Geoffroy Sardin (Pullup) on Europe as a Gaming Location

How do industry executives rate Europe's position in the global market? We spoke to Geoffroy Sardin, Chief Executive Officer of Pullup Entertainment, formerly Focus Entertainment (France), to find out.

GamesMarkt: What is your opinion of the current state of the European games market?

Geoffroy Sardin: "The European games market is currently in a dynamic and promising phase. As a sales market, it is one of the most lucrative globally, with major territories like Germany, the UK, France, and the Nordics showing strong consumer demand across all platforms, from consoles to mobile. European players are diverse, engaged, and increasingly interested in indie and culturally rich games, making it an exciting territory for both AA and independent studios, which is the positioning of the pullup entertainement entities and studios.

As a production hub, Europe boasts a wealth of creative talent, high-quality technical education, and supportive public initiatives (especially in countries like France, Germany, and Poland). However, the ecosystem remains fragmented, with each country developing its own framework and incentives. This can make cross-border collaboration more complex than in more centralized regions like the U.S.

That said, Europe continues to produce globally acclaimed games and studios. With increasing investment and a maturing infrastructure, it's becoming a more attractive base not only for local developers but also for international partnerships and co-productions."

GamesMarkt: Is Europe able to compete with the other major markets, particularly North America and Asia?

Geoffroy Sardin: "Yes, but with certain caveats. Europe absolutely has the creative and technical talent to compete with North America and Asia. The region has produced some of the most iconic titles and franchises in gaming history. European studios are often praised for their innovation, strong narrative design, and artistic identity.

However, when it comes to scale, funding, and marketing power, Europe still lags slightly behind. North America , particularly the U.S., benefits from massive venture capital presence and consolidated publishing power. Asia, on the other hand, leads in mobile gaming and has huge domestic markets that support aggressive scaling.

To fully compete, Europe needs more pan-European coordination, greater access to growth capital, and stronger visibility on the international stage. But creatively and technically, Europe is already on par."

GamesMarkt: How would you say Pullup is positioned in terms of the opportunities and challenges it faces in the European market?

Geoffroy Sardin: "Pullup Entertainment is deeply embedded in the European creative ecosystem. Our presence is entirely European, with over 600 team members across our group entities: our flagship publisher Focus Entertainment Publishing based in France, and studios located in the UK (Dovetail Games), Germany (Deck13), France (Carpool Studio, 12/10ème, Leikir Studio, Dotemu), and the Netherlands (BlackMill Studio). The recent very positive reception from Press & players of Ninja Gaiden: Ragebound - published by Dotemu and crafted by the talented team at Spain's The Game Kitchen - perfectly illustrates the strength and creativity at the heart of European game development, and our ability to produce distinctive games with global resonance.

We see Europe not just as a market, but as a platform for innovation, collaboration, and cultural expression. Our philosophy is to connect creativity with community - delivering games that are distinctive, emotionally engaging, and deeply rooted in European storytelling, while still speaking to a global audience.

We benefit from many opportunities: access to world-class creative talent across the continent, a growing appetite for original IP among European players, and robust public support systems, including production grants and co-production schemes. We're also encouraged by a growing willingness among European publishers and distributors to take risks on fresh voices - a trend that aligns perfectly with our identity."