Dice Luck, Cat Exorcism, and XR Learning Environments: North Rhine-Westphalia Funds 16 Projects with Approximately 1.2 Million Euros

In their most recent meetings, the funding committees for digital games and for serious games and gamification decided to support a total of 16 projects with approximately 1.2 million euros. Of this amount, approximately 860,000 euros will go to 14 game projects, and approximately 340,000 euros to two serious games and XR projects. The funded studios and companies are located in Cologne, Essen, Mönchengladbach, Duisburg, Neuss, Bergisch Gladbach, Pulheim, Nettetal, Reken, Kerpen, and Werther (Westphalia), among other places.

From Concept to Production

With the highest individual grant of approximately 300,000 euros, the Essen-based studio Brainlag Games is continuing to develop the digital game “Rootbound” as part of the production funding program —a visually striking action-adventure game designed as a standalone new IP that is set to be expanded over the long term.

Focus on New IPs

A clear focus of the current funding round is on building new brands and universes: Similarly, *Night Runner* (314 Arts, Reken; 104,500 euros, vertical-slice funding) is intended as the first installment in a larger, long-term franchise set within an expansive sci-fi universe.

Deviloop (working title) (Daring Deevs, Cologne; 50,000 euros, early-stage funding) is also conceived as a standalone new brand and combines roguelite mechanics with culturally diverse myths.

With *The End of Our World* (working title) (Slow Bros., Cologne; 50,000 euros, early-stage funding), the program is also supporting a project that builds on the artistic signature of an internationally successful studio that garnered significant attention with its previously funded game *Harold Halibut *.

Another example of successful IP strategies is SCHALOTTE – An Onion for Every Occasion (Ahoiii Entertainment, Cologne; 50,000 euros, early-stage funding), which expands an existing brand from the TV sector into the gaming industry.

Invisible Spaces (Fantastic Foe, Bergisch Gladbach; 80,000 euros, vertical slice funding) also demonstrates how innovative and socially relevant themes open up new forms of interactive storytelling.

Diversity of Funded Projects

The wide range of funded projects extends from experimental concepts to clearly market-oriented productions:

With approximately 25,000 eurosin early-stage funding, the Essen-based studio DoubleBee is developing *Blacktide*, an open-world horror adventure set at sea, in which players navigate between islands and confront a menacing creature in the depths.

In Mönchengladbach, DropC is developing the roguelike *Dicefall*, funded with approximately 28,000 euros (early-stage funding), which combines dice mechanics with role-playing systems and political intrigue.

The Duisburg-based studio VoodooDuck is receiving approximately 44,000 euros for *Gladiators* (early-stage funding), a physics-based arena brawler featuring dynamic and sometimes humorous gameplay situations.

In Essen, Fishtank Games is working on *De:xtraction* (early-stage funding) with approximately 33,000 euros—a tactical genre blend of deck-builder, RPG, and extraction game set in the Ruhr region.

Studio Inkyfox from Werther (Westphalia) is receiving approximately 20,000 euros in funding (early-stage funding) for Smoky Sails —a pirate adventure focused on exploration, trade, and tactical naval battles.

Atris Film from Neuss is using approximately 40,000 euros to develop OrbiRex (early-stage funding), a sci-fi adventure in which players, as robot dinosaurs, fill a futuristic museum with prehistoric life.

Serious Games and XR as a Growing Funding Priority

In the field of serious games, too, the focus is on sustainable content and scalable applications:

With TIMERIDE SAVANNA (Cologne; 200,000 euros, vertical-slice funding), TIMERIDE is developing a new XR experience world that builds on and further develops existing experience formats.

Lucas-Nülle GmbH (Kerpen) is receiving 138,000 euros for XR Water Treatment: Rechenwerk (Vertical Slice grant), a practical learning system that translates complex industrial processes into immersive XR applications and can be used in the long term for education and training.

Overview of Funding Decisions for Digital Games, Serious Games, and Gamification

Digital Games Production Funding

Rootbound: Approximately 300,000 EUR Applicant: Brainlag Games GmbH, Essen Platforms: PC A visually striking action-adventure game about nature, growth, and connection.

Digital Games Vertical Slice Funding

Night Runner: approx. 105,000 EUR Applicant: 314 Arts OHG, Reken Platforms: PC

Invisible Spaces: approx. 80,000 EUR Applicant: Fantastic Foe UG, Bergisch Gladbach Platforms: VR

Digital Games Early-Stage Funding

SCHALOTTE – An Onion for Every Occasion approx. 50,000 EUR Applicant: Ahoiii Entertainment UG, Cologne

Deviloop (working title) approx. 50,000 EUR Applicant: Daring Deevs, Cologne

The End of Our World (working title) approx. 50,000 EUR Applicant: Slow Bros. GmbH, Cologne

Gladiators: Approx. 44,000 EUR Applicant: VoodooDuck GmbH, Duisburg

OrbiRex: Approximately 40,000 EUR Applicant: Atris Film eGbR, Neuss

De:xtraction approx. 33,000 EUR Applicant: Fishtank Games, Essen

Scramble Quest: approx. 30,000 EUR Applicant: Joana Costa Cunha e Almeida, Pulheim

Dicefall: approx. 28,000 EUR Applicant: Fabian Witeczek, DropC Gamestudio, Mönchengladbach

Blacktide: approx. 25,000 EUR Applicant: DoubleBee GmbH, Essen

Smoky Sails: approx. 20,000 EUR Applicant: Studio Inkyfox UG, Werther (Westphalia)

The Catsorcist: approximately 7,000 EUR Applicant: Abbey of Theleme, Nettetal

Serious Games and XR Vertical Slice Funding

TIMERIDE SAVANNA approx. 200,000 EUR Applicant: TIMERIDE GmbH, Cologne

XR Water Treatment: Rechenwerk Approx. 140,000 EUR Applicant: Lucas-Nülle GmbH, Kerpen