NRW Games Minister Liminski: "Frustrating" to See Gouvernment Block Funding Progress
– 2 min read
NRW's Media Minister Nathanael Liminski swings against the Economy and Finance Ministries of the Federal Gouvernment: No tax credits, no planning security, no sound plans for a funding overhaul and the ongoing application stop are threating the industry, Liminski says.
No planning security for big companies coming to Germany to produce games: That's one of the key points Northrine-Westfalian Minister for Federal and European Affairs, International Affairs and Media and Head of the State Chancellery critisises about the laid-out plans of the Federal Gouvernment regarding a new games funding. Liminski, wo is heading the Northrine-Westfalian games funding politically, also sharply crisisises the ongoing apllication stop for the Federal Games funding. Since the beginning of 2023, that particular topic remains a big problem for studios in Germany.
"There has been no federal games funding in Germany for almost a year. Anyone expecting substantial results for the games industry from Berlin will unfortunately be disappointed once again. It is frustrating to see how the gouvernment itself is threatening to destroy this wonderful topic and this innovative industry. The key points now presented for a new games funding guideline are worthless as long as the federal government does not finally end the standstill in the allocation of funding," Liminski says.
"The key points presented do not solve the problem that companies have no planning security. Even if funding becomes available again at some point, nobody can say when the pot will be empty again. On such a basis, no major game developer plans to produce a game in Germany, as it is completely unpredictable when funding will be available and when the door will close again. The aim of convincing large manufacturers to develop in Germany is therefore not realised.
The German government cites the introduction of a tax credit system as a goal and refers to the film industry and the difficulty of convincing the federal states of this. The Federal Ministry of Finance is currently blocking the introduction of a tax incentive system for the film industry and there is still no coordinated proposal from the federal government to which the federal states could respond. The BMWK has also not yet sought any talks with the federal states in the games sector.
If the federal government takes its self-imposed goals seriously and really wants to establish a tax credit system, then this can only be done in co-operation with the federal states. To do this, however, we would have to start talking to each other at least once. We are currently seeing the opposite: the outstretched hand of the federal states for constructive cooperation in the interests of Germany as a strong games location has once again been rejected. The federal government must finally realise the opportunities that lie in a strong games industry. And then seize them."
