The European Games Developer Federation (EGDF) has confirmed the composition of its new board for the 2026‑2028 term and announced that Hendrik Lesser will continue as its president after being re‑elected by the federation’s members. Lesser’s renewed mandate comes at a time when the association is sharpening its focus on helping European game creators climb the value chain, secure more financing, attract skilled personnel and enhance their overall capabilities. Two prominent figures stepped away from the board during this reshuffle. David Rabineau, the chief executive officer of Homo Ludens, and Gediminas Tarasevicius, director of the studio No Brakes Games, both resigned their seats, making room for a fresh set of voices from across the continent.
The newly appointed board members are: - **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, representing Finnish developers and promoting cross‑border collaboration. - **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 network in Central and Eastern Europe. - **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 organising large‑scale industry events.
- **Vanessa Kaplan** – Director General of the Syndicat National du Jeu Vidéo, representing French developers and bringing a deep understanding of the French market and regulatory environment. Together, this diverse group is tasked with steering the federation through a period of rapid technological change and growing global competition.
Their agenda, as outlined by EGDF, centres on three core pillars: 1. **Creating a clear pathway to the top of the value chain** – The federation intends to develop programmes and mentorship schemes that help smaller studios scale up, transition from service‑based contracts to original IP ownership, and capture a larger share of revenue generated by their games. 2. **Improving access to funding** – By liaising with European Union bodies, national grant agencies and private investors, EGDF aims to simplify the application process, provide clearer criteria, and publish a yearly catalogue of available financing options tailored to different stages of development.
3. **Strengthening talent pipelines and skill development** – The association will partner with educational institutions, vocational schools and online learning platforms to design curricula that reflect current industry needs, from advanced programming and art production to emerging fields such as procedural generation and immersive storytelling. In a statement released alongside the board announcement, EGDF highlighted its commitment to monitoring the health of the European game ecosystem, fostering stronger ties between studios, publishers, technology providers and policy makers, and raising the profile of European games on the global stage. "We will continue to act as a catalyst for collaboration, ensuring that developers across the continent have the resources and visibility they need to compete internationally," the federation said.
A particularly forward‑looking element of the federation’s strategy is its ambition to become the first AI‑driven trade association in Europe. Recognising that the gaming sector is often at the forefront of adopting artificial‑intelligence tools—whether for procedural content creation, player‑behavior analytics or automated testing—EGDF plans to integrate AI into its own operations. This could involve using machine‑learning models to match studios with suitable investors, predict market trends, or even provide real‑time regulatory guidance.
The timing of these announcements coincides with the release of the European Video Game Industry Insights Report 2024, a joint effort by EGDF and Video Games Europe (VGE). The report paints a robust picture of the continent’s gaming landscape: in 2024, European developers generated €24 billion in turnover, a figure supported by more than 6,600 active studios employing upwards of 95,000 professionals.
The data underscores the sector’s significance as a major employer and a driver of digital innovation. Analysts note that the growth reflected in the report is not merely a result of increased consumer spending, but also of the expanding export of European titles to markets in North America, Asia and the Middle East. Moreover, the report highlights the rising share of games that incorporate AI‑enhanced features, reinforcing EGDF’s decision to embed artificial intelligence into its strategic roadmap.
Looking ahead, the federation’s board intends to launch several concrete initiatives. Among them are a pan‑European accelerator programme that will offer seed capital, mentorship and technical support to promising indie teams; a series of workshops on AI ethics and responsible use in game design; and a quarterly summit that brings together developers, investors, educators and policymakers to discuss emerging challenges such as data privacy, sustainability and the impact of cloud‑gaming services. By fostering a collaborative environment and providing tangible resources, EGDF hopes to ensure that European developers not only retain a strong domestic market but also increase their share of global revenues. The federation’s renewed leadership, with Hendrik Lesser at the helm, signals continuity in vision while injecting fresh perspectives from the newly appointed board members.
In summary, the European Games Developer Federation’s 2026‑2028 board is set to drive a multi‑year plan that emphasizes funding accessibility, talent development, AI integration and international visibility. With a clear mandate to support studios of all sizes and a commitment to leveraging cutting‑edge technology, EGDF aims to cement Europe’s position as a leading hub for innovative and culturally diverse video games.