qualify. From research and design to software development, engineering, writing, story, art, audio, production, deployment, hosting, marketing and more.
You can claim for related wages and salaries paid, contractor payments, many other expenses, and even hardware and software depreciation. Later work on player research, quality improvements, post-launch content creation and cross-platform porting can also qualify.
Your game must be intended for public release and it can be for entertainment or educational purposes. Some exclusions apply.
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Get help to claim the GDSR
Funding specialists
Our funding consultants provide independent advice and full support with your rebate applications based on years of successful similar submissions.
Technical knowledge
We know government grants and incentives inside-out, and bring deep experience in preparing accounting and technical documentation.
True business partners
We work closely with you to understand your business and best opportunities for funding, then take the lead on the application process, keeping you in the loop along the way.
Transparent service
Take advantage of our staged service approach, to bring you the right advice at the right time.
How do I claim my Game Development sector rebates?
You must claim GDSR annually, at the end of every income tax year (1st April – 31st March). There’s a complicated series of steps to follow to access the rebate payment:
- Business registration (eligibility tests)
- Estimations of expense and development work (rules-based examination)
- Receive a Letter of Acknowledgement from NZ On Air
- Undertake a formal Statement of Readiness
- Sign a witnessed statutory declaration
- Prepare financial and accounting documents and required evidence
- Final application
- Processing, potential audits, and payments
Most importantly, your final application and supporting documentation must be completed within just a few weeks after the end of the tax year you are applying for. This means you will need to be well prepared to act quickly once the 31st March passes.
How can BlueRock’s funding specialists help you access the GDSR?
Our Process:
- Free consultation
- Strategic advice for accessing the funds
- Advice on the intersection of this program and R&D tax incentives
- Accurately estimate the benefits
- Prepare your registration documents
- Organise a Statement of Readiness
- Calculate your expenditure at EOFY
- Ensure you separate your ineligible costs to stay compliant
- Prepare your final application
- Prepare supporting accounting documentation
- Celebrate your success.
What sets BlueRock apart?
We're built for New Zealand businesses. We move fast, charge fairly, and deliver great commercial outcomes. See what our clients say...
Tom Moore - Director
Tom leads BlueRock's New Zealand office and heads the Grants and Incentives teams across Australia and New Zealand. He's an expert in R&D tax incentives and funding, with global experience in NZ, Australia and the UK. With degrees in both science and finance, and extensive experience in business advisory, Tom has worked with garage startups, listed tech companies and everything in between.
Corey Laverty - Manager
Corey specialises in research funding, with over 11 years' experience in research management and advisory for leading Australian and European universities and research organisations. As a scientist who's also trained in economics, Corey brings the detailed understanding needed to write technical narratives and project pitches that hold up under scrutiny.
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