Computerspieleförderung des Bundes: Interessensbekundungen

The German federal government initiated a formal process to gauge industry demand for a new national video game funding program. By inviting small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) to submit expressions of interest, the Federal Ministry of Transport and Digital Infrastructure (BMVI) aimed to estimate the required financial volume for the upcoming support scheme. This preliminary phase served as a precursor to the official application period, which was scheduled to run from June 3, 2019, through August 30, 2019.

The funding program, rooted in the 2018 coalition agreement between the CDU/CSU and SPD, focuses on supporting both game prototypes and full-scale productions. The financial structure limits subsidies to a maximum of 200,000 euros per company over a three-year period. Standard support covers up to 50 percent of total production costs, with an additional 20 percent bonus available for startups and smaller enterprises, potentially raising the total coverage to 70 percent of production expenses.

This initiative represents a targeted effort to bolster the German games sector by providing direct financial assistance to smaller developers. By collecting data through expressions of interest, the government sought to align the program's capacity with the actual needs of the domestic market. The program operates under specific federal guidelines, ensuring that the distribution of funds remains consistent with national economic policy for the digital and creative industries.