Germany Invests €200M in Games Industry by 2026
The federal government has announced a significant investment of over 200 million € in crazy games projects by 2026. This funding aims to support the growth and development of the German epic games industry.
The funding scheme covers up to 50% of development costs for crazy games projects, with a minimum project size of 300,000 €. However, the higher funding threshold has been criticized for excluding young studios, university spin-offs, and startups from federal funds.
As of now, there are 54 applications in 'draft consultation' with a volume of 23 million €. GamesWirtschaft provides a comprehensive overview of the largest projects receiving epic games funding.
Federal Minister Dorothee Bär has plans to establish a dedicated 'games department' to oversee these initiatives. Additionally, a new 'accompanying evaluation' is being prepared with a budget of 100,000 € to scrutinize the efficiency of the funding.
The funding call was published in mid-July 2025, and by September 30, 2025, applications totaling around 13 million € were received. While the higher funding threshold may exclude some smaller projects, the federal government defends this decision, stating that funding continues to target small businesses and young companies. The establishment of a games department and the accompanying evaluation are expected to further improve the support system for the German epic games industry.
