The European Games Developer Federation (EGDF) has confirmed that Hendrik Lesser will continue at the helm as its president, having been re‑elected for another term. The organization also unveiled the composition of its governing board for the 2026‑2028 period, marking a significant reshuffle in its leadership structure. Two prominent figures stepped away from their board positions: David Rabineau, the chief executive officer of Homo Ludens, and Gediminas Tarasevicius, the studio director at No Brakes Games.
Their departures opened the way for a fresh slate of representatives drawn from a broad cross‑section of the European gaming ecosystem. The newly appointed board members are: - **Martine Spaans** – Chief Operating Officer at Fourth Moon Games and General Manager of the Dutch Games Association. Spaans brings extensive experience in both studio operations and national industry advocacy.
- **KooPee Hiltunen** – Director of the Neogames Finland Association, a key liaison for Finnish developers and a champion of Nordic game development initiatives. - **Per Strömbäck** – Board member of the Gaming Culture Foundation and participant in the Stockholm Region Business Council, offering insight into cultural policy and regional economic development.
- **Hrvoje Mitic** – Head of Business Development at GamesCo., Secretary‑General of the Croatian Game Development Alliance, and founder of Splitscreen Croatia, providing a strong network across Central and Eastern Europe. - **Jakub Marszalkowski** – Head of the Games Industry Conference, co‑founder and board member of the Indie Games Poland Foundation, known for fostering indie talent and organizing industry events. - **Vanessa Kaplan** – Director General of the Syndicat National du Jeu Vidéo, representing French developers and contributing a deep understanding of the French market and regulatory environment. The EGDF outlined a clear agenda for the forthcoming two‑year period, emphasizing a strategic push to place European developers "on the top of the value chain" of the global gaming market.
Central to this vision is the enhancement of three core pillars: funding accessibility, talent acquisition, and skill development. **Funding Access** The federation plans to streamline pathways to capital for studios of all sizes, from nascent indie teams to established mid‑size publishers.
This will involve closer collaboration with European Union cultural funds, national grant programs, and private investors, as well as the creation of a shared repository of financing opportunities that developers can tap into more efficiently. **Talent and Skills** Recognising that the industry’s growth is driven by human capital, EGDF will launch initiatives to bridge the gap between education and employment.
Partnerships with universities, vocational schools, and specialised bootcamps will be expanded, and mentorship schemes will be introduced to help emerging creators acquire the technical, artistic, and business competencies required in today’s competitive market. The federation also highlighted its commitment to monitoring and nurturing the broader European game‑industry ecosystem. By fostering stronger collaboration among studios across borders, EGDF aims to create a more cohesive network that can collectively address challenges such as market fragmentation, regulatory disparities, and the need for shared infrastructure.
In a statement, the EGDF emphasized its role in amplifying the global visibility of European games. "We will continue to act as a catalyst for the European game industry, strengthening ties with studios, policymakers, and international partners, while ensuring that European creators receive the recognition they deserve on the world stage," the organization said. A particularly forward‑looking goal mentioned by the federation is its ambition to become the first AI‑centric European trade association in the gaming sector.
As the industry increasingly adopts artificial‑intelligence tools for everything from procedural content generation to player analytics, EGDF intends to lead the conversation on ethical AI use, standards development, and the integration of AI into creative workflows. Earlier in the week, the EGDF collaborated with Video Games Europe (VGE) to release the European Video Game Industry Insights Report 2024. The report provides a comprehensive snapshot of the continent’s gaming landscape, revealing that the sector generated a turnover of €24 billion in 2024. Moreover, the industry supports more than 6,600 studios and employs over 95,000 individuals across a diverse range of roles, from programming and design to marketing and distribution.
These figures underscore the economic significance of gaming within Europe and reinforce the federation’s rationale for its upcoming initiatives. By improving access to capital, nurturing talent pipelines, and championing AI innovation, EGDF seeks to sustain and accelerate this growth trajectory.
The newly formed board, with its blend of operational expertise, policy insight, and regional representation, is poised to drive these objectives forward. Their collective experience spans the entire value chain—from indie game creation and cultural advocacy to large‑scale business development—ensuring that the federation’s strategies are both ambitious and grounded in practical industry knowledge. In summary, the European Games Developer Federation’s 2026‑2028 board, under the continued leadership of President Hendrik Lesser, is set to champion a more integrated, well‑funded, and technologically advanced European gaming sector. Through targeted funding programs, talent development initiatives, and a pioneering AI focus, the EGDF aims to elevate European developers to a leading position in the global market while reinforcing the industry’s contribution to the European economy and cultural landscape.