On Point is a finalist for Excellence in Extended Reality at the 2026 Australian Game Developer Awards! We’re proud to be recognised alongside Espire: MR Missions from Digital Lode Immersive Media and Hyper Bullet from Protostar.
IGEA announced the finalists on 9 September, with On Point listed under Actuator Games. The ceremony takes place at 3pm on Wednesday 7 October 2026 at the Melbourne Convention and Exhibition Centre. Congratulations to our fellow finalists and everyone whose work is being celebrated this year.
We received an official email, and Seb also learned the news from a member of the community. In the team’s Discord, there were plenty of excited GIFs. After everything that went into getting this game out into the world, it was a moment worth enjoying together.
What it took to get here
On Point began with a straightforward ambition: bring the joy of arcade light-gun games into VR. We wanted something approachable enough to introduce people to a headset, with the challenge and score chasing that kept us coming back to the arcade.
Making it meant a much harder decision. We deliberately focused on VR video games at the expense of the paid commercial work that had sustained Actuator Digital. We put everything we had into On Point, and that commitment placed the studio under serious financial strain. The company came close to not surviving it.
There were many points when stopping would have let us earn more elsewhere or reduce our expenses. Continuing through that uncertainty mattered to us. We wanted to finish the game and give it the care it deserved.
On Point reached full release in December 2025, with 115 minigames, new modes and a reworked progression system. Reaching that milestone proved we could take our own product all the way to market. Now, seeing it recognised by our industry peers means a great deal.
The people who helped us finish
Screen Queensland’s financial support was a huge factor in making that possible. On Point is among its publicly listed Games Grants recipients, and we’re grateful for the difference that backing made.
Just as important was the team’s support and belief, even when things got tough. This nomination is a chance to recognise the people who kept putting their skill and care into the game.
We also found a community through Based Code on Twitch that supported On Point along the way. Fasffy helped get the word out by streaming and sharing game events and announcements. That support was hugely influential in helping people discover what we were making.
Listening without losing the idea
Community feedback changed the game itself, too. Our original visual direction was cute and chibi, intended to make On Point something families would play together. But feedback showed us that it was alienating some of the audience who remembered light-gun games as edgy and exciting when they were children.
Some character choices weren’t landing as intended. The moustached female characters, for example, caused confusion where we had hoped for affection. We changed them and adjusted the visual direction to put more emphasis on what made On Point special: the light-gun shooter experience in VR.
We stayed true to the idea behind the game while learning how to communicate it better. That took a willingness to listen and revisit work we had already invested in.
We’re also proud of the engineering behind On Point. The team maintained a commitment to quality rather than taking shortcuts for quick wins. Its art, code, writing and audio were all made without AI. As technology changes, we think this may be the last game we make entirely without AI assistance. That makes this a particular moment to appreciate the human craft that went into it.
Taking those lessons forward
On Point hasn’t made us a studio sustained entirely by games. We still have a long way to go, but it has helped reposition Actuator as a games studio, and we’re doing more game work.
Our next game, Not Monsters, represents a second chance to build on that experience: move faster, learn from community feedback and carry forward what worked. Content creators helped On Point find players, while requests for multiplayer and social features showed us something people wanted from the experience. Those lessons are informing our approach.
For now, we’re taking a moment to celebrate On Point and everyone who helped us finish it. Thank you to our team, supporters and players. If you haven’t tried it yet, pick up On Point on Meta Quest or Steam and have a go.