Games Companies Rate Competitiveness as Poor, Criticize Political Commitment

Amid ongoing coalition negotiations for a new government, the game association has published data from its latest industry barometer, revealing a pessimistic mood within the German games industry. Many companies are calling for stronger political support.

Felix Falk, Managing Director of game, describes the results as "alarming." According to the survey, 87% of member companies consider the international competitiveness of the German games industry to be rather poor or very poor. Additionally, 70% of respondents rate political commitment to the industry as poor or rather poor.

The association attributes these results in part to ongoing uncertainty surrounding federal funding. "The introduction of games funding in 2020 initially led to a wave of new company formations. However, we are now facing the third suspension of funding applications, which has almost brought the industry’s momentum to a standstill. Without reliable funding, German companies must contend with cost disadvantages of up to 30% compared to other countries," says Felix Falk.

However, the survey also highlights some positive aspects. 63% of respondents rate the training of young talent as rather good or very good, while 66% say the same about the social perception of games. The highest-rated factor in the survey was "other infrastructure for game companies"—which includes hubs, networks, and industry initiatives—receiving a good or very good rating from 78% of respondents.

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