Level up! Federal games funding enters the next round

The deadline for submission is August 1, 2025. Important note: The mandatory draft consultation with the DLR Projektträger must take place beforehand. If you have already completed this step successfully, you can submit your application directly without renewed approval.

Here are the most important changes:

• Projects that run over several years can be funded again.
• Applications are possible for all types of projects (prototype or production) with a minimum project size of 300,000 euros.
• The maximum funding grant has increased from 2 million euros to 8 million euros per project.
• Once again, only one “funding pot” will be used. The division between BMWK and BKM no longer applies.
• As usual, the amount of funding still available will be displayed on the official website.

Through the gaming fund, the federal government aims to improve the conditions for developing games in Germany. The current government draft of the 2025 federal budget earmarks EUR 88 million for computer game funding and up to EUR 125 million per year starting in 2026.

Since the beginning of the new legislative period, the Federal Ministry of Research, Technology, and Space has been responsible for game funding. Until the organizational restructuring at the federal level is complete, the Federal Ministry of Economics will continue to provide information on the topic. The DLR Projektträger will remain the primary contact for federal game funding.

The goals of game funding are

• to increase the number of employees in the gaming industry
• to increase in games publications
• a growing number of new companies
• a stronger positioning of game companies in the German and international markets
• increasing the international visibility of Berlin’s gaming industry

Further information on the restart can be found here:

• Games funding: General information
• Games funding: Funding overview (in German)
• Games funding: DLR Projektträger (in German)