Until the summer, Johanna Nylander will take over the day-to-day management of the Swedish industry association Dataspelsbranschen as Acting Managing Director. Nylander will represent Per Strömbäck while he takes part-time parental leave.
Johanna Nylander has been an important pillar of the Swedish games industry at the Dataspelsbranchen association for over ten years. The communications expert joined the association in 2014 and headed up the policy and analytics departments for many years. Since 2013, she has also been Deputy CEO and thus the logical replacement for Per Strömbäck, who is on parental leave until the summer. Nylander will serve as Acting Managing Director during this time.
“The games industry is evolving constantly and I’m excited to see what 2026 will offer both in terms of new releases from Swedish studios and for the industry as it’s whole. Also election year in Sweden and a world economy with global affairs affecting everyone in terms that doesn’t follow traditional patterns will lead to new ways forward and new alliances. I am certain that games, what we play and to find meaningful and joyful experiences will become more important than ever,” Nylander writes on LinkedIn.
In fact, Sweden may be facing some crucial decisions. In December, a cross-party working group in the Swedish Parliament presented a report of almost 200 pages, which can be read as a plea for more government support for the Swedish games industry. Sweden is one of the few countries that has a vibrant games industry without providing funding for games projects. However, there are calls to officially recognise the games industry as part of the cultural sector, so that more support can be provided, especially for young entrepreneurs.
