Hendrik Lesser has once again been chosen to lead the European Games Developer Federation (EGDF), securing a second term as president as the association unveiled its new governing board for the 2026‑2028 period. The announcement also noted the departure of two prominent figures within the federation: David Rabineau, chief executive officer of the Homo Ludens studio, and Gediminas Tarasevicius, director of the No Brakes Games studio, both of whom have stepped down from their board positions. The refreshed EGDF board now brings together a diverse group of industry veterans and representatives from a range of European game development bodies.
The members are: - **Martine Spaans** – Chief Operating Officer at Fourth Moon Games and general manager of the Dutch Games Association, offering a blend of operational expertise and national industry insight. - **KooPee Hiltunen** – Director of the Neogames Finland Association, tasked with championing Finnish developers and fostering cross‑border collaborations. - **Per Strömbäck** – Board member of the Gaming Culture Foundation and participant in the Stockholm Region Business Council, providing a cultural and economic perspective on gaming. - **Hrvoje Mitic** – Head of Business Development at GamesCo., secretary‑general of the Croatian Game Development Alliance, and founder of Splitscreen Croatia, bringing a strong entrepreneurial and regional development focus.
- **Jakub Marszalkowski** – Head of the Games Industry Conference, co‑founder and board member of the Indie Games Poland Foundation, whose experience lies in event organization and indie support. - **Vanessa Kaplan** – Director General of the Syndicat National du Jeu Vidéo, representing French game developers and advocating for policy and market access. Together, this board is set to steer the federation through a strategic agenda that emphasizes three core pillars: enhancing developers' position within the value chain, broadening access to financial resources, and strengthening the talent pipeline across Europe. The EGDF explicitly states that its mission over the next two years is to create "a route to the top of the value chain" for European studios, meaning that developers will receive more support in moving from early‑stage concepts to fully commercialized products that can compete on a global scale.
In practical terms, the federation plans to launch a series of initiatives aimed at improving funding opportunities. This includes establishing new grant programmes in partnership with EU cultural funds, facilitating connections between studios and venture capital firms, and providing guidance on navigating public‑private financing models. By demystifying the funding landscape, EGDF hopes to lower the barrier for smaller studios that often lack the resources to secure large investments.
Talent development is another cornerstone of the upcoming strategy. The board intends to expand mentorship schemes, create cross‑border apprenticeship networks, and host skill‑building workshops that focus on emerging technologies such as virtual reality, augmented reality, and, notably, artificial intelligence. The federation highlights that the game sector has been a pioneer in adopting AI‑driven tools for everything from procedural content generation to player analytics.
Consequently, EGDF has set an ambitious goal to become the first AI‑centric European trade association, positioning itself as a hub for best practices, ethical guidelines, and collaborative research on AI applications in gaming. The organization also reaffirmed its commitment to monitoring the health of the European gaming ecosystem.
By maintaining close ties with national associations, development studios, and research institutions, EGDF aims to act as a conduit for information flow, policy advocacy, and market intelligence. The federation’s spokesperson emphasized that strengthening collaboration with European game development studios will not only boost the regional industry's resilience but also increase its visibility on the world stage, helping European titles gain recognition alongside major North American and Asian releases.
In addition to internal initiatives, EGDF recently partnered with Video Games Europe (VGE) to release the European Video Game Industry Insights Report 2024. The report paints a robust picture of the continent’s gaming sector, revealing that European developers generated a turnover of €24 billion in 2024. Moreover, the industry now comprises more than 6,600 studios employing upwards of 95,000 individuals across a wide range of roles—from programming and design to marketing and localization. These figures underscore the sector’s rapid growth and its significance as a major contributor to the European digital economy.
Looking forward, the federation plans to leverage these insights to shape policy recommendations for EU institutions, advocating for supportive regulatory frameworks, tax incentives, and education programmes that align with the industry’s evolving needs. By presenting data‑driven arguments, EGDF hopes to influence legislation that will further nurture innovation, protect intellectual property, and ensure fair competition. Overall, the newly appointed board, under the steady leadership of President Hendrik Lesser, is poised to drive a forward‑looking agenda that blends financial empowerment, talent cultivation, and technological advancement. Their collective expertise—spanning operational management, cultural advocacy, business development, and national representation—provides a solid foundation for addressing the challenges and opportunities that lie ahead for Europe’s vibrant game development community.
The federation’s emphasis on AI, combined with its commitment to fostering a more inclusive and well‑funded industry, signals a proactive approach to keeping European games at the forefront of global creativity and innovation.