Hendrik Lesser has once again been chosen to lead the European Games Developer Federation (EGDF) as its president, coinciding with the federation’s announcement of the new board that will serve from 2026 through 2028. Lesser’s re‑election underscores a continuity of vision for the organization, which seeks to strengthen Europe’s game‑development ecosystem and elevate its global standing. Two notable departures were announced alongside the board refresh: David Rabineau, the chief executive officer of Homo Ludens, and Gediminas Tarasevicius, the studio director of No Brakes Games, have both stepped down from their previous roles within the federation. Their exits make way for a fresh slate of representatives drawn from a broad cross‑section of the European gaming community.
The newly constituted EGDF board now includes the following individuals: - **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, offering insight into the Nordic development scene and its unique funding structures. - **Per Strömbäck** – Board member of the Gaming Culture Foundation and participant in the Stockholm Region Business Council, providing a blend of cultural policy expertise and regional economic development knowledge.
- **Hrvoje Mitic** – Head of Business Development at GamesCo., Secretary‑General of the Croatian Game Development Alliance, and founder of Splitscreen Croatia, giving him a strong background in business growth and cross‑border collaboration. - **Jakub Marszalkowski** – Head of the Games Industry Conference, co‑founder and board member of the Indie Games Poland Foundation, known for championing indie creators and organizing large‑scale industry events. - **Vanessa Kaplan** – Director General of the Syndicat National du Jeu Vidéo, representing the French video‑game sector and its regulatory interests. Together, this diverse group is tasked with executing EGDF’s strategic agenda for the 2026‑2028 period.
Central to that agenda is the promise to provide developers with "a route to the top of the value chain," meaning that the federation will work to ensure that creators can move beyond early‑stage production and capture greater share of revenues, intellectual‑property rights, and market influence. To achieve this, EGDF plans to focus on three core pillars: improved access to funding, enhanced talent pipelines, and expanded skill‑development opportunities. On the funding front, EGDF intends to act as a conduit between game studios—especially small and medium‑sized enterprises—and the myriad public and private financing programmes available across Europe.
This includes lobbying for more favorable tax incentives, simplifying application procedures for EU‑wide grants, and facilitating partnerships with venture capital firms that specialize in interactive entertainment. By streamlining these pathways, the federation hopes to reduce the administrative burden that often hampers innovative projects. Talent acquisition and retention form the second pillar.
The board will promote cross‑border mobility for developers, encouraging the exchange of expertise between established hubs such as Paris, Berlin, Stockholm, and emerging clusters in the Balkans and Eastern Europe. Initiatives may involve joint apprenticeship schemes, university‑industry collaborations, and mentorship programmes that pair seasoned veterans with up‑and‑coming creators. The goal is to build a resilient, pan‑European talent pool capable of meeting the rapidly evolving technical demands of modern game production, from real‑time rendering to live‑ops services. Skill development is the third focus area.
EGDF plans to host workshops, webinars, and certification courses covering topics such as AI‑driven design tools, ethical monetisation models, and sustainable production pipelines. In a statement, the federation highlighted its ambition to become the first AI‑centric European trade association, recognising that the gaming sector is at the forefront of adopting artificial‑intelligence technologies. By providing members with early access to AI research, best‑practice guidelines, and regulatory insights, EGDF aims to ensure that European studios can harness these tools responsibly and competitively.
The federation also reiterated its broader mission: to continuously monitor and facilitate the growth of Europe’s game‑industry ecosystem, deepen collaboration with development studios across the continent, and boost the sector’s visibility on the world stage. In practical terms, this means maintaining a dialogue with policy makers in Brussels, supporting participation in international trade shows, and publishing data‑driven reports that showcase the economic impact of European games.
Speaking about the strategic direction, a spokesperson for EGDF said, "Our focus remains on creating a transparent, well‑funded, and highly skilled environment where developers can thrive. By aligning funding mechanisms, talent development, and cutting‑edge technology, we aim to position Europe as a leader not only in creative output but also in technological innovation." In related news, earlier in the week EGDF partnered with Video Games Europe (VGE) to release the European Video Game Industry Insights Report 2024. The report painted a robust picture of the continent’s gaming market, revealing that European developers generated a turnover of €24 billion in 2024. Moreover, the sector employed more than 95,000 individuals across over 6,600 studios, highlighting both its economic significance and its role as a major employer.
These figures underscore the importance of the federation’s upcoming initiatives. With a market of that magnitude, ensuring that developers have clear pathways to financing, skilled workforces, and advanced technologies is essential for sustaining growth and maintaining Europe’s competitive edge against other global hubs such as North America and East Asia. In summary, the re‑elected leadership under Hendrik Lesser, supported by a board representing a wide geographic and functional spectrum, is set to drive forward a comprehensive program aimed at strengthening the European games industry.
By focusing on funding accessibility, talent cultivation, and AI‑enabled skill development, EGDF seeks to empower creators to climb the value chain, increase the sector’s global visibility, and cement Europe’s reputation as a hotbed of innovative, high‑quality interactive entertainment.