Berlin Also Bidding to Host DCP 2026

After years of alternating between Berlin and Munich, the Deutscher Computerspielpreis (DCP; German Computer Game Award) is now awarded through an open application process. For 2025, Berlin was the sole applicant. Although Bavaria had already expressed its interest in hosting the event in 2026, Berlin has now confirmed its intention to apply as well.

As the DCP 2025 unfolds, a pressing question emerges: Where will the 2026 awards ceremony take place? Following a long tradition of alternating between Munich and Berlin, the venue selection process was opened to public bidding last year. Berlin was the only applicant for 2025, securing the event. But for 2026, competition is expected – Bavaria’s Digital Minister, Fabian Mehring, had already confirmed last year that the state would submit a bid.

At the opening of Spotlight Games Berlin, Helge Jürgens, Managing Director of Medienboard Berlin-Brandenburg, reaffirmed the capital region’s ambitions. “Berlin has applied,” said Jürgens, who appears to enjoy political backing. Florian Graf, head of the Berlin Senate Chancellery, remarked that Berlin wouldn’t mind hosting the DCP annually, drawing a parallel to the DFB Cup Final, which is held in the city every year. The comparison was apt, as the DFB Cup trophy was on display at the Rotes Rathaus, less than 100 metres away.

It remains uncertain whether other federal states will also enter the race. North Rhine-Westphalia and Hamburg, both major hubs of the German games industry with strong political support, are potential contenders. Other states with the necessary resources and the willingness to make a statement could also be in the running. Baden-Württemberg, for instance, has been steadily expanding its efforts in the sector. Hesse, while lagging in funding, is home to some of the country’s largest and most successful studios and publishers. One thing is certain: the question of where the DCP 2026 will be held is likely to remain a topic of lively discussion well beyond today.