Shortly after DEP 2025, the German Esports Summit took place in Cologne. Around 120 industry, political and societal representatives took part in the annual conference of the German esports industry. There, the granting of non-profit status was highlighted as a start of a new era for esports.
Dorothee Bär (CSU) opened the annual summit at Cologne's Xperion venue with a video message. "This summit shows that esports are about more than just games and competitions. It is part of the digital lifestyle of young people and everyday culture. It connects people worldwide and promotes values such as teamwork and fair play. It is also a real driver of innovation," said the Federal Minister for Research, Technology and Space.
Nathanael Liminski (CDU), the Minister for Federal and European Affairs, International Affairs and Media of the State of North Rhine-Westphalia, was present to welcome guests and take part in a panel discussion on the topic 'What comes after non-profit status?'. He emphasised: "With the German government's decision on the non-profit status of esports a few weeks ago, the long-standing commitment of many players in the scene is finally being recognised. This political milestone is also the result of consistent, solution-oriented persuasion from North Rhine-Westphalia. The foundation has now been laid to further strengthen esports in Germany at all levels. North Rhine-Westphalia remains a reliable supporter and is therefore delighted to be hosting the German Esports Summit for the first time. This major networking event is the perfect opportunity to discuss how we can develop esports for the future in terms of both breadth and excellence. If Olympic esports games take place in 2027, our goal must be to have a German team competing."
The newly elected mayor of Cologne, Torsten Burmester (SPD), also welcomed the ESBD's (E-Sport-Bund Deutschland e.V.) commitment to further promoting esports in Germany. As the former chairman of the German Olympic Sports Confederation (DOSB), Burmester praised the closer ties and constructive dialogue between traditional sports and esports.
The panels discussed formats such as the Olympic Esports Games and the Esports Nations Cup, as well as the roles of associations, teams and cities in these events, and the current development of global and national interests in esports. The spillover effects into other areas, such as sport and society, were also made clear. Contributors included pioneers from SK Gaming and the ESL Faceit Group, among others. With the motto 'Ciao E-Sports Winter: moving forward together with pioneers and new players!', non-endemic companies such as Minor Hotels, Bergische Krankenkasse and Avata Gaming Insurance also used the esports stage to demonstrate the appeal of esports in other sectors. Parallel workshops addressed relevant topics such as data protection, promoting young talent, and betting.
ESBD President Christopher Flato concluded with a positive outlook on the future of German esports: "The German Esports Summit has made it clear that German esports is coming together, even in challenging times. The resulting synergies strengthen our role in international competition. With the non-profit status that has now been initiated, politicians are also sending a clear signal that esports is a living digital culture and a unifying force for millions of people." He also thanked the Film and Media Foundation of North Rhine-Westphalia for supporting the esports conference.
