Hendrik Lesser has secured a second term as president of the European Games Developer Federation (EGDF), coinciding with the unveiling of the organisation’s new governing board for the 2026‑2028 period. The leadership reshuffle also sees the departure of two prominent figures: David Rabineau, chief executive of the game‑publishing firm Homo Ludens, and Gediminas Tarasevicius, studio director at No Brakes Games, both of whom have stepped down from their board positions.
The freshly constituted EGDF board now comprises a diverse group of industry veterans and representatives from key European gaming bodies: - **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 advocacy. - **KooPee Hiltunen** – Director of the Neogames Finland Association, a leading voice for Finnish developers and a champion of Nordic game culture. - **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 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 fostering indie talent and organising high‑profile industry events. - **Vanessa Kaplan** – Director General of the Syndicat National du Jeu Vidéo, representing French game developers and influencing national regulatory frameworks.
The EGDF has laid out an ambitious agenda for the forthcoming two‑year term, centred on creating a clearer pathway for developers to ascend the value chain within the European gaming ecosystem. Central to this plan is the enhancement of three core pillars: access to funding, acquisition of talent, and the development of specialised skills. "Our mission is to monitor and actively support the growth of Europe’s game‑development landscape, deepen collaboration with studios across the continent, and raise the global profile of European games," the federation declared in its official statement.
"By strengthening these connections, we aim to ensure that European creators can compete on equal footing with their counterparts worldwide." In addition to these strategic priorities, the EGDF highlighted the sector’s pioneering role in artificial‑intelligence research and application. Recognising that the gaming industry often leads the adoption of AI‑driven tools—ranging from procedural content generation to advanced player‑behavior analytics—the federation set an ambitious target: to become the first AI‑focused European trade association. This initiative will involve establishing standards for ethical AI use, facilitating knowledge‑sharing workshops, and lobbying for supportive policy frameworks at the EU level.
The timing of these announcements follows the recent release of the European Video Game Industry Insights Report 2024, a joint effort by the EGDF and Video Games Europe (VGE). The report provides a comprehensive snapshot of the continent’s gaming market, revealing that European developers generated a total turnover of €24 billion in 2024. The sector now encompasses more than 6,600 studios, collectively employing upwards of 95,000 individuals across a wide array of disciplines, from programming and art design to marketing and community management. These figures underscore the sector’s rapid expansion and its importance as a driver of digital innovation and cultural export.
The EGDF’s renewed focus on funding pathways aims to bridge the gap between early‑stage indie projects and larger publishing deals, ensuring that promising concepts can secure the capital needed for development, localisation, and distribution. By partnering with venture capital firms, public‑sector grant programmes, and EU‑wide funding mechanisms such as Horizon Europe, the federation intends to streamline application processes and provide clearer guidance on eligibility criteria. Talent acquisition is another cornerstone of the EGDF’s strategy. Europe faces a competitive talent market, with high demand for skilled programmers, artists, and designers.
To address this, the federation plans to launch a series of cross‑border apprenticeship schemes, mentorship networks, and university outreach programmes. These initiatives will be designed to attract young creatives from under‑represented regions, fostering a more inclusive and diverse workforce that reflects the continent’s cultural richness. Skill development will be supported through a robust catalogue of training resources, workshops, and certification programmes.
Topics will range from emerging technologies such as virtual reality, augmented reality, and cloud‑based multiplayer infrastructure, to soft skills like project management, intercultural communication, and sustainable development practices. By collaborating with academic institutions, industry veterans, and technology providers, the EGDF aims to create a continuous learning environment that equips developers with the competencies required for the next generation of games.
The board’s composition, featuring leaders from both established studios and emerging indie collectives, positions the EGDF to balance the needs of large‑scale publishers with those of smaller, innovative teams. This inclusive governance model is expected to facilitate dialogue across the spectrum of the industry, ensuring that policy recommendations and support programmes are grounded in real‑world challenges faced by developers of all sizes. Looking ahead, the federation will also intensify its advocacy efforts at the European Union level, seeking to influence legislation related to digital market regulation, intellectual property rights, and cross‑border data flows. By presenting a unified voice for the gaming sector, the EGDF hopes to shape a regulatory environment that encourages investment, protects creators, and promotes fair competition.
In summary, the re‑election of Hendrik Lesser and the appointment of a new, highly qualified board signal a period of strategic growth for the European Games Developer Federation. With a clear focus on funding accessibility, talent cultivation, skill enhancement, and AI integration, the EGDF is poised to strengthen Europe’s position as a global leader in interactive entertainment, while also delivering tangible benefits to the thousands of professionals who power the industry today.