Hendrik Lesser has secured a second term as president of the European Games Developer Federation (EGDF), coinciding with the federation’s announcement of its new board for the 2026‑2028 period. The leadership reshuffle also sees the departure of two prominent figures: David Rabineau, chief executive officer of Homo Ludens, and Gediminas Tarasevicius, studio director at No Brakes Games, both of whom have stepped down from their board positions. The freshly appointed EGDF board now comprises a diverse group of industry veterans and representatives from key European gaming organisations: - **Martine Spaans** – Chief Operating Officer at Fourth Moon Games and General Manager of the Dutch Games Association, bringing extensive experience in both studio operations and national gaming advocacy.
- **KooPee Hiltunen** – Director of the Neogames Finland Association, offering insight into the Nordic development scene and its growing export potential. - **Per Strömbäck** – Board member of the Gaming Culture Foundation and participant in the Stockholm Region Business Council, linking cultural policy with commercial interests. - **Hrvoje Mitic** – Head of Business Development at GamesCo., Secretary‑General of the Croatian Game Development Alliance, and founder of Splitscreen Croatia, providing a strong connection to Central and Eastern European markets. - **Jakub Marszalkowski** – Head of the Games Industry Conference, co‑founder and board member of the Indie Games Poland Foundation, known for championing indie creators across the region.
- **Vanessa Kaplan** – Director General of the Syndicat National du Jeu Vidéo, representing the French video‑game sector and its extensive network of developers and publishers. These six individuals replace the outgoing members and collectively form a board that reflects the federation’s ambition to be both geographically inclusive and strategically forward‑looking. Their combined expertise spans studio management, national association leadership, cultural foundations, business development, conference organization, and union representation, positioning the EGDF to address a broad spectrum of industry challenges.
In conjunction with the board announcement, the EGDF laid out a detailed agenda for the upcoming two‑year term. Central to this plan is the promise to provide developers with "a route to the top of the value chain," a phrase that underscores the federation’s intent to help creators move beyond the traditional roles of production and distribution toward higher‑margin activities such as IP ownership, franchising, and cross‑media exploitation. To achieve this, the EGDF will focus on three core pillars: 1.
**Enhanced Access to Funding** – The federation intends to act as a bridge between developers and the myriad of public and private financing sources available across Europe. This includes facilitating participation in EU‑backed programmes, national grant schemes, and venture‑capital initiatives tailored to interactive media. 2. **Talent Development and Mobility** – Recognising the shortage of specialised skills in areas like AI, immersive technologies, and live‑service operations, the EGDF will launch mentorship schemes, apprenticeship networks, and cross‑border talent exchanges.
These efforts aim to up‑skill the existing workforce while attracting new talent from related creative and technical fields. 3. **Skill‑Sharing and Knowledge Transfer** – By organising workshops, webinars, and industry‑wide conferences, the federation hopes to disseminate best practices on topics ranging from sustainable production pipelines to ethical AI deployment in games. The federation’s public statement highlighted its ongoing commitment to monitoring and nurturing the European game‑industry ecosystem.
"The EGDF will continue to monitor and facilitate the development of the European game industry ecosystem, strengthen its collaboration with European game development studios, and increase the European game industry's global visibility," the organization declared. This reinforces the federation’s role as both a watchdog and a promoter, ensuring that European studios receive the support they need while also amplifying their achievements on the world stage. A particularly forward‑looking element of the EGDF’s roadmap is its ambition to become the first AI‑centric European trade association. The statement notes that "the game industry is a forerunner of AI‑based tools and technologies," and the federation aims to harness this momentum by integrating AI considerations into its policy advocacy, member services, and industry standards.
This could involve developing guidelines for ethical AI use in game design, supporting research collaborations between studios and academic institutions, and lobbying for regulatory frameworks that balance innovation with consumer protection. In parallel with these strategic moves, the 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: in 2024, European games generated a turnover of €24 billion, a figure that underscores the industry’s economic significance. Moreover, the sector comprises more than 6,600 studios employing upwards of 95,000 individuals, ranging from small indie teams to large multinational publishers.
These statistics not only validate the federation’s push for greater visibility but also provide a quantitative foundation for future funding negotiations and policy discussions. The EGDF’s renewed focus on AI, funding pathways, and talent development arrives at a time when the European market is experiencing rapid growth, yet also faces challenges such as fragmented regulatory environments, competition from North American and Asian studios, and the need for sustainable business models in an increasingly saturated market.
By leveraging the diverse expertise of its new board members, the federation aims to address these obstacles head‑on, fostering a more cohesive and competitive European gaming landscape. In summary, the re‑election of Hendrik Lesser and the introduction of a refreshed board signal a period of strategic renewal for the European Games Developer Federation.
With a clear agenda that emphasizes financial access, skill enhancement, and AI leadership, the EGDF is positioning itself to not only support its members but also to elevate the entire European gaming ecosystem on the global stage.