Irish Game Fund expands with additional funding pathways
The Irish Games Fund has been expanded and relaunched by the Irish Game Makers Association and Screen Ireland Digital Games Portfolio for 2026 and will now consist of three separate funding strands designed to support developers at different stages of the production cycle: the Development Fund, Prototype Fund, and Release Fund.
The first of those three strands to break cover is the Development Fund, which is offering €50,000 to four teams looking to push on with production after validating their concepts and prototypes.
“The Development Fund is specifically intended for established projects that have moved beyond concept validation and are progressing towards production and commercial release,” reads an explainer on the Irish Game Makers Association (IMIRT) website.
In order to apply, prospective applicants must first submit an Expression of Interest.
“The Application Form is dense, and we don’t want people to take the time to apply for a fund that doesn’t suit their needs. We aim to guide people towards the fund that’s right for them,” continues the explainer.
Applicants must be a registered Irish game studio that have either been operating for a minimum of one year, have previously filed accounts, or have previously released a commercial project. Studios developing original IP or who have a “defined concept or prototype with a clear understanding of their intended audience” will also be considered.
Notably, IMIRT is requiring applicants to declare any use of machine learning or generative AI within their project or application and specifically explain how Development Fund support will be used to replace generative AI assets.
Although applicants won’t be penalised for leveraging generative AI tools prior to submitting their application, IMIRT will not support teams that intend to continue using the technology.
“Due to unresolved copyright, intellectual property, ownership and commercialisation risks, the Development Fund will not support projects that intend to commercially release with art, audio, writing or other creative assets that have been substantially generated through ML or generative AI systems,” said the organization.
“[…] Failure to disclose or accurately represent material use of ML or generative AI may result in the application being removed from consideration.”
IMIRT will have more information on its Prototype Fund and Release Fund in the near future.
For now, here’s an explainer on how to apply for the Development Fund. Expressions of Interest must be submitted by October 8, 2026. Applications must then be filed by October 22, 2026.
