Using games to reach young people and make them resilient to extremism and enthusiastic about democracy. All centrist politicians can agree on this goal, but the devil is in the detail, as today’s news shows. GamesMarket Daily, 30 June 2026.
Gaming as a political football, dear readers,
is surely the last thing the industry wants. And yet the issue of games has found itself caught right between the government and the opposition – not when it comes to funding games as an economic sector and a driving force for the future of the digital society, but certainly when it comes to their use as a means of preventing extremism.
As was announced today, funding for the Good Gaming Support project has fallen victim to a restructuring of the ‘Demokratie leben!’ programme. This was confirmed by the Federal Ministry for Family Affairs in response to an enquiry from Green Party politician Dr Andrea Lübcke. She interprets this as being driven by ideological reasons, whilst Federal Minister for Family Affairs Karin Prien recently invited the industry, at the game summer party, to incorporate more gaming into the ‘Demokratie leben!’ programme – something Prien even wanted to support.
The situation reminds me of the back-and-forth over the charitable status of esports, which was wanted by everyone in the then ‘traffic light’ coalition, but ultimately got caught in the crossfire and came to a standstill. We all know how it ended: the ‘traffic light’ coalition no longer exists, and the charitable status has been implemented. A happy ending, but one that could have been achieved with far less drama.
Here are the news of the day!
Your Stephan Steininger
The Family Ministry has confirmed that Good Gaming Support by Amadeu Antonio Foundation, only started this May, will lose its funding. This rings bitter, after Karin Prien had declared how 'Demokratie Leben!' would now include more gaming at the game Summer Party.
(Read more...)
by Pascal Wagner
Subscribers to GamesMarkt have access to our extensive archive of GM+ content, including articles, interviews and background articles, as well as electronic versions of our print editions. Here are three examples from the archive:
Through social media posts on platforms including TikTok, Instagram, Facebook and X, Bandai Namco Entertainment Europe has confirmed its attendance at gamescom 2026.
(Read more...)
by Stephan Steininger
The games industry in Austria has grown significantly in recent years. This report provides an in-depth look at the state of the Austrian games market and its future prospects, as well as the country's game development industry.
(Read more...)
by Marcel Kleffmann
The state of Bavaria will have a dual presence at gamescom 2026. For the first time, Games/Bavaria is organising two Bavaria booths, one in Hall 4 (business area) and one in Hall 10 (entertainment area). Sixteen studios from Bavaria will be showcasing their work there.
(Read more...)
The venture capital firm Griffin Gaming Partners is strengthening its presence in the indie sector and has acquired a 3.24% stake in the indie publisher tinyBuild; according to the company, this is a strategic investment.
(Read more...)
For the upcoming 30th Celebration set, The Pokémon Company is coordinating the first simultaneously coordinated global launch for an expansion of their Pokémon Trading Card Game. It will drop on 16 September 2026.
(Read more...)
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