After the plans of the federal government became known to possibly cut the financial means for the second year of games funding, the Association of the German Games Industry (“game”) has now taken a position.
The Association of the German Games Industry criticizes the proposed government draft for the 2020 federal budget. The background is the lack of funds for the second year of games funding, after 2019 million euros were made available for the first time in 50. As in the previous year, the funds for this could still be brought in through the parliamentary procedure. However, the planning security suffers, according to the “game”.
Opportunities
Among other things, the economic effects of increased investments and thus also higher tax revenues can only be achieved if funding is ensured in the medium to long term and does not have to be brought into the parliamentary process every year, comments the association, which promotes the interests of German games Company represents.
“The provision of 50 million euros for games funding was an important step last year. But in order for the games funding to be really internationally competitive, as announced in the coalition agreement, long-term support from the federal government is necessary. Because games funding needs planning security in order to be successful. Now, however, the exact opposite is the case: The lack of funding in the current government draft of the federal budget creates uncertainty and misses the opportunity to further strengthen the positive signal from Germany ”.
Felix Falk, managing director of "game"
With the de minimis funding from the Federal Ministry of Transport and Digital Infrastructure, a first pilot program for game development has already started. The full funding is currently still being developed in the ministry and has yet to be notified by the EU Commission. The planned start for the more extensive funding is to be in autumn 2019.
The game has been promoting games in Germany for several years. The background to this is the less competitive international framework for game developers. The development costs in Germany are up to 30 percent higher than in Great Britain, France or Canada.
Due to this distortion of competition, the share of German game developments on the home market has fallen to around five percent in recent years, warns “game”. In view of the special importance of games as a driver of innovation and a cultural medium, this is a clear alarm signal for Germany as a digital and cultural location.
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