Film- und Medienstiftung NRW

Film und Medien Stiftung NRW➝Media Region NRW➝Media Branches NRW➝Games

NRW is one of the hubs generating the highest turnover for the computer and video games industry in Germany. NRW is the No. 1 in Germany according to the German Games Industry Association, which ranks political commitment for regional companies and players. Major international games companies and a strong developer scene provide the backbone as a game hub and the picture is completed by the gamescom and the German Developer Award as top events for the video games industry. The Film- und Medienstiftung NRW supports the development and production of digital games and interactive content with a current annual budget of 3,5 million euros. Serious games and gamification applications receive targeted support. Aware of the cultural and economic importance of the industry, the state of NRW also supports the transfer of innovative games technologies to traditional industries with the Fusion Campus.

Facts and figures

leading games hub
global players: Electronic Arts, Ubisoft Düsseldorf
gamescom in Cologne: the world’s largest games trade fair
diverse developer scene with studios established over decades and newcomers
stronghold for eSports: ESL Gaming, esports player foundation, Esports Academy NRW
numerous events and awards ceremonies, annual Games Summit as an exchange between politicians and the sector’s professionals
games.nrw, Cologne Game Lab, Fusion Campus
outstanding financial support for games for more than 10 years, new funding programme for serious games and gamification applications from 2023

More information:

Games in NRW
Funding of the Film- und Medienstiftung NRW: Digital Games and interactive content

Ralf Wirsing

Managing Director Europe Ubisoft

Due to its games-minded university structures, the trade fair gamescom, and numerous companies in related entertainment fields, NRW is an attractive location for national and international games publishers.

Benedikt Grindel

Managing Director Ubisoft Blue Byte

With its dynamism and good educational landscape, NRW yields creative talents for the games industry. The local developers' scene must be supported with specific funding programmes so that games „made in NRW“ can become a trademark. .

Odile Limpach

Founder SpielFabrique

The location of NRW offers SpielFabrique numerous opportunities for supporting young companies in the games industry. Local strong partners like the Medienstiftung NRW and the City of Cologne are doing their bit for the growth of this creative industry.

Thomas Rössig

Founder Flying Sheep Studios & Head of Europe iCandy

The number of highly skilled people, the range of other studios and start-ups with whom we could build up networks, and the gamescom, of course, make NRW into an unbeatable initial location for games developers.

Dr. Holger Sprengel

Founder & Chairman Nurogames

NRW is increasingly developing itself into the most important hub for the German games industry and is an attractive location for developers and publishers who can bank on attractive suport from the federal state. Keep up the good work!

Felix Falk

Managing Director of game - German Video Games Industry Association

North Rhine-Westphalia is one of the hot spots of the German games industry: small and large developers are just as much at home here as publishers, universities, eSports organisers and the gamescom are! This diversity is NRW's great strength.

Linda Kruse

Founder & Managing Director the Good Evil

We took the right decision a few years ago and founded the Good Evil in NRW! As a young company, we were really able to benefit from the productive and cooperative location. Gamescom makes the difference along with the mix of international and local as well as small and large developers.

Katharina Glowka

Managing Director Golden Orb

Living and working as a media professional in NRW not only provides us with a colourful and creative network as well as diverse funding opportunities, but also cosmopolitan and genial lifestyles - no matter whether it is in the Rhineland or the Ruhr region.

Stefanie Waschk

Managing Director Fusion Campus

NRW is a strong industrial location with a flourishing games industry and an active science and funding landscape in a central location. And thus the ideal starting point for establishing the subject of game-changing thinking in the German national economy.