Developerfront – Texte für Spieleentwickler in Deutsch und English

First European Union funding for Games (1,5 M€) announced: Developers can

apply immediately

BRUSSELS, Belgium

funding mechanism specificly aimed at game development projects upt to €100,000.

Media 2007, the current media support program of the European Union, has for the

first time placed a special focus on games development projects. Grants can be

obtained for prototypes of games for consoles, PC, portable devices, and mobile

phones.

The total budget amounts to 1.5 million Euro. The support covers all aspects of the

production: concept, search for partners, acquisition of rights, design, programming,

and development of marketing strategies. The support is direct aid, and not a loan to

be repaid.

The minimum amount that can be applied for is 10.000 Euro per project, the

maximum is about 60.000 Euro. But prototypes for PC, handheld and consoles can

receive up to 100.000 Euro, and the grant can cover up to the half of the budget -

with up to 60% for games concepts that focus on the cultural heritage and diversity of

Europe.

To qualify for these grants projects must be presented by companies which have at

least successfully developed one product since January 1, 2005, and whose head

offices are located in Europe, or other states that participate in Media 2007.

In the course of the reorientation of the Media 2007 program the game industry has

been recognized as increasingly economic and culturally important factor, whose

special needs must be considered.

The EGDF, which is the European Games Developer Federation has expressed in

numerous meetings with the European Commission the necessity for such a

programme. The General Secretary of the EGDF, Malte Behrmann, said: “This is the

first visible sign of the success of our political work with the European Commission.

We hope now, as the European Union has acknowledged the importance of our

industry, that the developer community will harvest the fruits of our work and make

their submissions for prototype funding. We would like to be informed about any

experiences and problems any members have with the funding system, so that we

can propose amendments if necessary”.

Game developers in Europe are now invited to submit their projects. The first

application period for submissions to the European Union ends on November 15,

2007, and the second application period runs from November 16, 2007 to April 15,

2008.

- for the first time the European Commission has created a2

Further information can be found at the EGDF website: www.egdf.eu

and at:

http://ec.europa.eu/information_society/media/producer/develop/interactive/index_en.htm

The call is published at:

http://eur-lex.europa.eu/LexUriServ/site/en/oj/2007/c_204/c_20420070901en001 00010.pdf

The European Games Developer Federation (EGDF) members are

APOM (France),

BGin (Belgium, the Netherlands),

GAME (Austria, Germany),

Neogames (Finland),

Producentforeningen (Denmark),

Spelplan-ASGD (Sweden), and

Tiga (United Kingdom)

The federation represents about 500 studios based in Austria, Belgium, Germany,

Great Britain, France, Italy, the Netherlands, and the Nordic Countries, which

together employ over 15,500 people.

EGDF Sept. 2007