Bremen Invests Up to €150,000 Annually in Games Funding

It has been known for a few weeks that Bremen will launch its own games funding program at the start of the new year. Now, details about the funding amount and the first application deadline have been announced. The initial application deadline is set for January 9, 2025.

Interested studios will need to act quickly, though nordmedia, the organization managing Bremen’s games funding, is prepared. Consultations can be scheduled immediately, and while these are not mandatory, they are recommended. Companies unable to meet the January 9 deadline still have options; nordmedia has planned three application rounds per year.

Along with the schedule, details about the funding scope have also been shared. The Free Hanseatic City of Bremen, with the second-smallest budget among German states (after Saarland), will invest up to €150,000 annually in games funding. This funding focuses on game concepts and prototypes, as  production funding would require a significantly larger budget.

“This funding will benefit small studios and teams in particular, as it requires no equity capital and supports cross-border collaboration. Our goal is to strengthen Bremen’s games scene and encourage innovation,” says Kristina Vogt, Senator for Economic Affairs, Ports, and Transformation of the Free Hanseatic City of Bremen.

Thomas Schäffer, Managing Director of nordmedia, adds: “Games in Bremen are nothing new. With King Art, Bremen is already home to one of Germany’s largest studios. Now we can finally support fresh ideas and entrepreneurial initiatives in the games industry through nordmedia. This funding is a first step—the economic potential and cultural significance of games are, as we know, very high.”

nordmedia, the joint media funding agency for Lower Saxony and Bremen, has its origins in film funding and has been building expertise in the games sector for years, though previously only using Lower Saxony’s budget. With Bremen’s entry into games funding, Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania will soon be the only German federal state without state-level financial support for gaming or esports.

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