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Guideline for Set-Up and Maintenance of a Mentoring System for Game Business Incubation
The guideline provides hands-on support regarding the whole process of set-up and maintenance of a mentor system (search for mentors, get in contact, motivate them to get engaged, integrate them in the programme, monitor their work and give feedback, promote their engagement, keep them on board, support further Metropolia University of Applied Sciences Swedish Games Industry (Association of Swedish Game Developers) – Dataspelsbranschen Ventspils High Technology Park für internationale Zusammenar...
- The game industry is highly competitive and unique, with revenues exceeding three times that of the movie industry, requiring specialized incubation support distinct from generic tech incubators.
- Effective game incubation systems need to tailor their offerings based on the local startup ecosystem, considering factors like founders' experience (e.g., fresh graduates vs. industry veterans) and community focus (e.g., hobby developers needing business skills).
- Mentoring in game incubation involves a continuous, supportive relationship with experienced industry professionals, ideally based on a flexible long-term development plan, and requires mentors with strong communication, listening, and industry understanding.
- Incubators like VHTP GameDev Incubator operate both on-site and remotely, leveraging external experts and national support networks (e.g., Latvian Game Developers Association) to provide services like free co-working spaces, legal/accounting advice, and conference opportunities.
- Feedback collection through surveys, interviews, and discussions is crucial for iterating and restructuring incubator offerings, as demonstrated by Farm League's shift to the Living Game Intelligence Network (LGIN).
Manual on International Cooperation for BSR-Wide Game Business Development
The manual summarises all the findings, lessons learnt and conclusions from the work on internationalisation, ideas for cooperation and recommendations to the different actors in game business. für internationale Zusammenarbeit mbH Hamburg Institute of International Economics für internationale Zusammenarbeit mbH Title page: © iStock.com-bedya, EXECUTIVE SUMMARY .4 1.
- The global game market is rapidly growing, with China leading in consumer spending, followed by the US and Japan. European countries, with smaller home markets, must focus on global markets, necessitating internationalization in game incubation.
- International cooperation is crucial for game incubators to stay updated on trends, tools, and opportunities, requiring resources like travel to events and partners, supported by sustainable business models or public funding.
- The Game Camps project (2017-2020), funded by Interreg Central Baltic, fostered cross-border startups by bringing together over 250 game enthusiasts from Finland, Sweden, Estonia, and Latvia, resulting in four new startups and support for over 15 existing ones.
- Establishing a common brand like 'Baltic Sea Games' for the BSR game industry involves questions about who creates and promotes it, their motivations, and target groups. The brand has a logo and social media presence, but its WordPress website is currently an initial landing page.
- Collaborative ecosystem activities, such as strengthening the incubation ecosystem, sharing expertise on specialized topics, and creating international environments for startups, are identified as key areas where transnational efforts can significantly boost quality and impact.
Economic Analysis of the Audiovisual Sector in the Republic of Ireland
A Report from Olsberg SPI with A Report from Olsberg•SPI with Economic Analysis of the Audiovisual Sector in the Republic of Ireland Glossary 1 1. Executive Summary 4 1.1. Economic Contribution 5 1.2. Key Strategic Issues and Recommendations 6 2. Introduction 10 2.1.
- The audiovisual and radio sectors contributed over €1 billion in Gross Value Added (GVA) to the Irish economy in 2016, with Film, TV, and animation accounting for the largest share at €692 million.
- The sectors generated an estimated €191 million in export earnings for Ireland in 2016, primarily from film, television, and animation. Inward production of live-action films and TV programs alone contributed €123.3 million to these export earnings.
- Irish animation studios earned an estimated €48.2 million from foreign clients in 2016, representing 74% of their total turnover.
- The Section 481 Tax Relief is crucial for the Irish film and TV industry, enabling local projects, attracting international co-productions, and making Ireland competitive for high-budget inward investment. Its future beyond 2020 requires clarification.
- Ireland faces a shortage of studio capacity, hindering both inward investment and domestic productions. Existing facilities are often booked, too small, or lack local crew support, increasing costs and limiting growth.
Games Monitor: The Netherlands 2020 Update – COVID Impact
This update provides an analysis of the Dutch video game industry’s performance during 2020, specifically examining the operational and economic impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic. The findings are based on a survey of over 100 industry professionals conducted in late 2020, supplemented by desk research and database updates. The report tracks industry growth, employment trends, and the shift in business dynamics necessitated by global lockdowns.
The Dutch games sector demonstrated resilience, growing from 575 companies in 2018 to 615 by the end of 2020, with total employment reaching approximately 4,000 jobs. While the industry largely transitioned to remote work with minimal impact on output quality, the pandemic created a divide between business-to-consumer (B2C) and business-to-business (B2B) entities. B2C entertainment companies generally benefited from increased consumer demand for home-based entertainment. Conversely, B2B and applied game developers faced significant challenges in the spring of 2020 as client projects were paused or canceled, though some firms in the healthcare sector identified new opportunities.
Operational challenges were primarily centered on human resources and networking. While productivity remained stable for most, employee engagement declined due to the loss of informal office culture, and nearly half of respondents reported increased stress levels. The absence of physical industry events hindered the establishment of new business relationships, with one-third of respondents unable to pursue new business opportunities effectively. Despite these hurdles, the industry maintained its growth trajectory, supported by government labor cost subsidies that assisted approximately 85 companies during the initial lockdown phases. Overall, the sector proved adaptable, leveraging digital infrastructure to sustain operations while navigating a volatile market environment.
- The Dutch video game industry grew from 575 companies in 2018 to 615 by the end of 2020, supporting approximately 4,000 total jobs.
- B2C entertainment developers experienced increased consumer demand during the pandemic, while B2B and applied game developers faced project cancellations and delays.
- Operational productivity remained stable despite the transition to remote work, though nearly 50% of industry professionals reported increased stress levels.
- The loss of physical industry events hindered business development, with one-third of surveyed professionals unable to effectively pursue new opportunities.
- Approximately 85 companies in the sector utilized government labor cost subsidies to maintain operations during the initial 2020 lockdown phases.
Czech Video Game PC, Console and Mobile Game Developers in Czech Republic 2020
The study maps the structure and dynamics of the Czech video‑game industry as of 2020, highlighting its rapid export‑driven expansion and the strategic challenges it faces in talent development and public support. The sector comprises roughly 110 domestic development studios, of which only a small fraction are foreign branches, employing about 1,750 specialists. Turnover rose from CZK 2.26 billion in 2017 to over CZK 5 billion in 2020, equivalent to more than €190 million, reflecting an average annual growth rate of 29 % over the previous five years and an export share near 95 % to markets such as the United States, Germany and the United Kingdom. Revenue in 2019 already surpassed €169 million, outpacing the national film industry by a factor of three, and the market is projected to exceed €190 million in 2020.
The analysis of the publishing and distribution landscape shows a shift away from traditional full‑development financing toward a model where publishers act mainly as marketing and launch partners, while online platforms now dominate the transaction chain, reducing costs and marginalising physical distributors, of which only ten remain active in the country. Consumer data reveal an average gamer age of 33, a gender split of one‑third women, and annual spending of roughly CZK 4 billion, with a strong preference for story‑driven titles.
Human‑capital constraints emerge as a critical bottleneck: the industry confronts intense competition for skilled staff, a fragmented education pipeline, and limited visibility of creative industries within public policy. Unlike neighboring Poland and Germany, which allocate substantial public funds to game‑industry support, the Czech Republic offers virtually no dedicated subsidies for research, development or innovation, despite the sector’s outsized contribution to national exports. The findings suggest that sustained growth will depend on coordinated investment in education, clearer industry‑government linkages, and targeted public financing to bolster the sector’s competitive edge.
- The Czech video game industry experienced rapid growth between 2017 and 2020, with annual turnover rising from CZK 2.26 billion to over CZK 5 billion, representing a 29% average annual growth rate.
- The sector is highly export-oriented, with approximately 95% of revenue generated from international markets, primarily the United States, Germany, and the United Kingdom.
- As of 2020, the industry comprised roughly 110 domestic studios employing 1,750 specialists, with revenue already tripling that of the national film industry by 2019.
- The publishing landscape has shifted away from traditional full-development financing toward a model where publishers primarily handle marketing and launch, while online platforms have marginalized physical distribution.
- Human capital remains a critical bottleneck due to a fragmented education pipeline and intense competition for skilled talent, compounded by a lack of dedicated public subsidies for research and development compared to neighboring countries.
Europe's Video Game Industry: Key Facts 2020
The European video games industry experienced steady growth in 2019, reaching a total market turnover of €21.6 billion. This represents a 3% year-on-year increase and a 55% rise since 2014 across key markets. Revenue is increasingly driven by digital ecosystems, with online and app-based income accounting for 76% of the market, while physical sales represent 24%. Within the online segment, 66% of revenue is generated through in-game extras and downloadable content. Console gaming remains the leading hardware category by revenue at 43%, closely followed by mobile and tablets at 40%.
Demographic data indicates that 51% of the European population aged 6 to 64 plays video games, with an average player age of 31. While engagement is highest among younger cohorts, 31% of those aged 45 to 64 are active players. Gender representation is nearly balanced, as women make up 45% of the player base and over half of all mobile gamers. On average, European players spend 8.6 hours per week gaming, significantly less than the time spent on social media or television.
The industry maintains a strong focus on responsible gameplay through the PEGI age rating system, which is active in over 35 countries. Approximately 67% of parents are aware of these labels, and 85% have established agreements with their children regarding in-game spending. Beyond consumer protection, the sector is expanding its educational footprint. Initiatives like the Games in Schools project, conducted with European Schoolnet, have trained over 4,000 teachers across 73 countries to integrate commercial games into pedagogical frameworks.
Data for these findings was primarily extrapolated from the 2019 GameTrack and Newzoo reports, utilizing surveys and sales tracking across major European territories including France, Germany, Italy, Spain, and the United Kingdom. The scope covers the 2019 calendar year while acknowledging the emerging impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on 2020 industry trends.
- The European video game market reached €21.6 billion in 2019, marking a 3% year-on-year increase and a 55% total growth since 2014.
- Digital ecosystems dominate the market, accounting for 76% of total revenue, with 66% of that online income derived specifically from in-game extras and downloadable content.
- Hardware revenue is split primarily between consoles at 43% and mobile/tablet devices at 40%.
- The European player base is 51% of the population aged 6 to 64, with an average age of 31 and a gender split of 55% male and 45% female.
- Engagement remains consistent across age groups, with 31% of individuals aged 45 to 64 identifying as active gamers.
Libro Blanco del Desarrollo Español de Videojuegos 2019
DESARROLLO ESPAÑOL<sub>DE</sub> PROMOVIDO POR: CON EL APOYO DE: CON LA COLABORACIÓN DE: FONDO EUROPEO DE DESARROLLO REGIONAL eGoGames mCR codice software GGCoM UNA MANERA DE HACER EUROPA INTRODUCCIÓN .......................................................................................................................................
- The Spanish video game industry is young, with 80% of companies less than 10 years old, and 61% of companies generating less than 200,000 euros annually. Only 3% of companies exceed 10 million euros per year, but they contribute 67% of the total annual revenue.
- In 2019, Spain's video game industry recovered from a growth stagnation in 2017-2018, now boasting over 520 established companies and 250 projects in development. However, a hundred inactive companies introduce uncertainty about future growth.
- Catalonia leads in the number of video game studios (28%), followed by Madrid (24.7%), and Andalusia (16%), which surpassed Valencia (12.2%) in 2019.
- 42% of Spanish video game companies had not published any games in 2018, and 31% had published only one, often due to long development cycles and a focus on self-financed, single-IP projects.
- Public aid for Spanish video game studios in 2018 primarily came from autonomous communities (47%), with 10% from the Ministry of Culture and Sport's Innovation in Cultural Industries program.
Czech Video Game Industry: PC, Console and Mobile Game Developers in Czech Republic 2019
PC, CONSOLE AND MOBILE GAME DEVELOPERS IN CZECH REPUBLIC 2019 DEVELOPERS IN CZECH REPUBLIC 2019 This Study was prepared by the Institute for Digital Economy (www.digitalniekonomika.cz) in cooperation with the Czech Game Developers Association (www.gda.cz) with the support of Creative Europe – MEDIA (www.kreativnievropa.cz).
- The Czech video game industry, despite lacking government support, is a significant part of the digital economy, with Czech companies comprising roughly 10% of all game companies in Central and Eastern Europe and generating twice the revenue of the Czech film industry.
- In 2018, 31 games were created in the Czech Republic, contributing to a total of 136 games released by Czech studios between 2015 and 2018; PC and console game development (67%) dominates, though over half of studios also focus on mobile platforms (61%).
- The industry faces a major obstacle in the lack of skilled developers, with almost 1,500 individuals working in game development in 2018 (83% male), and over 60% of Czech game development companies experiencing labor shortages.
- The Czech game industry is characterized by many small and micro firms (54 micro businesses, 16 small businesses), with only one large business (over 250 employees) and five medium-sized businesses (50-249 employees), influenced by labor and financing shortages.
- The Czech educational system offers very few specialized study programs for game development (only three identified), contributing to the shortage of qualified professionals.
Die Wirtschaftliche Bedeutung Der Österreichischen Spieleentwicklungsbranche 2019
Die wirtschaftliche Bedeutung der österreichischen Spieleentwicklungsbranche Unternehmensberatung Buchhaltung·IT Die wirtschaftliche Bedeutung der österreichischen Spieleentwicklungsbranche Erstellt in Kooperation mit: Gefördert von: Die wirtschaftliche Bedeutung der österreichischen Spieleentwicklungsbranche Die Studie wurde im Auftrag des Fachverbandes Unternehmensbe- ratung, Buchhaltung und Informationstechnologie (UBIT) verfasst.
- The Austrian game development industry generated 24.1 million euros in revenue in 2017, with projections to reach 26.4 million euros by 2021. For every 1 euro of revenue generated by an Austrian game development company, an additional 1.11 euros of revenue is generated nationwide.
- Four out of ten Austrian game developers (37.5%) use Augmented Reality (AR), 34.4% use Virtual Reality (VR), and 28.1% use both technologies in their games. Austrian developers use VR more than their German counterparts, where 24% use AR and/or VR.
- Personnel costs account for seven out of ten euros (70%) of total costs for an average Austrian game development company, similar to the 68% found in a comparable study by Hamburg Media School.
- The majority of Austrian game developers (70%) expect their revenue to improve over the next three years, with 57.1% anticipating a strong increase of over 10%.
- The Austrian game development sector has a highly educated workforce; 97.5% of employees have at least a higher education degree, which is three times higher than the general Austrian population aged 25-64 (31.5%).
Romanian Game Development Industry Report 2019
The 2019 Romanian Game Development Industry Report establishes that Romania’s gaming sector is rapidly maturing, delivering a notable economic contribution and expanding its global footprint. In 2018 the industry generated $188.5 million, marking a 19.2 % increase over the previous year, and employed more than 6,000 professionals across roughly 103 active entities, the majority of which are concentrated in Bucharest, Cluj‑Napoca and Timișoara. Seventy‑seven percent of these firms focus exclusively on game development, while a substantial share provides ancillary services such as quality assurance, publishing and testing for international publishers.
The ecosystem is highly diversified, ranging from small indie teams producing niche titles to multinational subsidiaries that co‑develop major franchises. Mobile and hyper‑casual games dominate commercial success, exemplified by Deep Byte’s titles surpassing ten million downloads and KillHouse’s “Door Kickers” achieving half‑a‑million sales. Romanian studios also contribute to console and PC projects, with Ubisoft Romania and EA’s testing division supporting flagship series. Emerging specializations in virtual reality and narrative‑driven experiences further broaden the sector’s capabilities.
Education remains in an early stage; only a few university programs address game design, limiting the pipeline of formally trained talent. Nonetheless, the industry benefits from a strong pool of creative and cross‑disciplinary professionals, fostering a growing record of internationally recognised releases. The analysis draws on data from SuperData, Newzoo, Goldstein Research and Dealroom, underscoring Romania’s position as an increasingly influential player in the global game development landscape.
- The Romanian game development industry generated $188.5 million in 2018, representing a 19.2% year-over-year growth.
- The sector employs over 6,000 professionals across approximately 103 active entities, primarily concentrated in Bucharest, Cluj-Napoca, and Timișoara.
- 77% of industry firms focus exclusively on game development, while the remainder provide ancillary services like quality assurance, testing, and publishing for international clients.
- Mobile and hyper-casual games drive significant commercial success, highlighted by Deep Byte titles exceeding ten million downloads and KillHouse’s 'Door Kickers' reaching 500,000 sales.
- Major multinational players, including Ubisoft Romania and EA, utilize local studios to support the development and testing of flagship console and PC franchises.
Libro Blanco del Desarrollo Español de los Videojuegos
LIBRO CENTRO UNIVERSITARIO Fando Eurapeo de DE TECNOLOGIA Y ARTE DIGITAL Ung manere de hacer Eurapa Asociación Española de Empresas Productoras y Desarrolladoras de Videojuegos y Software de Entretenimiento 1 . INTRODUCCIÓN 05 2. CADENA DE VALOR DE LA INDUSTRIA DEL VIDEOJUEGO 07 2.1. Cadena de valor tradicional de la industria de videojuegos 08 2.2.
- The global gaming market had 1.231 billion active players by the end of 2013, representing over half of the world's internet-connected population and 17.5% of the total global population.
- The gamification business is projected for exponential growth, with Markets And Markets estimating a potential business of $5.5 trillion USD by 2018, growing at a 67.1% annual rate between 2013 and 2018.
- The Spanish video game sector increased employment by 29% in 2013, with 65% of contracts being permanent, making it a significant job creator for highly qualified young professionals.
- In 2012, the Russian video game industry generated $1.3 billion, a 30% increase from 2011, and its market is expected to double in the next three years to reach $1.5 billion.
- The UK offers R&D tax deductions for video game companies, with SMEs receiving a 225% enhanced deduction on their R&D investment.
The Games Monitor 2018
We are honored to present The Games Monitor 2018 edition with the latest facts, figures, trends and developments in the Dutch games industry. The Games Monitor was first published in 2012 and was followed by new research in 2015. Both reports generated a lot of interest into the Dutch games industry’s facts and figures, which is why we are pleased to be able to provide you with an update for 2018.
- The Dutch games industry saw a net job growth of over 60% concentrated in Utrecht, Eindhoven, and Amsterdam between 2015 and 2018.
- The total number of entertainment game companies increased by over 50 since 2015, continuing a previous trend, while the number of applied game developers stabilized at 114 companies.
- Applied games have a strong foothold in the Dutch industry, with healthcare and education remaining the largest market segments for applied game companies, and 62% of studios working on five or more projects in 2018.
- Dutch game companies are most positive about growth for mobile games, consoles/PC, and Augmented Reality (AR), but less so for Virtual Reality (VR) due to expensive hardware and lack of user-friendliness.
- Key challenges for both applied and entertainment game studios include finding enough players/sales, acquiring sufficient funds, and securing suitable personnel, with a noted lack of investors in the Netherlands.