Central Coast Studios (CCS) has detailed plans for a $260 million production precinct on the NSW Central Coast designed to integrate real-time game engine virtual production, motion capture and esports infrastructure within a single campus supporting both film production and AA/AAA game development. The 70-acre site, located less than 15 minutes from the edge of Sydney, is being developed around real-time production workflows that now sit at the centre of both premium screen production and interactive entertainment. The proposed facility will incorporate LED volume stages, onsite performance capture and embedded real-time rendering pipelines, enabling cinematic environments to be generated live and in-camera rather than built later in post-production. Simon Alty, Executive Chairman of GamesPeople and former Vice President & Managing Director APAC at Bethesda Softworks, said the infrastructure reflects a fundamental operational shift in global production.
“The use of real-time technologies, born from games development but now used across the entire entertainment spectrum, isn’t simply a creative tool, it’s an operational shift,” Alty commented “When iteration happens instantly and assets are shared across disciplines, scalability improves and cost exposure decreases. That’s critical in today’s global production market. World class tools and facilities like this drive industry development while democratising the industry landscape, creating an entry point for all kinds of projects – from those of scale through to independent productions.”
A defining feature of Central Coast Studios (CCS) is the integration of tertiary education within a live, technology-driven production environment. CCS is in discussions with universities and tertiary providers to deliver on-site programs inside the precinct, training students in real-time game engine technologies, virtual production and motion capture workflows. Rather than learning in simulated settings, students will gain structured exposure within working studios, with pathways into internships and crew roles. This model accelerates workforce readiness in real-time rendering, cinematic pipeline development, environment design and performance capture skill sets increasingly shared across AA and AAA game development and premium screen production.
For Australian developers, the model represents a potential pathway to grow locally trained real-time game engine talent without requiring relocation to interstate or international hubs. The precinct is also being positioned to support the creation of cinematic game cutscenes, performance capture-driven storytelling and cross-platform interactive development, reflecting the increasing overlap between AA and AAA game pipelines and high-end screen production.
Stephen Macchia, founder of Noisy Nit Games, said the convergence between games technology and screen production is creating new opportunities for developers.
“Real-time production tools are changing how stories are built across games and screen, and facilities designed around those workflows create exciting possibilities for Australian developers.” Macchia commented.
Ana Thu Nguyen, who has worked on major franchise productions including Mortal Kombat II, said unified digital pipelines are now central to large-scale projects.
“On productions like Mortal Kombat II, animation, performance capture and live-action function as one system,” Nguyen commented . “When those pipelines are unified onsite, it empowers directors, performers and technical teams to collaborate in real time.” Nguyen added, “A facility designed around real-time collaboration allows productions to move faster and make more confident creative decisions.”
In addition to production capability, CCS plans to incorporate broadcast-ready esports infrastructure, enabling development, cinematic production and competitive events to operate within a vertically aligned ecosystem.
Josh Hallaran, Critical Games developer and State of Play board member, said infrastructure plays a decisive role in where interactive investment lands.
“The NSW games industry has tremendous potential, but is currently underserved in both support and infrastructure,” Hallaran commented . “Central Coast Studios provides an opportunity for our local industry to grow and attract investment from international partners. It also gives talented creators the chance to apply transferable skills between film and games, creating more jobs.”
At full capacity, Central Coast Studios is projected to facilitate approximately $750 million in annual economic activity and create 2,500 local jobs across creative and technical roles. The project is currently progressing through planning stages.