Federal funding for video games at a glance:

• Funding for the development of prototypes and the production of video games.
• Funding rate of up to 50%.
• Applications have been accepted since 28 September 2020.
• Publication of second call on 22 November 2021.

Although overall turnover in the games sector is rising, the market shares of German companies have been declining for a long time and have been stagnating at a low level for several years. The number of people employed in the industry also falls short of its potential. In order to improve the conditions for games originating from Germany, the Federal Government has provided up to €50 million in annual funding for the industry since 2019. These resources are intended in particular to help raise the number of employees within the sector, as well as to increase the number of published games and companies from Germany and to strengthen their position on the German and international markets. To date, more than 550 projects have benefitted from this funding (see ‘Overview of funded projects’).

The Federal Government offers funding of up to 50 per cent for the development of prototypes and the production of video games. This is provided as a non-repayable grant and is aimed at companies with their registered office, permanent establishment or branch office in Germany. In order for a game to receive funding, the European Commission requires it to first pass a cultural test based on game content and cultural background. The development costs for prototypes must be at least €30,000 and can be up to a maximum of €400,000. To be eligible for production funding, the development costs must be at least €100,000. The exact funding rate in this case is calculated on the basis of the development costs.

➞ Overview of funded projects (German only, as of: January 2022)
The project list will be updated shortly

In addition to financial support for the games industry, the “Strategy for Germany as a Games Hub” sets out further fields of action for the Federal Government. These include extensive inward investment, such as measures to attract international investors and skilled professionals. The plans set out in the Strategy include strengthening industry networking, creating hubs, and improving the transfer of knowledge.

The German Video Game Award (Deutscher Computerspielpreis, DCP) is a prize conferred by the Federal Government together with ‘game – Verband der deutschen Games-Branche’ (German Games Industry Association) to honour developers of the best video games ‘made in Germany’. The DCP is the most important award in the German games industry and has been presented since 2009. The winning games are selected by high-ranking main and specialist juries based on aspects such as quality, innovative content and a fun gaming experience, as well as cultural and educational value.

General questions about the funding programme or the “Strategy for Germany as a Games Hub” can be sent to the Games division at the Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Climate Action (BMWK):
Email: games@bmwk.bund.de

Please send any press enquiries to:
Email: presse@bmwk.bund.de

As the Ministry’s appointed project management agency, DLR will be happy to answer any more specific questions on the application, including on formal, technical or commercial requirements:

Email: games@dlr.de
Hotline: +49 228 3821-1850