The European Games Developer Federation (EGDF) has confirmed that Hendrik Lesser will continue at the helm as its president, having been re‑elected by the membership. At the same time, the federation unveiled the composition of its new governing board for the 2026‑2028 term, marking a fresh chapter for the organisation after several senior figures stepped aside.
Two prominent leaders exited the board this cycle. David Rabineau, the chief executive officer of the game‑development studio Homo Ludens, and Gediminas Tarasevicius, who directs the Finnish studio No Brakes Games, both announced they would not seek re‑appointment.
Their departures open space for new voices and expertise to shape EGDF’s strategic direction. The freshly appointed board members bring a broad mix of experience from across Europe’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. Her dual responsibilities give her insight into both studio operations and national industry advocacy. - **KooPee Hiltunen** – director of the Neogames Finland Association, where she has been instrumental in fostering collaboration among Finnish developers and promoting the country’s growing reputation for innovative game design.
- **Per Strömbäck** – a board member of the Gaming Culture Foundation and a participant in the Stockholm Region Business Council, providing a strong link between cultural policy, business development, and the broader Nordic gaming landscape. - **Hrvoje Mitic** – head of business development at GamesCo., secretary‑general of the Croatian Game Development Alliance, and founder of Splitscreen Croatia, a platform that highlights regional talent and connects creators with international partners. - **Jakub Marszalkowski** – leads the Games Industry Conference, co‑founded the Indie Games Poland Foundation and serves on its board, giving him a pulse on the indie sector and the importance of networking events for knowledge exchange. - **Vanessa Kaplan** – director‑general of the Syndicat National du Jeu Vidéo, the French national union for video‑game professionals, where she champions policy initiatives that protect creators’ rights and promote sustainable growth.
Together, these six individuals form a board that reflects the geographic diversity of Europe’s game‑development community, spanning the Netherlands, Finland, Sweden, Croatia, Poland and France. Their combined expertise covers everything from studio management and talent development to policy advocacy and international market expansion. In conjunction with the board announcement, EGDF laid out a clear agenda for the 2026‑2028 period. Central to this plan is the ambition to provide developers with "a route to the top of the value chain," meaning that creators of all sizes should have clearer pathways to higher‑value activities such as publishing, distribution and monetisation.
To achieve this, the federation will focus on three core pillars: 1. **Enhanced Access to Funding** – EGDF intends to streamline connections between developers and public or private financing sources.
This includes lobbying for more robust national and EU‑level grant programmes, facilitating introductions to venture capital firms that specialise in interactive media, and creating a shared knowledge base of best practices for securing investment. 2.
**Talent Development and Skills Building** – Recognising that a skilled workforce is the backbone of any thriving industry, the federation will expand training initiatives, mentorship schemes and cross‑border apprenticeship programmes. Partnerships with universities, technical schools and specialised bootcamps will be deepened to ensure that curricula stay aligned with the fast‑evolving technological demands of modern game creation. 3.
**Visibility and Market Reach** – By promoting European games on the global stage, EGDF hopes to raise the region’s profile among publishers, media outlets and consumers worldwide. This will involve coordinated marketing campaigns, participation in major international trade shows, and the production of data‑driven reports that highlight the economic impact and creative excellence of European studios. The federation also underscored its commitment to monitoring the health of the European gaming ecosystem. Regular assessments will track metrics such as studio survival rates, employment trends, and export performance.
These insights will inform policy recommendations aimed at strengthening the overall environment for developers, from start‑ups to established mid‑size companies. A noteworthy element of EGDF’s forward‑looking strategy is its focus on artificial intelligence.
The association recognises that the gaming sector is often at the forefront of adopting AI‑driven tools for everything ranging from procedural content generation to player‑behaviour analytics. Consequently, EGDF has set an ambitious target: to become the first AI‑centric European trade association for games. This will involve establishing working groups that explore ethical AI use, providing guidance on integrating AI into development pipelines, and advocating for regulatory frameworks that protect both creators and consumers.
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 paints a vivid picture of the sector’s scale and momentum. According to its findings, the European games industry generated a turnover of €24 billion in 2024, underscoring its status as a major economic driver.
The ecosystem comprises more than 6,600 studios, ranging from indie boutiques to large multinational publishers, collectively employing over 95,000 individuals across a variety of roles such as design, programming, art, marketing and support. These figures highlight not only the financial weight of the industry but also its role as a significant employer and a source of cultural output.
The report also points to trends such as the increasing importance of live‑service models, the growing adoption of cross‑platform releases, and the rising influence of emerging markets within Europe. Looking ahead, EGDF’s renewed leadership and expanded board signal a proactive stance toward harnessing these trends. By improving access to capital, nurturing talent, amplifying the global presence of European games, and pioneering AI integration, the federation aims to ensure that Europe remains a vibrant, innovative hub for interactive entertainment. The organization’s actions over the next two years will be closely watched by developers, investors, policymakers and fans alike, all of whom have a stake in the continued success and evolution of the European gaming landscape.