The German authorities will invest less in video games. The GamesWirtschaft publication reported that in 2024, German gaming companies will be able to receive a total of only €48.7 million in subsidies. For comparison: in 2023, €70 million was allocated for subsidies.
Most likely, the reduction is due to problems in the German economy: because of them, the total federal budget of the country was reduced from €476.29 billion in 2023 to €445.7 billion in 2024.
Felix Falk, head of the German Game association, called the government’s decision “a huge disappointment for the gaming industry.” He acknowledged that the German budget is under great pressure, but pointed out that the support of gaming companies is necessary for the development of digital technologies in the country.
The program of financing gaming companies is in extremely high demand. By the middle of 2023, the German authorities distributed all the funds allocated for the year among the developers and stopped accepting applications. In this regard, the Game Association proposed to increase the program budget to €125 million in 2024.