Large portions of the funds for games funding have already been used up again, which is leading to another application stop. The industry association game e.V. is choosing clear words in its reaction – and is making demands.
It has only been two months since games funding resumed, after a year and a half-long halt to applications. Now the “fresh start” is already over – the coffers are partially empty, and many companies are left to their own devices again. This is the third halt to applications for games funding since it began in 2020.
The funds provided by the Federal Government Commissioner for Culture and the Media to the Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Climate Protection have been used up. Projects with a size of up to 900,000 euros are affected by the renewed stop.
The part of the games funding that is based on the funds of the Ministry of Economics itself will be continued. In theory, 50 million euros would still be available. However, due to the still missing federal budget for 2025 and the blocked commitment appropriations, far-reaching restrictions still apply.
Felix Falk, managing director of the industry association game e.V., had already expressed skepticism at the end of December and is now sharply criticizing the latest application freeze: This comes as “little surprise” to him and “once again harms companies and Germany as a business location.”
“In view of the poor investment climate and the cost disadvantages of more than 30 percent without internationally comparable funding, this situation is absolutely damaging for games companies in this country,” says Falk.
Falk calls for ‘tax incentives for games’
According to him, “it has once again become clear that companies need predictability, which can only be achieved with a supplementary model of tax relief for games, as has long been standard in internationally successful locations.”
The game boss is calling on the new federal government, which has yet to be formed: It can and must “finally end the back and forth of the past few years and create competitive conditions for an international race to catch up”.
We had already analyzed what the industry association and other big players in the scene are demanding of politicians with regard to eSports before the 2025 federal election.
