20 Years of New Media Funding: Supporting Success in the Capital Region since 2006

For 20 years, the organization has been supporting new media content in the areas of games, serial formats, XR, and other innovative content. A lot has happened during this time: production and distribution channels have undergone fundamental changes; technological innovations have been enthusiastically tested to develop unique projects; genre trends have been set; and new voices have been discovered. Together, film and new media funding have established the Berlin metropolitan region as the No. 1 media hub in Germany and Europe.

MBB has been investing in the future from the very beginning and was one of the first funding agencies in Germany to support the development and production of games – with its own guidelines in place since 2022. The industry’s rise in Berlin has gained particularly dynamic momentum over the past 10 to 15 years. The Capital Region is now one of the most sought-after locations for game developers and, with 350 game studios and 3,300 employees, is Germany’s largest games cluster. From innovative indie and serious games to internationally successful titles: thanks to MBB’s support, numerous studios are making their mark on the market. With studios such as Paintbucket Games (“Through the Darkest of Times,” “The Darkest Files”), Toukana Interactive (“Dorfromantik”), and Jo-Mei Games (“Sea of Solitude”), Berlin-Brandenburg demonstrates that indie games are not only at home here but are also successful worldwide.

“The media industry is in the midst of a profound transformation. Games, extended reality, and digital content ‘Made in Berlin’ are not only successful nationally and internationally, but are also emerging as drivers of innovation far beyond the creative industries. They have now become a key economic factor for our city. The fact that Berlin plays a leading role in these future-oriented fields today is also the result of an interdisciplinary funding policy by the Medienboard Berlin-Brandenburg, with support from both state governments. We in the Senate Department for Economics, Energy, and Public Enterprises also view this positive development as an explicit mandate. That is why we recently increased funding for games by another 1 million euros and are supporting the entire development effort through our House of Games with over 4 million euros. We want to harness Berlin’s extraordinary dynamism and establish the metropolitan region as the “Games and Media Capital Region” of the next generation.”

“When you look back at the developments of the past 20 years, you can’t help but be amazed at how rapidly and spectacularly the media world has changed! The fact that today we can not only watch but also produce films and series on our smartphones would have sounded like science fiction 20 years ago. This makes it all the more wonderful that Berlin-Brandenburg has developed into a hub where creative ideas and technological innovations naturally intertwine. The MBB has been supporting this transformation for many years and continues to adapt its funding instruments accordingly. Special thanks go to policymakers for their trust and ongoing support. Berlin-Brandenburg recognized early on how important investment in innovation is, and has thus played a decisive role in ensuring that our film, TV series, games, and XR industries are creative leaders, technologically competitive, and economically successful.”

“New media funding has been continuously expanded since 2006 and is now making an impact! The media industry in the Capital Region has undergone a major transformation process that has brought about change and growth. The region has become more professional; global players and many new companies have established themselves – and the region’s enormous creative potential has contributed to the success of the digital audiovisual industries. We are proud of the rapidly growing games industry, the many successful series, and the international attention – including for immersive formats! In addition to the states of Berlin and Brandenburg, our heartfelt thanks go to the funding committee, which got off to a strong start with us this year, and to the ILB media team, which has been managing our funded projects with great care and passion for 20 years. And last but not least: to the developers, producers, creatives, companies, partners, and allies for the outstanding content that we are happy to support with our funding!”

Pictures: © Jens Ahner für MBB

Published 18 September 2026