Keir Starmer, prime minister of the UK since 2024. © UK Parliament/Jessica Taylor Business UK Government: Payment Processors Can Ban What They Want After a petition reached the necessary signatures, Starmer's UK government commented on the NSFW bans payment processors pressured storefronts into. According to the UK treasury, payment processors are in the right and the government has no plans to step in. This puts the government in direct contrast to By Pascal Wagner • 2 min read
Benjamin Zuckerer, Chairman of Games Bavaria Munich e.V. © CipSoft Business Games Bavaria Munich Welcomes the Increase in Funding for Games Games Bavaria Munich e.V. is grateful to the Bavarian government for its clear commitment to the games industry. Doubling funding for games would stimulate growth and innovation at Bavarian studios. Games Bavaria Munich e.V. welcomes the recent announcement of an increase in funding for the Bavarian games industry, By Marcel Kleffmann • 1 min read
Felix Falk (Managing Director of game) and Christopher Flato (ESBD President) © game - the German Games Industry Association / Flato ESBD, Alina Ehmann Esports Esports Clubs to Be Treated as Non-Profit Organisations From the Beginning of 2026 in Germany Following initial issues with the first draft at the start of the week, the final government draft on the non-profit status of esports has been met with widespread approval from game - Verband der deutschen Games-Branche, the E-Sport-Bund Deutschland (ESBD) and the Landessportbund Nordrhein-Westfalen. From 1 January 2026, esports clubs By Marcel Kleffmann • 3 min read
Felix Falk (Managing Director of game) and Christopher Flato (ESBD President) © game - the German Games Industry Association / Flato ESBD Esports "The Draft Bill on Esports Non-Profit Status Creates More Problems Than It Solves." The draft bill on the 2025 Tax Amendment Act, prepared by the German Federal Ministry of Finance, contains an approach to the non-profit status of esports in Germany for the first time. However, according to game - the German Games Industry Association, the E-Sport-Bund Deutschland e.V. (ESBD) and the By Marcel Kleffmann • 2 min read
Excerpt from the study: 'Sexism, anti-feminism and queerphobia'. © Bertelsmann Stiftung Campus Bertelsmann Stiftung Study Explores the Democratic Potential of Gaming Communities "Gaming communities are anything but apolitical" is one of the findings of the Bertelsmann Stiftung's study, "Spielräume für Demokratie - Potenziale und Spannungsfelder im Gaming" (Room for Democracy: Potential and Areas of Tension in Gaming). In Germany, gaming is generally regarded as either an By Marcel Kleffmann • 3 min read
© bpb Campus bpb Launches Handbook Gaming & Rightwing-Extremism German Federal Agency for Civic Education bpb has officially released their Handbook Gaming & Rightwing-Extremism today in a presentation hosted by the Peace Research Institute Frankfurt. The German Federal Agency for Civic Education (Bundeszentrale für politische Bildung, bpb) has officially launched their anthology called Handbook Gaming & Rightwing-Extremism today in By Pascal Wagner • 1 min read
© illustration from sector plan Business Update: UK Boosts Creative Industries, UKIE and TIGA Welcome Commitment The 10-year vision for the UK as a modern industrial location presented on 23 Juni brings concrete funding commitments for the British creative and games industries. Both industry associations, UKIE and TIGA, are delighted. As we have only just discovered, in addition to its press release on Friday, the British By Stephan Steininger • 4 min read
© kind of photogenic Esports Successful Results for Esports Funding in Schleswig-Holstein, State Esports League Planned The E-Sport-Verband Schleswig-Holstein (EVSH) welcomes yesterday's report on the funding and promotion of esports, which was presented in the State Parliament. The report emphasises the state's unique structure and sustained dedication to esports in Germany. Plans include launching a state esports league in the second half By Marcel Kleffmann • 2 min read
Groupshoot of the winner during the German Computer Game Awards 2025 (Deutscher Computerspielpreis) at Palais am Funkturm on May 14, 2025 in Berlin, Germany. © Franziska Krug/ DCP via Getty Images Business Bavaria Wins Nationwide Competition to Host the Deutscher Computerspielpreis 2026 The Deutscher Computerspielpreis 2026 (German Computer Game Award) will be presented in Munich. Bavaria stood out with a "particularly strong application" for the further development of the award ceremony during the process, in which all federal states were able to participate. The venue for the Deutscher Computerspielpreis 2026 By Marcel Kleffmann • 2 min read
From left to right: Leon Janßen (Vice President for Organisation, E-Sport Verband Bayern), Sandra Bloy (President, E-Sport Verband Bayern), Digital Minister Dr Fabian Mehring, Member of the Bavarian Parliament; Julian Preidl, Member of the Bavarian Parliament (representative of the Freie Wähler party in the Bavarian Parliament), Florian von Keller (1st Vice President, E-Sport Verband Bayern) © Bayerisches Staatsministerium für Digitales Esports Bavaria Funds E-Sport Verband Bayern to Bring Esports to Rural Areas With funding of €135,940 from the Bavarian State Ministry of Digital Affairs, the E-Sport Verband Bayern is launching its 'Next Stop: E-Sport' roadshow. This initiative aims to bring esports to rural areas of Bavaria. Alongside tournaments, workshops and educational activities, the initiative will promote digital participation, media By Marcel Kleffmann • 2 min read
Governing Mayor Kai Wegner and Senator for Economic Affairs, Energy, and Public Enterprises Franziska Giffey explained to the guests the exceptional importance of this project for the capital region. To announce the location, the Governing Mayor and Senator simultaneously pressed the "Play" button on an oversized gaming controller, emphasizing the importance of the launch of the "House of Games Berlin". © Daniel Hinz Business "House of Games Berlin" Moves Into Historic Property, Steering Committee Sees Great Interest Today, the location of the “House of Games Berlin” was officially announced in the presence of Berlin's Governing Mayor, Kai Wegner; the Mayor and Senator for Economic Affairs, Energy, and Public Enterprises, Franziska Giffey; and approximately 200 representatives from the gaming and creative technology industries. The "House By Marcel Kleffmann • 5 min read
Felix Falk, Managing Director game © Dirk Mathesius/game Business Game Applauds Plans for Dedicated Games Department The game - The German Games Industry Association reacted via social media to the plans of minister Dorothee Bär to rebuild its own games department and - of course - welcomed them. Although she has only been in office for a few days, Dorothee Bär already had some good news By Stephan Steininger • 1 min read
