Irish Games Fund 2026 - Development Fund

The Irish Games Fund, the games development fund brought to you by the Screen Ireland Digital Games Portfolio, returns. Refined from the 2025 fund, the Irish Games Fund 2026 will consist of three separate funding strands, designed to create opportunities for game creators at all stages of their journey.

The Irish Games Fund supports the development of original games by Irish game studios and strengthens the long-term development of Ireland's games sector.

These strands, developed to allow Irish studios developing original IP to access funding, include our returning Development Fund of up to €50K per team. We also have a Prototype Fund alongside a brand new Release Fund for games that are ready to launch coming in the near future.

Today we’re here to discuss the first of these funds to launch, the Irish Games Fund - Development Fund. Irish Games Fund - Development Fund supports up to four teams with €50,000 in funding to further development on validated concepts and prototypes that are progressing toward production and commercial release.

The Development Fund is specifically intended for established projects that have moved beyond concept validation and are progressing towards production and commercial release.

In order to apply for the Development Fund, you must first apply to the 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.

Additionally, Joanne Ryan from grantwriting.ie is running an application writing workshop on Thursday, October 8th from 4pm - 6pm in order to help folks submit the best applications they possibly can.

Who should apply?

  • You should be a registered Irish game studio, meeting one of the following criteria;

    • Your business should be operating for a minimum of one year

    • You or your business should have filed accounts previously

    • The studio or core team have previously released a commercial project

  • Studios developing Original IP

  • Studios who have a defined concept or prototype with a clear understanding of their intended audience and development needs

This is a competitive process with limited places available.

You can sign up for the Expression of Interest here - https://forms.gle/JKZHWgikCPYRcm6v7

You can view the Irish Games Fund 2026 - Development Fund - Guidance Notes here.

The deadline for the Expression of Interest is October 8th at 5pm. Application forms will be delivered to those who have submitted an EOI within the next week.

The Application Forms will begin going out to those who are eligible on September 30th. The Application Form closes on October 22nd at 1pm.

AI Policy

IMIRT is currently developing a policy on the use of Artificial Intelligence (AI) within the games sector. In the meantime, we want to better understand how AI is already being used in development. Applicants will not be penalised for having used AI, but we expect full transparency.

Applicants should:

  • Declare any use of ML or generative AI within the project or application, including assistive uses such as drafting application/supporting documents, coding support, research, or workflow assistance.

  • Clearly identify any generative AI-created assets currently used in the project, including art, writing, voice, music, or audio

  • Identify whether generated material is temporary, developmental or intended for release

Explain how Development Fund support will be used to replace generative AI assets with work created by appropriately engaged creators

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.

Applicants will not be penalised simply for prior use of ML or generative AI, but this may reflect on their ability to ship a commercial game which is a key criterion for funding. IMIRT will consider these issues on a case-by-case basis.

Failure to disclose or accurately represent material use of ML or generative AI may result in the application being removed from consideration.

This guidance does not refer to established game-development techniques such as procedural generation, NPC behaviour, pathfinding or other traditional forms of game AI.

IMIRT will continue to engage with the Irish games sector on this evolving and divisive issue through organised forums and consultation. Applicant transparency will help inform the development of a clear, practical and representative AI policy for the sector.

Events and Partnerships Officer

Imirt is seeking an Events & Partnerships Officer to support the delivery of a diverse events programme and help grow strategic partnerships.

This part‑time role (4 days/week) suits someone organised, proactive and comfortable taking ideas from planning to delivery. You’ll work across logistics, suppliers, speakers, sponsorship, communications and on‑the‑day production, alongside Imirt’s small team.

Read the job spec below, and if you think you’d be a great part of our team, please email your CV and Cover Letter to eoghan@imirt.ie with the subject line “Events and Partnerships Officer”.

Events and Partnerships Officer

Developer Support for NEXUS

Imirt are delighted to announce that as part of our NEXUS plans for 2026, the NEXUS Best Pitch presented by Imirt and the Games From Ireland Showcase are now being supported with up to two tickets per team. Imirt will supply you directly with tickets to the event if you are successful in being selected for either of these initiatives.

This opportunity is available to developers in both the Republic of Ireland and Northern Ireland. 

As part of creating an All-Island ecosystem, it’s essential that developers are supported in attendance of events. We want events like NEXUS to have the best developers in the industry attending. We’re excited to be able to support Irish developers in meaningful ways.

As a part of this, we have delayed the deadline for both of these applications by one week, to August 28th at 11.59pm GMT. 

You can apply for the NEXUS Games From Ireland Showcase here - https://forms.gle/k8rLiaaZ9hvuFXkb9

You can apply for the NEXUS Best Pitch here - https://forms.gle/tZKtruL7FoKzgKC48

The NEXUS Games From Ireland Showcase is an opportunity for Irish game developers to showcase their game to all Nexus attendants, and be a part of a premier games showcase. The focus for the NEXUS Games From Ireland Showcase is on titles from 2026 and beyond.

The Nexus Best Pitch presented by Imirt is an opportunity for Irish game developers to present their projects to a panel of publishing professionals, get expert feedback - and compete for Best Pitch Deck!

Imirt and Ardán return with the Screen Ireland Digital Games Portfolio - Round Two

Imirt and Ardán are delighted to confirm the return of the Fís Éireann/ Screen Ireland Digital Games Portfolio. The portfolio, worth €500k, will be administered to support the Irish Digital Games Sector as it grows, and to ensure the continuation of the progress achieved in 2025.

The Portfolio fund has been designed to support the industry across the island of Ireland, from New Entrants to established developers in the sector. 

Imirt and Ardán are responsible for the design, implementation and reporting of the initiatives undertaken within the fund, in cooperation with Screen Ireland. Establishing pathways for ongoing progression of the sector is at the core of the work being undertaken, and Imirt aims to give confidence to industry and creative talents on the growth of the sector.

Digital Games 2026 Roadmap

We’re delighted today to detail the roadmap for the Digital Games Portfolio - Round 2. This roadmap will give the sector information on each programme, who is administering it and when you can expect it.

Make sure to sign up for our Digital Games Portfolio 2026 Expression of Interest form to make sure that we can keep you directly informed about news on each programme you have interest in real time - https://forms.gle/KX8jb4dvtosXjcuv5

Funding Support & Talent Development

The Portfolio can be broken down into two unique kinds of funding. Imirt are responsible for Games Funding, while our partners at Ardán are responsible for Talent Development. The entire fund is a collaborative effort, but one of our key efforts this year is to make it incredibly clear where to go for which support and how to avail of that funding, training, and or mentorship.

Read more about each individual strand of funding and talent development below;

Irish Games Fund (Imirt)

Irish Games Fund returns, refined based upon all of the excellent feedback received from 2025. Irish Games Fund will consist of three unique strands, designed to create opportunities for game creators at all stages of their journey. 

These strands, developed to allow Irish studios developing original IP to access funding , include our returning Development Fund of up to €50K per team, alongside prototype funding of €12K per team. We also have a brand new Release Fund for games that are ready to launch coming in the near future.

More information on the Irish Games Fund strands will be announced later this year. We’re currently focused on the Development Fund, which will go live in the coming weeks.

Irish Games Fund - Development Fund (Imirt)

Irish Games Fund - Development Fund supports up to four teams with €50,000 in funding to further development on validated concepts and prototypes that are progressing toward production and commercial release.

The fund enables recipients to:

  • Advance game development

  • Improve project quality and production planning

  • Build market-ready project materials

  • Prepare for publishing and investment opportunities

Irish Games Fund - Development Fund launches soon.

Talent Development (Ardán)

Talent Development is an expansion on the work done last year with the Irish Games Talent Incubator and Sparks, focusing on professional development, skills acquisition, and industry readiness for individuals building careers in games. 

Talent Development consists of multiple distinct but complementary initiatives. The Irish Games Talent Incubator returns, reaching more people through remote-delivery with built in networking opportunities. Alongside new EDI initiatives developed in collaboration with specialist partner organisations. Finally, we have a Pitching Programme designed to meet the needs of all developers in the ever changing funding landscape.

More information on the pitching programme and DEI initiatives will be announced later this year. We’re currently focused on the Irish Games Talent Incubator, applications for which open in the next week.

Irish Games Talent Incubator (Ardán)

The Irish Games Talent Incubator returns for 2026, revamped to meet the needs of new entrants in the sector. The Irish Games Talent Incubator is an 8-week long programme which will offer participants workshops covering key industry skills, individual mentorship from industry peers in your specialised field, facilitated peer-learning and networking opportunities throughout the programme and a final showcase and networking opportunity in person.

The Irish Games Talent Incubator launches soon.

Once again, you can sign up for our Digital Games Portfolio 2026 Expression of Interest form here to keep up-to-date on the programmes that interest you personally.

Keep an eye on Ardán and Imirt social media platforms & newsletters for more information on the initiatives that Imirt and Ardán will be developing throughout 2026 and into 2027.

IMIRT announce NEXUS Games Summit 2026 Partnership

UPDATE: Submissions for the NEXUS Games From Ireland Showcase presented by Imirt and the NEXUS Best Pitch presented by Imirt will close on Friday August 21st @ 11.59pm.

The NEXUS Games From Ireland Showcase is an opportunity for Irish game developers to showcase their game to all Nexus attendants, and be a part of a premier games showcase. The focus for the NEXUS Games From Ireland Showcase is on titles from 2026 and beyond.

The Nexus Best Pitch presented by Imirt is an opportunity for Irish game developers to present their projects to a panel of publishing professionals, get expert feedback - and compete for Best Pitch Deck!

If you have confirmed your registration for NEXUS and would also like to be considered for the NEXUS Games From Ireland Showcase or NEXUS Best Pitch please apply with the expression of interest below.

You can apply for the NEXUS Games From Ireland Showcase here https://forms.gle/k8rLiaaZ9hvuFXkb9

You can apply for the NEXUS Best Pitch here - https://forms.gle/tZKtruL7FoKzgKC48


Imirt is delighted to partner with NEXUS Games Summit this September 24th at the Aviva Stadium, with the return of the NEXUS Developer Showcase and NEXUS Best Pitch in association with Imirt.

Paul Conway (Spooky Doorway) showcasing at the Nexus Developer Showcase in 2025.

Lizard Wizard being pitched at the NEXUS Best Pitch in Association with Imirt.

Imirt is also delighted to offer an Exclusive Discount on NEXUS Games Conference passes on September which you can find in the members area on the Imirt website.

These discounts expire in 2 weeks on 15th July so please register soon. 

If you have confirmed your registration for NEXUS and would also like to be considered for the NEXUS Games From Ireland Showcase or NEXUS Best Pitch please apply with the expression of interest below.

NEXUS Games From Ireland Showcase - https://forms.gle/k8rLiaaZ9hvuFXkb9

NEXUS Best Pitch - https://forms.gle/tZKtruL7FoKzgKC48

Irish Game Studio Gives Back to Game Sector - VOID Interactive Gamescom Scholarship

VOID INTERACTIVE AND IMIRT INAUGURAL GAMESCOM SCHOLARSHIP FOR IRISH DEVELOPERS

Imirt and VOID Interactive are delighted to introduce the participants of the inaugural VOID Gamescom Scholarship. 

The VOID Gamescom Scholarship helps bring Irish indie developers to Gamescom, the largest games industry trade show in Europe. The 2026 scholarship will support three developers helping to cover travel expenses and access to the trade show this August, alongside targeted business support and introductions.

VOID Interactive, creators of hit game Ready or Not, have sponsored the scholarship with Imirt, the Irish Game Makers Association, helping to coordinate the initiative.

The developers were picked based upon a rigorous application process, but it ultimately came down to one core principle. Could we find game makers who could get the most out of the kind of support that VOID needed when they were starting out? This idea has been at the heart of the initiative, as VOID seeks to give back to the community following its success with Ready or Not.

Philip Nathan, CFO, VOID Interactive says "Irish developers are building games that hold up on an international stage. This scholarship is about making sure access to that stage isn't what holds them back. We know what Gamescom can unlock early in a studio's journey. We wanted to put those opportunities in their reach."

Colm Larkin, CEO of Imirt, says “Getting to big trade conferences like Gamescom is a critical multiplier for your success as a game creator, but can be too costly for those it would be most impactful to. I’m incredibly grateful to VOID for sponsoring this scholarship and helping more Irish game makers get their games the international recognition they deserve.”

Introducing the selected developers:

Mark Robinson - Space Lion Studios

Mark Robinson is the Co-Founder and Lead Designer of Space Lion Studios. Based out of Dublin, Ireland and with ten years experience in the industry, Mark formed his studio in 2023 with the aim of taking formative gaming experiences from his childhood and adapting them for a modern audience.

The studio launched the award-winning debut title, Axyz, in 2025 - a spiritual successor to PS1 cult classic, Kula World. They are attending Gamescom with their next title, Balloons of Paradise, a spiritual successor to PS1 cult classic Kaze No Notam.

“This scholarship provides a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity for us. Gamescom is such a pivotal conference, but the costs involved would eat into the bulk of our finances, this goes a long way to building connections and networking, but also affords us the chance to continue working with and paying Irish talent.”

Jane Tan - Not Here, Not There

Jane is a Multidisciplinary artist challenging the narratives that shape our way of life. Their work revolves around creating spaces and moments that prompt people to contemplate. After being part of the unheard minority in the game industry all their life, Jane strives to feature new voices in their own projects.  Good Folk Cafe, made in collaboration with many other talented artists and storytellers, tells the stories of Ireland and her inhabitants, be it plant kind, human kind or the otherworldly kind.

“Scholarships like this are very important, especially for people like me who often don’t get the opportunity to go to such events. It allows me to be on the same stage as the rest of the competition, and it gives my voice a chance to be heard. “

Matt Murtagh - Reliable Plumbing Services

Matt Murtagh is the director of Fallosophy and a member of Reliable Plumbing Services, an independent game development studio based in Kells, Co. Meath. He holds a PhD in Computer Science from Trinity College Dublin. Fallosophy is a pinball-platforming adventure in which players ascend through the history of ideas in pursuit of enlightenment. Developed in under a year as the studio's debut title following support from the Screen Ireland, Imirt, Ardán, and NI Screen IndieDev Prototype Fund, the game is scheduled for release in Q3 2026.

“This scholarship provides me, and by extension my team, with a unique opportunity to take our company to the next level and fully capitalise on the opportunities created by Irish prototyping funding. It allows us to pitch directly to renowned publishers, gain valuable insight into the state of the industry, and ideally secure investment for future projects now that we have demonstrated our ability to develop and deliver a commercial game."

Imirt Presents: The Games From Ireland Networking Event @ Develop 2026

UPDATE: We’re delighted to confirm that NineDots, the Dublin-based tech recruitment agency that specialise in everything tech related including games, is sponsoring the Games From Ireland Networking Event @ Develop Brighton. We’d like to thank NineDots for their support and we look forward to seeing them at Develop.

Make sure to chat to them if you want to grow your team! - https://ninedots.io/

Imirt are delighted to be returning to Develop Brighton and hosting a networking event, designed to bring the Irish games community together with the international games community. This event is for Irish game developers travelling over to Develop: Brighton, alongside Irish people working in the games industry who would like to connect with other Irish game devs, and those who would just like to connect with the Irish industry!

This event is being supported by Irish games publisher Banshee Games, who will also be at the event. We’d like to thank Banshee Games for supporting the event.

Join Imirt at Develop Brighton for a networking event on Tuesday July 14th @7.30pm at The Walrus in The Carpenter’s Lounge (10 Ship St, Brighton and Hove, Brighton BN1 1AD, United Kingdom).

The event has sold out but you can join the waitlist here - https://luma.com/t3ahq4xi

Develop: Brighton welcomes the entire games industry together for a week of meetings, networking and socialising along the shore of Brighton beach. Develop posits a wonderful chance for Irish game developers to connect with the international community, finding new business opportunities and meeting new collaborators.

The Imirt Irish Game Awards 2026

The Imirt Irish Game Awards 2026 returned to the Fís Games Summit on the 24th of April. It was a fantastic show. Imirt Staff, Eoghan Watters and our host, Leela Collins, took to the stage to announce the winners in our twelve categories.

We had a total of 23 award winners across 13 categories throughout the afternoon! The categories were as follows.

Group photo with the Winners and Coordinator of the Imirt Irish Game Awards 2026 - Photo Credit: Andrew Downes

  • Best Art Direction

  • Best Game Audio

  • Best Analogue Game

  • Best Student Game

  • Community Hero

  • Best Debut Game

  • Best Game Design

  • Best Storytelling

  • Best Technical Achievement

  • Best Experimental Game

  • Emerging Talent

  • Most Anticipated

  • Game of the Year 

Below we detail our amazing winners/ runner-ups and their incredible projects. 

Úna-Minh Kavanagh

  • Emerging Talent

Úna-Minh Kavanagh with her award for Emerging Talent - Photo Credit: Andrew Downes

Úna-Minh Kavanagh is a Game Producer, Gaeilgeoir, Author, Writer, and Forager. Úna-Minh was the lead producer on the award winning Co-Op Gothic Horror title ‘Eyes of Hellfire’. Before that, she was the project manager for a team that translates games into the Irish language, making games like Axyz, VVVVV, Crowded. Followed. and Among Us playable in our native tongue. Now an independent game developer, Úna-Minh has shown immense drive in her work as a solo developer, releasing five individual games that each showcase a unique style, and play upon different aspects of the craft of game-making. Úna-Minh no doubt has a bright future ahead of her. 

Alanna Kelly

  • Community Hero

Alanna Kelly with her award for Community Hero - Photo Credit: Andrew Downes

Alanna Kelly has spent her career working tirelessly on making the Irish games community a better place. Alanna started her career early in life, writing games on her fathers ZX81 as early as 1991. Starting her career officially at Popcap in 2005, Alanna has been making games professionally for over 20 years. It was her move to found the Galway Game Jam in 2013, alongside her move to represent the needs and voices of the independent games community on the Imirt Board from 2021 - 2025, that have earned her this award. Her work to make the games industry a more accessible and fair place cannot be overstated enough, and we’re delighted to honour her with this award.

TÖLT

ENIGMA | Studio

  • Most Anticipated

Adam Englishby, Jamie Gavin and Laura Ryder with their award for Most Anticipated Game - Photo Credit: Andrew Downes

The next game from Jamie Gavin and ENIGMA | Studio, TÖLT cannot simply be explained with words. It’s a game that you must play to completely understand the madness and creativity that’s on display. In TÖLT, you are a horse. You spend your days talking to the other horses, such as your good friend Tony Maloney, and running around. But not all is as it seems. The humans are worried. Should you be concerned? You are just a horse.

Play the demo for TÖLT now and wishlist the game on Steam here.

‘Spansion Packet - Dungeons and Naggins by Steve Bennett

  • Best Analogue Game - Runner-Up

Steve Bennett with his Runner-Up award for Best Analogue Game - Photo Credit: Andrew Downes

‘Spansion Packet - Dungeons and Naggins' is the first add-on pack for the award winning Dunegeons and Naggins. ‘Spansion Packet expands the game up to 8 players, with new cards and new mechanics. Dungeons and Naggins is the brainchild of Irish comedian and game designer Steve Bennett.

Dungeons and Naggins can be purchased here.

Scalable Modular Behaviour by Joakim Svensson

  • Best Technical Achievement - Runner-Up

Joakim Svensson with his Runner-Up award for Best Technical Achievement - Photo Credit: Andrew Downes

Scalable Modular Behavior is a plugin by game developer Joakim Svensson, that makes it easy to have thousands of NPCs on screen with customized logic in Unreal Engine, combat and blueprint actor transitions included. This is an incredible technical achievement, especially for a solo developer.

You can read more info here.

Confront

Rachel Appleyard, Erin Valerie Hogan, Kieron Duffy, Nick Kolesnikov and Luna Henry

  • Best Student Game - Runner-Up

Kieron Duffy, Luna Henry, Nick Kolesnikov, Erin Valerie Hogan, Rachel Appleyard and Ava Dorcey Downes with their Runner-Up award for Best Student Game - Photo Credit: Andrew Downes

Sometimes to get the help you need, you must fight. The internal battle of this argument will always feel worse than the actual one. Confront is a visual representation of this. Come out to your principal, family member and doctor, and try to get the help you need.

Fight their words, heal yourself with positive affirmations and defend against attacks themed around their roles in your life. Confront brings you through the whole experience.

Éalu

Beyond the Bark

  • Best Experimental Game - Runner-Up

Ivan Fisher-Owen with his Runner-Up award for Best Experimental Game - Photo Credit: Andrew Downes

Éalú is a hand-animated, stop-motion, point & click adventure game in the style of an interactive, silent film. In it, a clockwork mouse that dreams of freedom is guided by players through a wooden labyrinth seeking a way out. Danger lurks in the maze in multiple forms, and players may even be tempted to harm the mouse in pursuit of goals that are counter to the little creature's interests. The primary theme of the game is an expression of the potential harm created by algorithm driven behavioral loops, and escaping from them.

You can purchase Éalu on Steam here.

Tightrope

Trigger Happy

  • Best Student Game 

Eva Kondela, Jess Kelly and Lauren Morgan with their award for Best Student Game - Photo Credit: Andrew Downes

Tightrope is a dedicated game that advocates for the much needed reform of transgender healthcare in Ireland. This game consists of a visual novel style dialogue section, and small mini-games to show the headspace of people affected.

Stealth Crossword

ComputerJames

  • Best Experimental Game

The forced stealth mission in a game that really shouldn't have one. Stealth Crossword sees you sneak around to take down The European, changing your letter to solve puzzles and sneak through environments undetected. Part Crossword, Part Metal Gear, Stealth Crossword is a short and innovative game that blends two very different games that shouldn’t work together into a breath of fresh air. 

ComputerJames was not able to join us for the show, but we look forward to bringing him his award!

You can play Stealth Crossword here.

The Necromancer’s Tale

Psychic Software

  • Best Art Direction - Runner-Up

  • Best Technical Achievement

  • Best Storytelling

Kirsty Halloran and Sam Redfern with their three awards for The Necromancer’s Tale - Photo Credit: Andrew Downes

The Necromancer’s Tale, the latest title from Psychic Software, is a story-rich gothic RPG. Winner of Best Storytelling and Best Technical Achievement and Runner-Up for Best Art Direction, The Necromancer’s Tale sees the player master the rituals of an ancient spellbook. Raise an undead army to march against your enemies. Commune with the realm of the dead & struggle with your descent into madness. Progress through secrecy, diplomacy, blackmail, coercion & seduction until ready to reveal yourself.

You can play The Necromancer’s Tale here.

Axyz

Space Lion Studios

  • Best Debut Game - Runner-Up

Mark Robinson with his Runner-Up award for Best Debut Game - Photo Credit: Andrew Downes

Axyz, the debut game from Space Lion Studios, is a retro gravity switching puzzle game that asks the player to use their environmental and spatial awareness to beat every level. Soak in the vaporwave, switch gravity, collect tapes, and more in this tribute to 90s puzzle games.

You can play Axyz here.

The Creation of Wonder

Eve Golden-Woods

  • Best Analogue Game

  • Best Debut Game

Eve Golden-Woods with her awards for Best Analogue Game and Best Debut Game - Photo Credit: Andrew Downes

The Creation of Wonder, the debut game from Eve Golden-Woods and the winner of our Best Analogue Game category, is a storytelling game for 1-4 players that follows a community through the making of a great work of art, based on the real history of the Book of Kells.

Eyes of Hellfire

Gambrinous

  • Best Game Design - Runner-Up

  • Game of the Year - Runner-Up

  • Best Game Audio

  • Best Art Direction

Mario Sena, Len Cunningham, Úna-Minh Kavanagh, Owen Canavan, Colm Larkin and Fred Mangan with their awards for Eyes of Hellfire - Photo Credit: Andrew Downes

Winner of Best Art Direction and Game Audio, alongside our Runner-Up for Game Design and Game of the Year, Eyes of Hellfire is a co-op gothic horror game inspired by tabletop games, but with a twist - the insidious Host can manipulate your sense of reality. The third game from the critically acclaimed studio Gambrinous, Eyes of Hellfire continues their tradition of designing digital games based on the core tenants of tabletop games. 

You can play Eyes of Hellfire here.

The Séance of Blake Manor

Spooky Doorway

  • Best Game Audio - Runner-Up

  • Best Storytelling - Runner-Up

  • Best Game Design

  • Game of the Year

Paul Conway, Treasa McCabe and Dave McCabe with their awards for The Séance of Blake Manor - Photo Credit: Andrew Downes

Paul Conway, Treasa McCabe and Dave McCabe onstage after receiving Game of the Year for The Séance of Blake Manor - Photo Credit: Andrew Downes

Finally, our Game of the Year for 2026, The Séance of Blake Manor is a supernatural detective mystery, set in 1897 Ireland, where you investigate the disappearance of Evelyn Deane in a remote hotel full of secrets and other-worldly occurrences. The third game from Spooky Doorway, the team behind The Darkside Detective series, The Séance of Blake Manor envelopes the player in a thrilling mystery, using a unique time progression mechanic. Critically acclaimed across the wider industry, The Séance of Blake Manor is a true Irish classic. 

You can play The Séance of Blake Manor here.

Before we leave you, we’d like to thank a few people who were instrumental in the execution of the awards. Imirt Board Member Carlo Azzari was instrumental in co-ordinating the awards, and we’d like to thank him for his time on this project. Our host, Leela Collins was instrumental in the success of the show, setting the tone. Last but certainly not least, our amazing presenters, Eoghan Watters, Jane Tan, Caolan McKendry, Lex Luddy, Llaura McGee, Robert Emerson, Darren Kearney and Jamie Gavin, came up onto the stage to help deliver the awards to our winners. The show was all the better for their love of the people they were awarding, alongside their wonderful wit.

Leela Collins hosting the Imirt Irish Game Awards 2026 - Photo Credit: Andrew Downes

Eoghan Watters presenting at the Imirt Irish Game Awards 2026 - Photo Credit: Andrew Downes

Jane Tan presenting at the Imirt Irish Game Awards 2026 - Photo Credit: Andrew Downes

Llaura McGee presenting at the Imirt Irish Game Awards 2026 - Photo Credit: Andrew Downes

Darren Kearney presenting at the Imirt Irish Game Awards 2026 - Photo Credit: Andrew Downes

Robert Emerson presenting at the Imirt Irish Game Awards 2026 - Photo Credit: Andrew Downes

Jamie Gavin presenting at the Imirt Irish Game Awards 2026 - Photo Credit: Andrew Downes

Lex Luddy presenting at the Imirt Irish Game Awards 2026 - Photo Credit: Andrew Downes

Caolan McKendry presenting at the Imirt Irish Game Awards 2026 - Photo Credit: Andrew Downes

We’d also like to thank our partners at Ardán and the Fís Games Summit. The entire day was MC’d by Sinéad Ní Uallacháin and facilitated by Ardán staff and volunteers. A special thank you to Kathryn Reynolds, Julie McHugh and Eoin Butler-Thornton for helping to make the event happen!

Kathryn Reynolds and Sinéad Ní Uallacháin at the Fís Games Summit 2026 - Photo Credit: Andrew Downes

Ardán Volunteers at the Fís Games Summit 2026 - Photo Credit: Andrew Downes

The Fís Games Summit was made possible by the hard work of those at Ardán, alongside their support partners. Imirt were delighted to support the event, which was also supported by Fís Eireann/ Screen Ireland, Creative Europe Desk Ireland, TG4, Gréasán na Meán Skillnet, WRAP, ATU Galway, & University of Galway.

Alan Duggan, Jules Ní Chonchobhair, Trevor Ó Clochartaigh, Colm Larkin, Rebecca Blair and Colman Farrell at the Fís Games Summit 2026 - Photo Credit: Andrew Downes

Finally, we’d like to thank everyone who attended the show. The energy in the room was excellent and we even had people sit on the floor just to be able to attend. The show would be nothing without the support of the community. We look forward to seeing you all again next year for the Imirt Irish Game Awards 2027.

You can find all of these games on the Games From Ireland Steam Page, created and run by Imirt.

Check out the list here.

VOID Interactive and Imirt team-up to send Irish Game Developers to Gamescom

Imirt - The Irish Game Makers Association are delighted to announce that we have teamed up with the incredible team at VOID Interactive, the team responsible for the hit first-person shooter Ready or Not, to create a scholarship to bring game developers to Gamescom 2026. 

The VOID Gamescom 2026 Scholarship, an initiative designed to support Irish developers to attend Gamescom, the largest Games Industry Trade Show in the European Union. This scholarship will support three developers with contributions towards travel and accommodation expenses, alongside business tickets for access to the B2B trade area and access to MeetToMatch facilities. 

Gamescom runs from August 26th - 30th 2026, and is a hub for the games industry in Europe and for international business deals. Attendees of Gamescom through the VOID Gamescom Scholarship can look forward to connecting with other industry professionals from around the globe, sharing knowledge and conducting business. The MeetToMatch service allows developers to set up direct meetings with publishers, investors and potential collaborators so they can pitch their next project or find new business opportunities.

Connecting with international audiences and investors is essential in today's global games market. We at Imirt are delighted to be teaming up with VOID Interactive to secure the kind of support that their founders wish they had as they had started out in the games business. Imirt will work to provide these developers with hands-on support to make sure that they make the best use of their experience at Gamescom, as we further work to connect Irish talent with the global market.

In order to apply for the scholarship programme, you must be an Imirt member. You can access the form for the scholarship in the members area of the Imirt Website. The application measures the need for support to attend Gamescom, focusing on company, project, and business readiness. 

Applications close at 23:59pm on Thursday April 16th.

Colm Larkin, CEO of Imirt, says “Getting to big trade conferences like Gamescom is a critical multiplier for your success as a game creator, but can be too costly for those it would be most impactful to. I’m incredibly grateful to VOID for sponsoring this scholarship and helping more Irish game makers get their games the international recognition they deserve.”

Emer Kelly, People Operations Manager, VOID Interactive says, “The future of the games industry depends on new voices being able to access global opportunities. By partnering with Imirt on this scholarship, we’re investing in Irish developers and helping ensure they can connect, collaborate, and compete on an international level.”

VOID Interactive is an Ireland-based game development company dedicated to cultivating a collaborative and flourishing work environment. Operating entirely remotely with flat hierarchies, they unite industry veterans and emerging talent to bring thought-provoking games to life. VOID has been active for over 7 years, and employs over 50 people across the globe. Their hit debut title, Ready Or Not, has sold over 13 million units as of September 2025.

Imirt - the Irish Game Makers Association is the representative body for games in Ireland and was created in 2015 by members of the games community. The goal of Imirt is to increase awareness of Ireland’s game developers on the national and international stage while providing opportunities for networking, community growth and development. Imirt has been a key driver in improvements for the Irish games industry, including the development of the Digital Games Tax Credit (Section 481A) and rolling out the Screen Ireland Digital Games Portfolio fund.

Imirt Irish Game Awards 2026 Public Voting Now Open!

The Imirt Irish Game Awards are taking place on April 24th at the Fís Games Summit and we cannot wait to honour the best Irish games of 2025. Each category is being judged by a specialised panel of experts, and that includes the three awards that voting is opening for today. Voting is now open for three categories that we felt had to be voted on by the community.

Below you’ll see the nominees for three awards; Best Upcoming Game, Emerging Talent and Community Hero. It’s important to recognise the people that make the Irish games community such a warm and welcoming place, and that are succeeding against all odds to make their mark on the industry.

Voting is now open to Imirt members, with members having received voting cards in their email. We encourage you all to get out and vote. It’s a short voting window, with voting ending at 23:59pm on Monday the 30th of March. If you do not receive a voting card, please contact eoghan@imirt.ie who can send you your ballot.

It should be noted that Imirt had no part in deciding the nominees for these categories. We’d like to thank the membership, who nominated multiple members of Imirts staff and board, who did not go forward for the award.

Most Anticipated Game

The Most Anticipated Game award is designed to recognise the amazing games currently in development from developers in the Irish Games Industry.

Breadieval

Create unique baked goods by combining ingredients you find at the market. Befriend the puppet villagers by baking their favourite recipes or by combining tasty flavours. Have fun, you don't have to follow a recipe here.

Breadieval is a cosy sandbox baking game set on a medieval island. Experiment by combining various ingredients to create unique baked products such as apple tarts, chocolate raspberry scones, spiced wholegrain bread, and more. You can choose to follow some of the in-game recipes, or you can make up your own.

ExoDomia

ExoDomia is a return to classic single-player shooter designs. No battle passes. No XP grinds. No microtransactions. Just fast, satisfying combat, hand-crafted levels, and an original campaign built purely for fun. Arm yourself with a diverse arsenal, face off against deadly enemies and bosses, and experience a shooter that puts gameplay first—exactly how it should be.

Fallosophy

Fallosophy is a tough, minimalist vertical pinball-platformer where ascent is earned through precise control of momentum, timing, and discipline. Using only two buttons, players climb a towering world inspired by the history of philosophy, from the cave of ignorance to the spires of modernity. There are no upgrades, no safety nets, and no shortcuts: every mistake can send you falling, and every metre gained must be won back through mastery of the flippers and gravity itself.

Next Day!

Next Day! Is a co-op party board game where you and your friends must work together to deliver packages while simultaneously competing for the Deliverer of Incredible Kindness award (D.I.K.)!

https://www.nextdaygame.com/about

The Corner Cafe

The Corner Cafe is a cozy(ish) retro futuristic cafe simulator set in a mythical Galway City and County in 2160. Players take control of Dan, the new owner of the cafe, with the goal of restoring community to the city.

Players will make coffee and chicken fillet rolls (and more uniquely Irish foods), customise their cafes, explore the city and get to know its eccentric inhabitants (from Fomorians to Camogie players).

TÖLT

TÖLT is a colourful first-person horror adventure with a wildly evolving black comedy narrative where you play as a horse, stylized as a haunted 90's PC game that never saw the light of day.

Questing

A satirical love letter to 16-bit adventure games, with a unique Pong-meets-bullet-hell combat system!

Community Hero

The Community Hero award recognises an individual who has continuously given to the Irish games communnity and who has been a beacon of support for those of us who work in it. These individuals have put an exceptional amount of time and effort into helping people, going above and beyond for those who work in the Irish games community.

Photo Supplied by DCG Photography

Alanna Kelly

Alanna is a Galway City based game developer, freelancer and the founder of Galway Game Jam. Over the last two decades she has worked in a diverse range of industries including Game Development, Enterprise Software, Hardware Prototyping, Research and 3D Printing.

In 2013 she established Galway Game Jam as a regular event to encourage community building amongst game developers in Galway. She currently runs Beaglier Systems, a small contracting business.

*photo supplied by DGM Photographic*

Bunny Hanlon

Bunny Hanlon loves story-telling in all its forms and in games specifically with every single fibre of her being. She founded Aos Sí Productions as a way to support fellow indie devs that need someone who knows where, how, and whom to gush about their games to, as well as an outlet for her own games and creativity.

Dan Bergin-Holly

Dr. Dan Bergin-Holly is the founder of Biscuit Factory Games. An established Producer and Product Manager, Dan has been working in games across both industry and academia for 15 years with a career spanning from mobile to AAA and beyond.

Having recently moved back home to Ireland from the UK 4 years ago - Dan has been delighted to be able to bring everything he’s learned from his career abroad to the benefit of the local industry.

Be that sharing resources on community channels, making introductions, mentoring new teams via Imirt and Ardan’s development programmes, or just generally chatting to anyone and everyone about the business of making games.

Dave McCabe

Dave is probably best known for writing stuff like The Darkside Detective, The Séance of Blake Manor, Tavern Keeper, and The Necromancer's Tale but he's also probably best known for organising Run For The Border, which is probably Ireland's best event focused on running to the border to network BUT if you are old enough he's also probably best known for lecturing about games BUT if you're even older he's probably best known for hosting the GameCraft games jams. Or maybe he's probably best known for you as a beard with legs.

Denman Rooke

Denman Rooke is an art director, concept artist, illustrator and game designer. He is the founder and co-director at studio RÚCACH working on original IP games as well as contracting for projects like Magic: the Gathering, Dungeons & Dragons, Cosmere RPG, League of Legends, and with brands including Star Trek, The Lord of the Rings, and Marvel.

Rooke is a founding member of Racán Collective, a game dev co-working collective in Galway.

He is also a committee member with Game Workers Unite Ireland, the Irish game industry union which aims to strengthen game workers’ rights and build a sustainable industry.

Tara Jaye Burke

Tara Jaye Burke is a Galway raised and residing Multidisciplinary Creative who is immersed in the local and national game development community through hobbyist, educational, and professional pursuits.

With 7 years of experience as a 3D Artist and Game Designer, Burke currently works as a 3D Generalist Artist for StoryToys and an Assistant Lecturer in Game Design and 3D Animation for ATU.

Burke has worked on games for brands like LEGO, Marvel, Hasbro, and Disney. She has facilitated workshops, given talks, and served as an administrator for industry support through collaborations with organizations such as Imirt, Eirmersive, Ardán and Wexford County Council.

In addition to her professional work, she actively volunteers with Galway Game Jam to promote community and creativity within the Galway game development scene.

Úna-Minh Kavanagh

Úna-Minh Kavanagh is a proud Kerrywoman, games producer and solo games dev with a background in production and Irish language advocacy.

She has project managed seven Irish language localisations, including Among Us and is a fierce supporter of promoting high-quality translations.

The Irish games community has inspired Úna-Minh so much to create, iterate and be fearless about sharing her work. She adores seeing folks’ success and contributing to it, be it by playtesting, offering feedback or simply just shouting about developers from the rooftops!

Úna-Minh believes in social justice, community reciprocation, empowering folks and is staunchly anti-crunch.

Emerging Talent

The Emerging Talent award recognises an individual who is a rising star in the Irish games industry, in any development discipline. The nominees in this category were submitted for the award because of the incredible things they have achieved, and the potential they have to find success in the future.

Adam Englishby

​Adam is a technical game designer and technical artist whose decade-long journey from hobbyist to industry freelancer has defined him as a versatile powerhouse in the Irish scene.

A flexible collaborator, he has worked with ENIGMA|STUDIO, Table Topple, and Spooky Doorway. As Saorspell co-founder and a Racán Collective member, Adam is a fixture in the Galway games community. His technical precision and drive for connective art earned recognition through the Wild Galway Games Initiative and consecutive IndieDev Prototype Funds (2024/2025).

Recently securing a key role on an Irish Games Fund 2025 project, Adam is channeling his skillset of design, art, code, and music into a 2027 solo title.

Conor McKenna

I’m a solo independent game developer working in games for many years, recently going full time. I have worked on a large number of game jams and projects, and recently released my latest platform, an Irish language word game called “Cúpla Focal”, on Google Play.

As I’m continuing to develop, experiment and grow, I’m eager to share more with, and become more involved in the Irish Game dev community.

Dylan Coakley

I'm Dylan, a passionate Software Engineer based in Cork, Ireland. I spent five years working part time on RelicWar my very first game while working a full time Software Development job and I released it to Steam in September 2025.

During those five years I attended Develop:Brighton, Run To The Border and Nexus Dublin. I also did a presentation on my game and the experience creating it to a group of local Software Developers.

I enjoy getting more involved with the Irish Game Development Community and the fresh energy events bring to my new interest. I have gained a lot of knowledge and experience from releasing my first game and I am excited to continue learning and creating in the world of game development.

Emmet Byrne

Emmet is an award-winning writer and game designer with a passion for creating tabletop roleplaying games and bringing the folklore of Ireland to gamers around the world. His Irish-inspired campaign setting, Beyond the Woods, raised over €350k across two Kickstarter campaigns in 2025 and 2026.

As well as Beyond the Woods, Emmet has worked on some of the most beloved IPs in the world, including Doctor Who, The Lord of the Rings, Warhammer, and Brandon Sanderson’s Cosmere. He is passionate about the Irish TTRPG scene and freely offers advice and guidance to any designers looking to pursue their TTRPG dreams.

Hazel Blackwood

Hi, I’m Hazel! I graduated from ATU (then LYIT) way back in 2014. With the lack of game studios hiring in Ireland at the time, and with a strong need for money, I ended up working in I.T in the healthcare sector. Good ol’ I.T. Nothing beats that.

Over the past ten years I’ve worked tirelessly to deliver better care for thousands of patients, I’ve delivered projects worth tens of thousands of euros across multiple hospitals, and I’ve won multiple colleagues of the year awards in the process, and while all of these achievements were rewarding in their own way, none of them compared to the joy I felt when I got a call to tell me I’d been selected for Imirt’s Talent Incubator program.

Thanks to Imirt, I have officially founded my studio - Highlander Labs - and I’ve finally started development of the passion project that’s sat in the back of my mind for over ten years - One Ear Up - a game where you create your dog and travel through a magical, fantasy world to save it from an angry god.

Jacob McConnell

I'm Jacob, an indie game developer with a special interest in 3D Art. I graduated from TUD with a first-class honours in Game Design, voted in as class rep for three years and the received the Student of the Year Award. I’m the lead artist and co-founder of indie studio DESKRAGE which has showcased at Comic Con, Gamerfest and Akumakon over 4 years.

I completed Imirt’s Incubator program, which helped me take DESKRAGE from a hobby to a business. I’m currently attending Imirt’s Elevate program, learning valuable insights on leadership and how to take my work to the next level.

Jamie Clarke

Hi there! I'm honoured to have been nominated for the Emerging Talent Award!

After graduating university, I was faced with the harsh reality of the games industry. Finding a stable job seemed unlikely, even with a degree. Starting Clarke Games wasn't an easy decision, but I believe it's the right one. I found clients that needed small games to be made, and kept working on Next Day!, my passion project for the past 2 years.

Now with more clients on the horizon, and Next Day! approaching its release, I hope to soon hire local talents and support the Irish games industry!

Joakim Svensson

My name is Joakim Svensson, I have a Computer Engineering degree. I've started specialising in Mass Entity (ECS) in Unreal Engine.

I've created a plugin called Scalable Modular Behaviour that uses Mass Entity in the background and enables highly performant NPC logic including combat and Smart Object interaction. It supports thousands of entities running StateTrees by using background processors and allows animation synced blueprint actor transitions.

I've started working with an indie studio to implement a custom solution on top of the plugin. I'm also working on creating titles that are fun to play and showcase the plugin features.

Laura Ryder

Laura Ryder is a composer and sound designer from Mayo. She started working in games in 2021, when she scored Give Me Strength by James Poole - which won runner up for Best Game Audio in the 2021 Imirt Awards.

Since then she has enjoyed working with various lovely developers and studios such as Dreamfeel, Space Lion Studios, Enigma Studio, Day Off Interactive, and Round Robin Interactive.

Laura enjoys designing and implementing music systems, bullying devs into using audio middleware, and making game music about birds. And talking about birds. And birds.

Mark Robinson

*Mark is co-founder and lead designer of award-winning Space Lion Studios. Originally from England but moving to Ireland in 2016, he started his journey in the industry working in player support before branching out into community management, brand marketing, team leadership and project management, before establishing his own studio in 2023 and adding to his skillset in art, level design, event management and bizdev.

His studio launched Axyz, a puzzle-platformer with a vaporwave aesthetic, which went on to win Most Anticipated at the Irish Game Awards 2025, and they were also a recipient of the IndieDev Prototype Fund for their ongoing project, Balloons of Paradise.

I have no idea what I'm doing.

Niamh Germaine

I’m Niamh, a game designer at Larian Studios. I completed a BA in Game Design in 2022, and it’s been a wild ride ever since!

I’ve worked at Larian as a boardgame playtester, technical editor, and playtesting coordinator for Baldur’s Gate 3 - while assistant-teaching Game Design at TU Dublin and running boardgame demos for Larian at various American gaming conventions. I joined Black Shamrock for a year as a junior game designer, then rejoined Larian in my current role.

I plan to keep the momentum going until I’m inevitably buried in my own hoard of boardgames and polyhedral dice.

Richard Naughton

Richard Naughton is an emerging business leader, becoming a successful story of how Indie Dev, New Frontiers and other programs pave the way for the growth of the Irish games industry.

A strong leader through good planning, connecting with his team and being resourceful with his extensive network of professionals. Richard is innovating on business strategy with the ultimate goal of becoming a sustainable employer.

Confident as a technical creative, Richard can execute any part of a game project to a high standard. He’s an experienced public speaker and a prominent figure in the Galway games community as one of the organisers for Galway Game Jam.

Tom Daly

Tom has been in the games industry for about 3 years and released their first two solo games in 2025, with a focus on continuing to create multiple small games every year.

Tom is from Wicklow but based in Belfast and has loved being part of both the North and South game dev communities, including taking part in the first-of-its-kind cross-border scheme IndieDev 2024 and NI Screen’s MiniGame programme - both as part of Dott Studios - and gaining invaluable experience and knowledge to take into future projects.

Úna-Minh Kavanagh

Úna-Minh Kavanagh is a proud Kerrywoman, producer and solo games dev whose shipped two commercial titles, Saltsea Chronicles (2023) and Eyes of Hellfire(2025), project managed seven Irish language localisations, including Among Us, and has made small, strange, story-driven games like the well-received Chicken Fillet Rolls!

While her main discipline is production and Irish language localisation, Úna-Minh’s also a games writer and most recently wrote about games production for the book CTRL: Essays on Video Games (2026).

She’s a massive fan of iterative feedback, game jams and adores the mix of playfulness and exceptional creativity that comes with making games.

Games From Ireland Trailer released as Event and Showcase set to go live Friday, March 13th at 5pm

Imirt - The Irish Game Makers Association are proud to showcase the trailer for the Games From Ireland Steam Event, which goes live tomorrow, Friday March 13th @ 5pm.

The Games from Ireland Steam Event is a week-long digital showcase celebrating games made in Ireland, by Irish developers around the world, and games shaped by Irish creative talent and culture. The event will feature over 150 games, spanning all genres, from internationally successful titles to independent and emerging projects.

Imirt are also proud to say that the Games From Ireland Showcase will air @ 5.30pm on the Games From Ireland Steam Page, which you can find here.

The showcase, which will run for approximately 50 minutes, will feature 30+ games, showcasing some of the best games to release in Ireland, alongside showcasing some incredibly exciting upcoming projects. We hope that you tune in at 5.30pm GMT to see some of the incredible games that are taking part in our event. Keep an eye on Imirt social channels across the week as we highlight some of these titles.

You can find us on all of your favourite social media channels, such as Instagram, TikTok and BlueSky.

We hope to see you on Steam tomorrow for the Games From Ireland Event!

St Patrick's Day Steam Sale Brings Irish Games to a Global Audience

Imirt - The Irish Game Makers Association is proud to present the Games from Ireland Steam Event, a week-long digital showcase celebrating games made in Ireland or shaped by Irish creative talent and culture. The event will run on Steam during St Patrick’s Day 2026, 13th March - 19th March, spotlighting the breadth and success of Ireland’s growing games industry for a global audience.

The Games from Ireland Steam Event will feature over 150 games, spanning all genres, from AAA success stories to award-winning independent games. The event will also spotlight upcoming projects from some of the best teams across the island. Participating games will have a clear Irish connection– developed in Ireland, Irish-led or Irish-majority teams, playable in Irish, or featuring Irish culture, stories, or locations.

We’re delighted to reveal the Irish Games art-piece we commissioned from acclaimed Irish artist and game developer Denman Rooke, showcasing some of the incredible games and characters from across Irish games, alongside touchpoints of Irish culture.

This is just a snippet of the full piece, which will live on the steam page throughout the event, and we’re absolutely thrilled with how it came together. Try and see how many characters you can recognise when the page goes live on March 13th!

Alongside discounts across participating titles, the event will include a special Showcase Broadcast highlighting featured games through trailers, gameplay, and curated clips from Irish streamers.

The Games from Ireland Steam Event is an Imirt-led initiative, developed in collaboration with Irish developers and studios worldwide. The event is designed to present Irish games on an international stage, not only to players but to studios, publishers, and the wider global games industry. St Patrick’s Day is Ireland’s most visible cultural moment worldwide. The Games from Ireland Steam Event uses that moment to showcase the creativity, diversity, and commercial success of Irish game development - at home and across the globe.

If you have any interest in covering the event, whether that means streaming some Irish titles, talking about the event in your news show and chatting to Irish developers or Imirt staff about the event, contact us at eoghan@imirt.ie and marketing@banshee.games. We’re happy to discuss what titles may suit you and your outlet best.

Introducing the Games From Ireland Steam Sale - Presented by Imirt

We’re delighted to announce the Irish Steam Sale, a week-long digital showcase celebrating games made in Ireland, by Irish developers around the world, and games shaped by Irish creative talent and culture. The event will run on Steam during St Patrick’s Day 2026, 13th March - 20th March, spotlighting the breadth and success of Ireland’s growing games industry for a global audience.

The Irish Steam Sale is an IMIRT-led initiative, developed in collaboration with Irish developers and studios worldwide. St Patrick’s Day is Ireland’s most visible cultural moment worldwide. The Irish Steam Sale uses that moment to showcase the creativity, diversity, and commercial success of Irish game development - at home and across the diaspora.

If you want to be included in the Irish Steam Sale, we have a full guide ready for you explaining how you can take part, eligibility criteria, event guidelines, information packets on discounts and marketing, as well as all key dates and deadlines.

You can find that here. We’ll be running information sessions to answer any and all questions, and we’ll be releasing and updating an FAQ after these sessions end. 

We have our three Q&A Sessions for the Games From Ireland Steam Event lined-up, with the first one this on Thursday February 12th at 6pm!

Discord Q&A - 12/02 @ 6pm - https://discord.com/events/784781637467504671/1471464070338187358

Zoom Q&A #1 - 18/02 @ 2pm - https://us06web.zoom.us/j/83033047789

Zoom Q&A #2 - 19/02 @ 6pm - https://us06web.zoom.us/j/86702257632

You can sign up for the event here, via the Expression of Interest Application - https://forms.gle/FvmeRFVEtaPrm3gy5

Imirt AGM 2026 - Progress and Plans

On January 22nd, we had the pleasure of holding our Imirt AGM for 2026 which was graciously hosted by our friends at TU Dublin. Immediately after the Imirt AGM was the IndieDev Speed Pitch showcase followed by a networking reception at Plunkets on Abbey Street. The event allowed us to discuss all of the amazing work done in 2025, introduce some of our plans for 2026, and highlight the new Imirt team, including our project manager, Leela Collins, and our three new board members, Lauren Morgan, Llaura McGee and Craig Walsh.

Progress In 2025

2025 was another huge year for the Irish game development community. Imirt was able to hire Eoghan Watters full-time and bring on Leela Collins as a part-time project manager. This was all a part of delivering the Screen Ireland Digital Games Portfolio, a first of its kind games funding initiative. Beyond this, we were able to work on Imirt as an organisation, creating better systems for governance and a better balance of work for our volunteer board. The work done in 2025 has set us up to do even more in 2026. We were also able to start new initiatives such as the Games Competency Framework and Elevate, which you’ll see more of in 2026.

Corporate Membership

In 2025 Imirt launched corporate membership to better represent our industry and to allow us to do more for the community. Available in multiple tiers, corporate membership is an opportunity for companies to support Imirt and gain benefits as a member. Corporate Membership is an important initiative to legitimise Imirt and show the government that the industry supports us and supports growth in games.

We’re delighted to say that we already have over twenty companies as corporate members. We’d like to thank them for their support of Imirt as we roll out corporate membership. We will be pushing to grow membership throughout 2026.

Dublin Games Springboard

Imirt launched its first incubator, The Imirt Dublin Games Springboard, in early 2025. Ran by Imirt in association with Screen Ireland and the Guinness Enterprise Centre, the programme took eight game developers and gave them mentorship and workshops to help them evolve their business and development skills. The programme was a huge success, with graduates from the programme going onto release critically acclaimed games, join further programmes like IndieDev, and even join exemplary studios such as Larian.

Press Play on Ireland event at GDC

IMIRT - The Irish Game Makers Association were honoured to contribute to a fantastic event held to celebrate St. Patrick’s Day and the incredible art that video game makers and composers in Ireland create, hosted at the incredible San Francisco Conservatory of Music.

The event was attended by Imirt CEO Colm Larkin, who took part in the panel; “Press Play on Ireland: A Celebration of Music, Gaming & Storytelling”. The panel was chaired by the Head of Cultural Affairs at the Consulate of General of Ireland in Los Angeles, Siobhra Quinlan. Joining the panel was the extraordinary Irish composer Eimear Noone, and CEO of Ardán Alan Duggan.

The event was followed up by a consulate meeting, where leaders from the industry met with Minister O'Donovan TD to discuss the future of game development and the sector in Ireland.

Imirt Irish Game Awards 2025

The Imirt Irish Game Awards 2025 took place at the Fís Games Summit on the 11th of April. It was a fantastic show and an opportunity to recognise excellence in game making from Irish creators. 

Among the winners, Jamie Gavin came away with the Rising Star award, alongside a runner-up in Game of the Year for 2024 and Best Narrative. 

Ambertail came away with five awards for their debut game, Amber Isle, including Game of the Year, Game Design and Game Art. In total 21 awards were given out to winners across twelve categories. A full breakdown of the awards can be found here.

Digital Games Portfolio:

Irish Games Fund

As part of the Screen Ireland Digital Games Portfolio, Imirt have had the honour of designing and running the Irish Games Fund, a first of its kind staged development fund for Ireland. 

The Irish Games Fund is a staged development fund in order to maximise the use of funding on projects with the highest potential. The fund is judged by external talent from games publishing, allowing the games to be properly judged with no bias and by those who fully understand the market and market conditions. A full breakdown on the progress of the Irish Games fund can be found here.

Digital Games Portfolio:

IndieDev 2025

IndieDev 2025 was a huge part of our day, with the eight IndieDev teams giving their final presentations to our audience. The IndieDev Speed Pitch had the eight teams present their game to our members and a panel of industry experts. 

IndieDev 2025 is an initiative managed by Ardán with support from Imirt on behalf of Northern Ireland Screen and Screen Ireland – aimed at supporting indie video game developers based in Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland.  

Successful teams are supported with funding of up to £15,000 / €15,000 based on programme, mentorship, and team requirements as they work on a game prototype.

Digital Games Portfolio:

the Irish Games talent incubator

The Irish Game Talent Incubator (formerly Imirt Dublin Games Springboard and Wild Galway Games Initiative) aims to develop the creative and entrepreneurial skills that video game developers will require to navigate the professional games industry.

Developed by Imirt and Ardán, with support from CREW and the GEC, The Irish Games Talent Incubator took in 23 participants across Dublin and Galway, who went to bespoke workshops, engaged in networking events and took part in a fantastic closing day event hosted in Portershed in Galway. 

Section 481a - The Digital Games Tax Credit

In Budget 2026 the Irish government has announced a number of initiatives related to game development. 

Imirt welcomes the addition of post-release development to the Digital Games Tax Credit, effectively recognising that game development continues beyond the first launch of a game, as well as the extension of the scheme to 2031. This is a meaningful and necessary improvement to the credit and we commend the government for taking this first step.

Imirt firmly believes that additional changes remain key before the tax credit can live up to its potential, particularly in terms of being attractive to international companies looking to open game studios in Ireland.

Nexus

The Nexus Games Summit returned to Dublin on October 2nd 2025, presented this time from The Foundry @ Google. This is a landmark event with attendance from the Irish games community all over Ireland, as well as an impressive proportion of international visitors and Irish government officials.

For Imirt initiatives, we were delighted to put on the Imirt X Nexus Games Showcase, where we highlighted some of the best games coming out of the sector including The Séance of Blake Manor from Spooky Doorway and TÖLT from ENIGMA Studio.

Our big event of the day was the Nexus Best Pitch, Presented by Imirt. This event saw eight teams pitch their games to a panel of publishers as if they were pitching the game in a meeting. The panel would then give feedback on their pitches, which gave our audience some incredible insight into what they need to do with their own pitches going forward. The event drew an incredible audience, and we’d to thank all that attended.

The event had some incredible games pitched, such as SZeance from Dreamfeel and Lizard Wizard from Carroll Games. It was, however, a competition, and the winner was the amazing Not Here, Not There with Good Folk Café. We’d to thank all of the teams for their incredible pitches and for making the event really special.

We’d also like to thank our amazing panel of judges. Dave McEvoy from RAID Studios, K.A. Pedersen from Fireshine Games, Jairo Lopes from Xbox and Leela Collins from Imirt and Banshee Games. We really appreciate all of the time and effort they put into the event.

Digital Games Forum

Imirt had the pleasure of collaborating with IDA Ireland, Enterprise Ireland and Ardán on an incredible event “The Digital Games Forum” led by Fís Éireann/Screen Ireland and driven by Minister Patrick O'Donovan TD and The Department of Culture, Communications and Sport.

Held in Farmleigh House & Estate, the Forum brought together leaders in both government and the games sector to discuss the national strategy for games. The event included panels, roundtable discussions, and key remarks from Screen Ireland, Imirt and the Minister. The event opened with statements by Désirée Finnegan, Chief Executive at Screen Ireland, and Imirt CEO Colm Larkin. 

Minister O'Donovan delivered an address to the room, emphasising the government's commitment to the games sector in Ireland. We thank Minister O’Donovan and Fís Éireann/Screen Ireland for taking the initiative on this wonderful event, and the passion and support of the Minister was evident in his address. He highlighted the recent changes to Section 481A, The Digital Games Tax Credit, alongside funding advancements and Ireland’s commitment to growing the sector through bespoke activities. 

We look forward to working with all of the agencies and departments in attendance across 2026 to deliver on the obvious potential for games in Ireland.

Games Competency Framework

In collaboration with Screen Ireland, Imirt has launched the Digital Games Competency Framework. This piece of work is essential to the long-term success of the sector.

The rapid growth of the Irish Digital Games Industry requires a clear strategy for training, recruiting, retaining, and developing skilled professionals. A well-structured and clearly defined Competency Framework is essential to achieve this shared objective among all industry stakeholders.

The purpose of this work is to research and develop a Competency Framework for the Irish Digital Games Industry, including job role task analysis and career mapping.

If you want to learn more and get involved, check out the post here.

Critical Skills List

The Critical Skills List, which is a set of roles that are essential to economic growth and are in short supply in Ireland, was opened for submissions in September. Imirt submitted a total of 19 roles within games to the critical skills list, which if approved, would allow employers to use the critical skills employment permit to attract people in these roles from the international community.

These are highly specialised roles that are essential to FDI, and this piece of work will prove to be immensely important as we move into the future.

National and International Events

Imirt has been engaging with events at a national and international level. We’ve been delighted to attend and engage with events like Gamerfest, Nexus, Fís Games Summit, Dublin Comic-Con and Run for the Border. Supporting national events is a priority for Imirt and we look forward to supporting more in the future.

Irish games representation at international level is also evolving. The Press Play event at GDC was a huge success, but Imirt was also engaging with international events such as Gamescom and Develop: Brighton. Imirt was able to run an Irish networking event at Develop: Brighton, which was a fantastic evening. Gamescom was a fantastic opportunity to meet other leaders from the European Games Industry and continue growing Ireland's presence internationally.

Other Initiatives

Last year, Imirt became a member of the EGDF (European Game Developer Federation). This move is essential to the overall development of the relationship between the Irish Games Sector and our colleagues across Europe.

Imirt has also been involved in DIGRA 2026. Imirt Board Member, Robert Emerson, has joined the DIGRA organising committee and is currently looking for sponsorships and a call for exhibition and workshops, which has a deadline of February 15th.

These are just some of the programmes and initiatives that IMIRT have run through 2025. 

Plans for 2026 and beyond

Following 2025, Imirt holds the same core objectives, dedicated to carefully growing the Irish games sector through high-impact initiatives. Our core goals remain:

  • to grow our indigenous development community

  • to develop a world class games ecosystem in Ireland

  • to promote Irish games at both a national and international level.

Imirt Irish Game Awards 2026 

The Imirt Irish Game Awards return for 2026 to celebrate the best of Irish Games from 2025!

This year, we have the joy of introducing two new categories, best student game and best experimental game.

Teams should nominate themselves for awards, and can put forward multiple games in multiple categories as appropriate. Submissions open 22nd of Jan and close on Mon 9th of February at midnight.  Judging will follow and an awards ceremony will be announced after that.

You can learn more about the Imirt Irish Game Awards 2026 here.

Digital Games Portfolio:

Irish Games Fund Stage 2 & 3

Stage One of the fund recently wrapped, with all six teams hitting their milestones. We’re delighted to announce that following the successful stage one, three teams have advanced to Stage Two of the fund. These teams are;

  • Outlier

  • ENIGMA Studio

  • Dreamfeel

You can read more about the Irish Games Fund Stage Two teams here.

Elevate Programme 

We’re delighted to say that our new business development programme, ELEVATE, run in conjunction with CREW and supported by the Fís Éireann/Screen Ireland Stakeholders Fund, will be starting on February 4th. ELEVATE will be running weekly, with workshops taking place on Wednesdays from 11am - 1pm. ELEVATE is a 12-week programme.

Irish Games Census

In 2024, Imirt undertook some research and the size and scale of the video games industry in Ireland. This research told us that we had around 100 companies in the sector and around 2,400 people employed in games in Ireland.

In 2026, we’d like to take on this project again, getting figures for the games industry as of December 31st 2025. The goal here is to continue to have an overview of the size, scale, and companies present in Ireland. This data is incredibly important for promoting the Irish industry internationally, alongside domestic advocacy in regard to funding and tax credits.

This time, we need to get data on financial figures alongside the data on size and scale. This will strengthen our understanding of the power of Irish games and help us in lobbying with national and international bodies for the sector.

Section 481a Review

Imirt continues to work on a series of improvements to Section 481a (Digital Games Relief). Our working group will have its first meeting of the year very soon to represent the industry and put forward improvements to the tax credit.

National and International Events

Imirt are delighted to be attending and supporting a huge number of the events happening nationally in Ireland. Just in Q1, there’s the Leadership Day, Global Game Jam, Games Fleadh at TUS Thurles, Crack the Code with Black Shamrock and Dublin Comic-Con. 

Q2 begins with the Fís Games Summit, which we’re delighted to say we’ll be supporting. More information to come on that soon.

Internationally, we look forward to Develop: Brighton and Gamescom, where we hope to celebrate the strength of the Irish Games Industry with our friends in the UK and across the EU

Irish Steam Sale

Imirt are delighted to announce the Irish Games Steam Event (Working Title). This event will run from March 13th - March 20th. This means the event will run alongside St. Patrick's Day.

Additional details about this event will be communicated very soon, so keep an eye on Imirt’s social media for additional information. Make sure to let us know about any games or teams that may be interested in taking part.

Q&A

Q: Will the Irish Games Census cover salary information?

A: The Irish Games Census will not cover salary information for 2025, but we look forward to expanding the research in the coming years.


Q: How many studios and employees currently exist within Ireland?

A: 100+ Studios and 2,400 Employees. 11% Year-On-Year.


Q: In regard to the Irish Games Steam Event, what are the plans in terms of marketing and promotion?

A: We’re going to have takeover videos, gameplay videos, engagement with content creators both national and international, alongside journalists for a big push in the lead up to the event.

We’ll have bespoke artwork commissioned for the event. 


Q: Will the Games Competency Framework include a framework for continued professional development/ studios or is this geared at people currently in legislation?

A: Yes. It’s aimed towards the industry at large.


Q: Does Imirt have plans to hire any more staff?

A: We are dependent on our funding to expand. We would like to have more staff in place to increase the different initiatives we’re taking on. We’re looking for funding both nationally and at an EU level. Corporate Membership is another avenue for this.


Q: What kind of initiatives can Imirt members volunteer for?

A: A great example of Imirt members volunteering is the work Craig Breathnach has done with the Imirt Steam Curator list. We encourage members to reach out with anything they want to do, to see if we can help or amplify this idea. We also encourage members to engage with us at events. Keep an eye on the Discord for additional information on volunteering.


Q: Are there any plans to support developers pitching, or to have a country booth at Gamescom 2026?

A: The goal remains to be the development of an Ireland booth at Gamescom. We are working on this, and engaging with government agencies to make it happen. This is unfortunately unlikely to happen this year. We absolutely recognise the need for this space for Irish developers to have a base of operations. This will likely be a multi-year approach, and involve both industry and government investment in both effort and funding.


Q: Have the board considered moving from discord should its relationship with consumers worsen?

A: Yes, we have acknowledged this as staff and are keeping a close eye on whats happening with Discord. The primary platform used by the Irish Games Community has changed on multiple occasions, and we will work to keep the community intact in any scenario.

We encourage members to subscribe to the Newsletter.


Q: Would Imirt consider partnering with a larger studio in order to make the Gamescom stand happen?

A: We’re certainly open to it, but we would need to discuss the exact nature of it.


Q: Are there any plans for Imirt to support Tabletop games further.

A: Imirt has always recognised analog games, but we’re aware there’s been no direct supports. We’re very proud to recognise analog games with the Imirt awards, but scale is an issue for setting up stronger supports. We’d like to note that analog games are included in events like Dublin Comic-Con.

Digital Games Competency Framework

IMIRT - The Irish Game Makers Association and Screen Ireland have recently partnered with Alex Kotsos to create a Competency Framework for the Games Industry.

We’re looking for advice from people of all levels and from all backgrounds. No role is too obscure! You don’t have to be in Ireland to contribute.

The project defines roles and levels within those roles across the breadth of the industry (Development, Publishing and Support Functions) and is generally split departmentally (Engineering, Design, Production, Art, etc.) and across the different levels of those roles (Junior up to Director).

This project is intended to be of use to anyone and everyone who picks it up who has even a passing interest in games:

- Government departments and agencies will actually be able to understand what we do.

- Universities and education providers will be able to better plan courses for future skills needs.

- People starting off will know what skillsets they’ll need to actually transition into the industry.

- Studios will have a ready-made job classification framework to assist with gender pay gap and pay transparency reporting.

- Studios will be able to see skillsets that they currently lack and teach/hire for those competencies.

- People in studios will be able to see what skillsets they’ll need to be able to reach the next level within their career.

- People transitioning to other roles, for example environment to tech art will be able to see any missing skillsets and transition more easily.

This list is by no means exhaustive but gives you an idea of what we’re trying to do.

Please note that the fruits of this project will be made publicly available to anyone across the world who would like to make use of it.

If you’re interested in getting involved, sign up here!

Introducing... The Irish Games Fund - Stage 2

Imirt - The Irish Game Makers Association, in partnership with Screen Ireland through the Screen Ireland Digital Games Portfolio have had the honour of running the Irish Games Fund, a first of its kind, staged development fund for Ireland. 

The Irish Games Fund is a staged development fund in order to maximise the use of funding on projects with the highest potential. The fund is judged by external talent from games publishing, allowing the games to be properly judged with no bias and by those who fully understand the market and market conditions.

Stage One of the fund recently wrapped, with all six teams hitting their milestones. We’re delighted to announce that following the successful stage one, three teams have advanced to Stage Two of the fund.

These teams are;

  • Outlier

  • ENIGMA Studio

  • Dreamfeel

Below you can find quotes from each of the teams about how Stage Two of the Irish Games Fund will help them bring these unique stories to life, and even get a glimpse of some of these games.

Outlier

“Outlier is delighted to be supported by the Irish Games Fund for our next game. IGF Stage 2 enables us to push the prototype even further, developing it to an industry-leading benchmark and pitching it to potential commercial partners prior to the game's announcement. The funding also helps us build out the team in Ireland and support local talent in the industry.” - Paul Froggat [Outlier]

ENIGMA Studio

“Receiving funding to help develop TÖLT with stage 2 of the Irish Games Fund has been nothing short of transformative for the project as well as for my life, both professionally and personally. Having never received funding in the 8 years that I've been releasing games under ENIGMA STUDIO, this funding has enabled a paradigm shift in the way I design and develop games. For the first time ever, I've been able to bring on another programmer whom I work with incredibly closely to enable new design possibilities for the game at 10x the speed of doing it alone, as well as an additional audio designer to compose new totally unique music alongside introducing middleware I've never used before.

On a different note, this newfound financial certainty and its accompanying production schedule also allowed me to take a two week period off over the holidays for the first time since going full-time with ENIGMA STUDIO, meaning I could properly rest with the confidence that my production schedule doesn't begin until January. Approaching development in a more healthy way like this has allowed me to enjoy making it which ultimately results in a better product.” - Jamie Gavin [ENIGMA Studio]

Dreamfeel

“The entire Dreamfeel team is delighted to be selected for Stage 2 of the Irish Games Fund. The Stage 1 participants set a very high bar of quality, no doubt given the high demand that there is for such funding in Ireland, so it is a particularly huge honour.

We’re all excited to get stuck back into development and to work with Imirt again as they were already fantastic throughout Stage 1, and their expertise has made it a uniquely valuable accelerator to be a part of.

Dreamfeel are working on a game, Bog Bodies, that’s draws on Ireland’s rich history and our famous flair for storytelling so I especially hope our game will showcase not just the abilities and potential of Irish creators in this global industry, but also to give the rest of the world the stories and the experiences no one else can.

Before Stage 1 development on Bog Bodies had temporarily stalled because although we had incredible art and an incredible story, the gameplay, ie: the player’s experience, wasn’t up to the same high standards. We suspected the key problem might be that it was far too “linear”, in that there was only one thing to do at a time. So our plan for stage 1 was to design a much more open experience but particularly (and trickily) one in which our powerful story would still work. I’m very grateful that the funding gives us the chance to solve and test this, because it does indeed work incredibly well!

Now in Stage 2 we’re going to build upon that breakthrough and fully develop a mini region of the game’s world, incorporating open exploration and multiple quest lines that players can decide to undertake or not, however they choose. Additionally now that the game’s core identity is fully fleshed out we’re also going to start sharing our game publicly to build a following, both fans of our previous games and new fans alike. So by late Spring the game should be in a fantastic position for the final stretch of development.

We’re very excited to continue this journey and it is with much appreciation and admiration that we’d like to once again thank all the judges who selected us and Imirt for facilitating this fund.” - Llaura McGee [Dreamfeel]

We’re delighted to continue this fund and explore the unique and incredible stories that developers can tell through the medium of games. We look forward to seeing how these projects evolve throughout Stage Two of the Irish Games Fund.

The Imirt Irish Game Awards 2026

The Imirt Irish Game Awards return for 2026 to celebrate the best of Irish Games from 2025!

Teams should nominate themselves for awards, and can put forward multiple games in multiple categories as appropriate. Submissions open 22nd of Jan and close on Mon 9th of February at midnight.  Judging will follow and an awards ceremony will be announced after that.

Eligibility Criteria:

- You must be an Imirt Member in order to submit your game. You must be a member at the appropriate band. Operating businesses should be corporate members.

- Game must be largely developed in Ireland (either RoI or NI)

- If your game is only partly made in Ireland, please submit only for categories where that discipline was largely based in Ireland (e.g if art was largely completed in Ireland, then submit for best art).

- Game must have released between 1/1/2025 - 31/12/2025

- Games which were launched in early access in 2025 are eligible, but may not be submitted as a full release game in subsequent years (i.e. decide when it’s best to submit it for you, each game should be considered for one Imirt Irish Game Awards).

- Games launched on new platforms in 2025 are eligible, but may not be submitted again under another platform (i.e. decide which platform is best for you, each game should be considered for one Imirt Irish Game Awards).

- Expansions released in 2025 to games released prior to January 1, 2025 are eligible as their own submissions.

- Experimental games are encouraged to apply.

- Games must be made available to judges free of charge for evaluation.

We ask that all submissions include a five minute video showcasing the game in the category being applied for. This can be gameplay with developer commentary. For example if submitting for best narrative, use the video to showcase writing & narrative.

Categories

Our show will contain thirteen awards categories in total, with three categories being user voted.

Developers can submit themselves for eight categories, and will be automatically submitted to remaining two categories as a result. Developers can also submit their game for Best Upcoming Game and the community can submit individuals for the Rising Star and Community Hero awards.

You can submit to one of these categories:

- Best Game Design

- Best Storytelling

- Best Art Direction

- Best Game Audio

- Best Technical Achievement (now open to games and development tools!)

- Best Analogue Game

- Best Student Game

- Best Experimental Game

All submissions to the above will also be automatically included in the following categories:

- Game of the Year 2025

- Best Debut

You may submit to multiple categories by including additional submissions with different videos.

We also have three categories that will be voted on by the community:

-  Most Anticipated Game  

-  Emerging Talent 

-  Community Hero 

You can make submissions to any one of our categories by clicking the links in the members area of the Imirt Website. You must submit with the appropriate membership. This means that games made by a studio (ie with a registered company) must be a corporate member.

You do not need to be a corporate member to submit someone to the Best Student Game, Emerging Talent & Community Hero categories.

If you have questions about submitting, please contact Imirt via contact@imirt.ie or on the Imirt discord server.

Imirt AGM 2026 and IndieDev 2025 Closing Event

The next Imirt AGM will be taking place on the 22nd of January 2026. This is your chance to hear our plans for the coming year, meet our new board and the Imirt staff, and to give us your feedback and suggestions.

Our AGM and Q&A (2pm) will be followed by speed pitches from IndieDev teams (4.15pm). These will be judged by a panel of industry experts.

As part of the day we are also including the closing event for the inaugural IndieDev teams. Everything is being hosted by our friends at TU Dublin in their offices in the Grangegorman Campus. We have a lot to update our membership on, as we look forward to 2026 and supporting the games industry in bigger and better ways. Doors will open at 1:30pm with coffee and snacks served, and the AGM will run from 2pm to 4:00pm.

After the AGM, we’ll have the IndieDev Speed Pitch. Eight teams will present their game to our members and a panel of industry experts. Not only will this pitching session be a really great experience for the teams involved, but we believe our members will learn a lot from watching these pitches and from the feedback our panel delivers.

Finally, we’ll be moving to a pub (venue tbc), for the IndieDev Showcase and Networking Event, where teams from our programmes will be showcasing the games they’ve been making, and you can network with other industry professionals.

Attendance of the Imirt AGM is limited to paying Imirt Members. Members should have received an email with a link to the eventbrite page. If you have not received this email, you can also find the link in the members only area of the Imirt website, or you can email us at contact@imirt.ie to receive a link.

We hope to see you all there!

IMIRT Board Election 2025 Results

Voting for the IMIRT Board Elections has concluded, the results have been tallied, and we’d like to say congratulations to the winners!

Justin O’Connor and Carlo Azzari have been re-elected, while Llaura McGee, Lauren Morgan and Craig Walsh (Pictured Left to Right, Craig not pictured) will be joining the Imirt Board.

If you want a reminder of who they are and why they want to be involved with Imirt, check out the news post below. These candidates will be taking the place of outgoing board members Dr. Maria O’ Brien, Alanna Kelly and Sylvain Doreau, who we thank for their work supporting Imirt throughout their terms on the board.

Thank you to everyone who voted and ran in the elections. Remember too that Imirt is a volunteer-run, organisation so if you want to get more involved in Imirt or you have an idea for an event or an initiative, drop an email to contact@imirt.ie and let us know!

Imirt and CREW launch new programme, ELEVATE

Supported by the Screen Ireland Stakeholders Fund, Imirt and CREW were delighted to announce ELEVATE on Friday December 5th at the inaugural Incubator/ IndieDev closing event, a new business development programme designed to upskill early-stage game developers, focusing on;

  • Leadership

  • Team building

  • Strategic development

  • Financial management

  • Fundraising

Positioned as a natural next step beyond the incubation stage, it supports start-ups in building the foundational capabilities needed to operate sustainably, navigate commercial opportunities, and prepare for long-term growth.

Imirt CEO Colm Larkin on stage with CREW Programme and Community Manager Ainslie Peters, announcing ELEVATE

ELEVATE has been designed as a natural extension of previous programmes run by Imirt and Ardán, namely the Irish Games Talent Incubator and IndieDev. While this programme is designed with those people in mind, as an all-digital, remote run programme, ELEVATE is open to all individuals in the Irish Games Sector who want to elevate their business skills and desire help in running a successful games studio.

ELEVATE will bridge the skills gap by equipping early-stage game studios with essential leadership, business, legal, and financial capabilities to support sustainable growth and develop confident, resilient studio leaders who can scale their teams, navigate the complexities of the games industry, and establish long-term commercial success.

The programme will consist of 12 x 2-hour online workshops delivered over 12 weeks running from late January until April 2026. It will be complementary for those selected, with a preference given to individuals who have previously taken part in IndieDev, Incubators or similar initiatives.

You can apply for the ELEVATE Programme by filling out the Expression of interest form, which you can find here - https://forms.gle/Rg8NXbV4r6tNsTk5A