Restart of Federal Game Funding with Restrictions and Reservations
Immediately after Christmas, the German government surprised the games industry by restarting federal funding, albeit under less favorable conditions. The absence of a 2025 budget means uncertainty looms over how much funding will be available for larger projects and when it might run out again.
While questions remain, the restart of federal games funding is a positive signal and a Christmas gift for the German games industry. On December 27, the Bundesministerium für Wirtschaft und Klimaschutz (BMWK; Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Climate Action) unexpectedly published new funding guidelines for games, as approved by the EU Commission, alongside a call for applications effective December 30. This formally ends a 20-month freeze on funding applications.