The European Games Developer Federation (EGDF) has confirmed the composition of its new board for the 2026‑2028 term and announced that Hendrik Lesser has been re‑elected to continue serving as its president. Lesser’s renewed mandate comes at a pivotal moment for the European games sector, which is experiencing rapid growth, heightened competition, and an accelerating integration of artificial intelligence into development pipelines. In addition to the leadership continuity at the top, the federation also noted the departure of two prominent figures from its previous board.
David Rabineau, the chief executive officer of Homo Ludens, and Gediminas Tarasevicius, the studio director of No Brakes Games, have stepped down, making way for fresh perspectives and new expertise. The newly appointed board members bring a diverse blend of experience from across the continent’s gaming ecosystem: - **Martine Spaans** – Currently serving as Chief Operating Officer at Fourth Moon Games and also holding the role of General Manager for the Dutch Games Association, Spaans adds operational leadership and a deep understanding of the Dutch market. - **KooPee Hiltunen** – Director of the Neogames Finland Association, Hiltunen contributes insight into the Nordic development scene and its strong emphasis on indie innovation.
- **Per Strömbäck** – A board member of the Gaming Culture Foundation and participant in the Stockholm Region Business Council, Strömbäck offers a bridge between cultural policy and commercial strategy. - **Hrvoje Mitic** – Head of Business Development at GamesCo., Secretary‑General of the Croatian Game Development Alliance, and founder of Splitscreen Croatia, Mitic brings a wealth of experience in business growth and regional collaboration. - **Jakub Marszalkowski** – Head of the Games Industry Conference, co‑founder and board member of the Indie Games Poland Foundation, Marszalkowski adds expertise in event organization, community building, and indie advocacy.
- **Vanessa Kaplan** – Director General of the Syndicat National du Jeu Vidéo, Kaplan represents the French gaming sector and contributes a strong voice on policy and labor issues. Together, this board is tasked with steering EGDF’s strategic agenda for the next two years.
The federation has outlined a clear set of priorities that revolve around strengthening the value chain for European developers. Central to this agenda is the promise to create a more direct “route to the top of the value chain,” meaning that developers of all sizes should have clearer pathways to secure funding, attract top‑tier talent, and acquire the specialized skills needed to compete internationally.
The EGDF’s public statement emphasizes several concrete objectives: 1. **Enhanced Funding Access** – By liaising with national and EU‑level grant programmes, venture capital networks, and private investors, the federation aims to demystify financing opportunities and streamline application processes for studios.
This includes developing a centralized information hub that aggregates funding calls, eligibility criteria, and best‑practice guides. 2. **Talent Development and Mobility** – Recognising the shortage of specialised roles such as AI programmers, narrative designers, and UX researchers, EGDF will partner with educational institutions, bootcamps, and apprenticeship schemes to build pipelines of qualified professionals.
Initiatives will also focus on cross‑border mobility, allowing talent to move more freely between member countries. 3.
**Skills Upskilling** – The federation plans to host a series of workshops, webinars, and master‑classes covering emerging technologies, from real‑time ray tracing to procedural content generation. By fostering continuous learning, EGDF hopes to keep European studios at the cutting edge of technical innovation. 4. **Ecosystem Monitoring and Facilitation** – EGDF will maintain a dedicated analytics team that tracks market trends, regulatory changes, and investment flows.
This data will be shared with members to inform strategic decisions and to highlight growth opportunities. 5. **Global Visibility** – Through coordinated marketing campaigns, participation in major trade shows, and strategic partnerships with international bodies, the federation seeks to raise the profile of European games on the world stage, positioning the continent as a hub of creative excellence. A particularly forward‑looking element of the agenda is the federation’s ambition to become the first AI‑centric European trade association.
The gaming industry has long been a testing ground for artificial intelligence, from procedural level design to adaptive difficulty systems. EGDF intends to harness this momentum by establishing AI working groups, publishing guidelines on ethical AI use, and facilitating collaborations between game studios and AI research labs. In parallel with these strategic moves, EGDF recently collaborated with Video Games Europe (VGE) to release the *European Video Game Industry Insights Report 2024*.
The report provides a snapshot of the sector’s economic health, revealing that the European games industry generated €24 billion in turnover in 2024. It also highlighted that more than 6,600 studios were active across the continent, employing upwards of 95,000 individuals.
These figures underscore the sector’s significance as a major employer and a driver of digital innovation. The insights from the report will inform EGDF’s policy advocacy, particularly in areas such as tax incentives, intellectual property protection, and digital infrastructure investment. By presenting robust data to European policymakers, the federation aims to secure a favourable regulatory environment that nurtures both large publishers and independent creators.
Overall, the re‑election of Hendrik Lesser and the introduction of a refreshed board signal continuity blended with new expertise. The federation’s comprehensive roadmap—spanning financing, talent, skills, ecosystem support, and AI integration—reflects a holistic approach to bolstering Europe’s gaming landscape. As the industry continues to evolve, EGDF’s commitment to fostering collaboration, visibility, and innovation positions it as a pivotal catalyst for the continent’s future success in interactive entertainment.