The European Games Developer Federation (EGDF) has confirmed that Hendrik Lesser will continue at the helm as its president, following his re‑election during the unveiling of the federation’s new 2026‑2028 board. The announcement also noted the departure of two prominent figures in the European gaming community: David Rabineau, chief executive officer of the Homo Ludens collective, and Gediminas Tarasevicius, director of the indie studio No Brakes Games. Their resignations open space for a refreshed leadership team that is set to steer the organization through a period of rapid change and growth in the European gaming sector. The freshly appointed board now comprises a diverse group of industry veterans and representatives from a range of national and regional gaming bodies: - **Martine Spaans** – currently serving as Chief Operating Officer at Fourth Moon Games and also holding the position of General Manager for the Dutch Games Association.
Spaans brings extensive experience in both studio operations and national advocacy for game developers. - **KooPee Hiltunen** – director of the Neogames Finland Association, a role that has placed Hiltunen at the centre of Finland’s thriving indie scene and its broader strategic initiatives.
- **Per Strömbäck** – a board member of the Gaming Culture Foundation and a participant in the Stockholm Region Business Council, offering a blend of cultural insight and business acumen. - **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 foothold in Central‑Eastern European market development.
- **Jakub Marszalkowski** – leader of the Games Industry Conference, co‑founder and board member of the Indie Games Poland Foundation, and a well‑known voice for Poland’s indie ecosystem. - **Vanessa Kaplan** – director‑general of the Syndicat National du Jeu Vidéo, representing the French video‑game industry at a national level. Together, this board is tasked with executing EGDF’s strategic agenda for the 2026‑2028 period.
The federation has articulated a clear set of priorities that centre on creating a more transparent and supportive value chain for European developers. In practice, this means building concrete pathways that enable studios—whether small indie teams or mid‑size publishers—to climb to higher‑value segments of the market, such as international distribution, live‑service operations, and cross‑media collaborations. A major pillar of the plan is to improve access to capital. The EGDF intends to act as an intermediary between developers and a variety of funding sources, including EU cultural programmes, national grant schemes, private investors, and venture‑capital funds that have shown an increasing appetite for interactive entertainment.
By streamlining application processes, offering guidance on pitch preparation, and facilitating matchmaking events, the federation hopes to lower the administrative burden that often hampers smaller studios from securing the resources they need to scale. Talent acquisition and skill development constitute another cornerstone of the roadmap.
Recognising that the European gaming ecosystem suffers from a fragmented training landscape, EGDF will launch a series of pan‑European initiatives aimed at standardising curricula, promoting cross‑border apprenticeships, and providing mentorship programmes that pair emerging creators with seasoned industry professionals. These efforts are designed to address both the shortage of specialised technical expertise—such as AI integration, real‑time rendering, and network engineering—and the need for broader soft skills like project management, marketing, and international business negotiation. The federation also underscored its commitment to monitoring and nurturing the overall health of the European game‑development ecosystem. This includes regular data collection, benchmarking studies, and policy advocacy aimed at ensuring that regulatory frameworks across the continent remain conducive to innovation and growth.
By maintaining an open dialogue with national governments, European Union bodies, and private sector stakeholders, EGDF seeks to amplify the collective voice of developers on issues ranging from intellectual‑property protection to digital‑taxation and cross‑border trade. In a statement released alongside the board announcement, EGDF highlighted its ambition to raise the global profile of European games. The organisation plans to coordinate high‑visibility marketing campaigns, support participation in major international trade shows, and foster partnerships with global distributors and platform holders. By showcasing the creative diversity and technical excellence of European studios, the federation hopes to attract new audiences and investment from outside the continent.
A particularly forward‑looking element of the EGDF’s strategy is its focus on artificial intelligence. The gaming sector has emerged as a leading testbed for AI‑driven tools—ranging from procedural content generation to advanced player‑behavior analytics. EGDF has set an internal goal to become the first AI‑centric trade association in Europe, meaning it will actively develop guidelines, best‑practice documents, and ethical frameworks for the responsible use of AI in game development.
This initiative is expected to position European studios at the forefront of technological innovation while safeguarding creators’ rights and consumer interests. The board’s formation comes at a time when the European games industry is experiencing robust financial performance.
Earlier in the week, EGDF and Video Games Europe (VGE) released the European Video Game Industry Insights Report 2024, which revealed that the sector generated a turnover of €24 billion in 2024. The report also noted that more than 6,600 studios were operating across the continent, collectively employing over 95 000 individuals. These figures illustrate both the economic weight of the industry and its potential as a driver of jobs, cultural export, and technological advancement.
Looking ahead, the EGDF’s renewed leadership and clarified objectives aim to translate this economic momentum into sustainable growth. By improving funding pipelines, nurturing talent, championing AI innovation, and amplifying the European gaming narrative on the world stage, the federation intends to create a more resilient and competitive ecosystem for all its members. The next two years promise to be a pivotal period for European game developers, with the EGDF positioned as a central catalyst for change and opportunity.