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The Game industry association represents the economic interests of almost 500 members – and increasingly its own.
Dear GamesWirtschaft reader,
Dear GamesWirtschaft reader,
Michael Schade is in his element. The co-founder of the Hamburg studio Rockfish Games stands next to a Everspace 2screen and talks about sales figures, Kickstarter, skilled workers, funding, Steam wishlists, artificial intelligence. Opposite him: CDU grandee Gitta Connemann. The head of the powerful Mittelstand Union listens attentively, weaves in one and a half questions about Schade's career and then, somewhat amazed, thanks him for the “inspiring” Insights.
The Rockfish space game is one of only five stations on the gallery in Berlin's Zollpackhofthe venue for the summer festival that the Game industry association held on Tuesday. The density of politicians in the beer garden with an unobstructed panorama of the Chancellery is remarkable again this year – and not a sure thing. Because the competition is huge: on days like these, countless associations and companies vie for ministers, state secretaries, MPs and party leaders to add sparkle to the guest lists.
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You can get a rough impression of the summer festival competition in the streets around the Reichstag building, where one brass sign follows the other – even medium-sized companies treat themselves to their own 'capital city representation'. In the official Lobby register of the Bundestag In addition to employees of the Game Association, E-Sports Association and Ubisoft, there are almost 37,000 (!) other full-time and part-time influencers listed who lobby on behalf of foundations, think tanks, location initiatives, agencies and corporations such as Google, Tencent, Microsoft, Meta and Nvidia. For each of the 730+ members of the Bundestag, there are mathematically 50 influencers.
The summer festival schedule is therefore tight, but fortunately the routes are short: Anyone strolling through the government district will almost inevitably stumble upon Hard but fair-Regular staff and ensemble members of the ZDF Today Show – Amthor, Hofreiter, Lauterbach. The limousines of the Bundestag chauffeur service are parked in the second row in front of restaurants, TV studios and event locations such as the Zollpackhof.
The studio and game selection this evening is therefore no coincidence: Because the Rockfish team has Everspace 2 delivered a kind of blueprint for how high-quality and successful PC and console games can be made in Germany. At the German Computer Game Awards in April, the trophy for 'Best Game' was presented by Michael Kellner – Habeck's man for games in the Ministry of Economic Affairs, who will also be speaking to the assembled industry this time.
A few meters further, Martin Lorber explains to the Federal Drug Commissioner Blienert why the controversial loot boxes in the football game EA Sports FC 24 are completely unjustly controversial. Lorber is responsible for youth protection and public affairs (in other words: lobbying) at the US publisher Electronic Arts – and thus works as a trained full-back for Germany's best-selling computer game.
Meanwhile, Saskia Esken duels with Michael Kellner at the consolewho takes the lead after just a few seconds through no fault of his own when the SPD leader scores an own goal. Kellner then wants to know how he can strengthen his squad with Toni Kroos. The question is aimed at loot boxes, because the gold, silver and bronze packs contain players of random quality, from local to world class. Kroos is still rated 86 out of 100 in the late autumn of his career. The probability of 'drawing' the six-time Champions League winner: homeopathic.
This is exactly what the model of EA Sports FC: Those who spend more are luckier – and thus increase their chances of scoring in the Ultimate Team online mode.
Lorber counterattacks: Whether you spend money or not, the skills on the gamepad are still crucial. Anyone who buys Usain Bolt shoes doesn't necessarily run 100 meters in under 10 seconds. What Lorber doesn't say is that money scores goals and makes passable passes – and that also applies to digital player material, of course.
The fact that Electronic Arts is flying the flag at the summer festival is also no coincidence: Loot boxes have once again become the target of youth and consumer protection groups, and the nervousness is palpable. When Germany's drug commissioner publicly calls for a ban on loot boxes for minorsthen there is an urgent need for action and discussion.
The threat of regulation would hit Electronic Arts – one of the largest gaming contributors – hard. 80 percent of the group's revenue comes from 'Live Services', especially EA Sports FC and Madden NFLIn this country, there are no restrictions on marketing and distribution. The judiciary in neighbouring Austria sees signs of “illegal gambling”.
For the host association, it is therefore a matter of warding off impending disaster and charmingly drawing attention to the blessings of video games. True to the association's motto “Together we will make Germany the heart of the games world” – the successor of “Our mission is to make Germany the best gaming location.”
At the latest since the association's land consolidation in 2018, the busy association has deliberately expanded its radius of action. The office on Friedrichstrasse now has a team of almost 20 people representing the interests of almost 500 members – studios, publishers, agencies, law firms, universities, etc. The influence can be seen in the number of people attending hearings and 'round tables' with game personnel, companies and allies.
It is not that common for a €10 billion industry to have just one full-time trade association of this calibre. In related industries – such as film and TV – the lobby structure is much more fragmented because directors, documentary filmmakers, scriptwriters, costume designers and actors are confronted with completely different issues than distributors, cinema operators, streaming services and broadcasters. Sometimes the interests are diametrically opposed.
The game, on the other hand, claims to cover all common trades and business models – from garage start-ups to platform operators and digital corporations.
Without the game, (almost) nothing works in the games republic of Germany. The association organizes Gamescom and Devcom, controls the age rating business via USK, maintains its own foundation, sponsors local conferences and festivals, coordinates delegation trips to trade fairs on all continents and creates the legal conditions so that game manufacturers can earn money from 'private copies' in the future. Even the summer party is not organized by an external party service, but by the association's own Game Events GmbH.
The added value can be seen in the state computer game prize: As co-organizer, the association influences the rules and jury composition, the award office is linked to the foundation, the USK examines the submissions and the event subsidiary is now throwing the gala. The federal and state governments foot the bill for the ceremony, as well as the prize money.
In sparring with parties, authorities and media, it is undoubtedly advantageous to have a One-stop hassle-free-Contact person exists who can one (preferably in unison) voice. This is by no means a guarantee that subsidies will continue to flow and laws will flourish in the interests of industry. But it does help, of course.
Whether this will also apply to the coming months, in which important decisions will be made, including with a view to the federal election, will become clear after the summer break, i.e. Gamescom onwards.
The use of Everspace 2-Maker Michael Schade will certainly not fail.
Wishing you a nice weekend
Petra Froehlich
Editor-in-Chief GamesWirtschaft
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