The Irish Video games Fund has been expanded and relaunched by the Irish Sport Makers Affiliation and Display screen Eire Digital Video games Portfolio for 2026 and can now include three separate funding strands designed to assist builders at completely different phases of the manufacturing cycle: the Improvement Fund, Prototype Fund, and Launch Fund.
The primary of these three strands to interrupt cowl is the Improvement Fund, which is providing €50,000 to 4 groups seeking to push on with manufacturing after validating their ideas and prototypes.
“The Improvement Fund is particularly supposed for established tasks which have moved past idea validation and are progressing in the direction of manufacturing and business launch,” reads an explainer on the Irish Game Makers Association (IMIRT) website.
As a way to apply, potential candidates should first submit an Expression of Curiosity.
“The Software Type is dense, and we don’t need folks to take the time to use for a fund that doesn’t swimsuit their wants. We goal to information folks in the direction of the fund that’s proper for them,” continues the explainer.
Candidates have to be a registered Irish sport studio which have both been working for no less than one 12 months, have beforehand filed accounts, or have beforehand launched a business challenge. Studios creating unique IP or who’ve a “outlined idea or prototype with a transparent understanding of their supposed viewers” may even be thought-about.
Notably, IMIRT is requiring candidates to declare any use of machine studying or generative AI inside their challenge or utility and particularly clarify how Improvement Fund assist can be used to exchange generative AI property.
Though candidates will not be penalised for leveraging generative AI instruments previous to submitting their utility, IMIRT won’t assist groups that intend to proceed utilizing the expertise.
“As a consequence of unresolved copyright, mental property, possession and commercialisation dangers, the Improvement Fund won’t assist tasks that intend to commercially launch with artwork, audio, writing or different inventive property which were considerably generated via ML or generative AI methods,” stated the group.
“[…] Failure to reveal or precisely symbolize materials use of ML or generative AI might consequence within the utility being faraway from consideration.”
IMIRT may have extra info on its Prototype Fund and Launch Fund within the close to future.
For now, here’s an explainer on how to apply for the Development Fund. Expressions of Curiosity have to be submitted by October 8, 2026. Functions should then be filed by October 22, 2026.