European Commission representatives are attending the world's largest gaming event taking place in Cologne between 21 and 25 August.

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The main aim is to follow developments in the video game sector and deepen the dialogue with industry representatives. It will be the occasion to present available funding opportunities for the sector, to recall how the European Commission has supported the industry (for example with the Digital Markets Act), and to discuss what lies ahead.

Deputy Director-General Renate Nikolay will deliver a keynote speech and participate in the panel discussion on "How can games become a catalyst for innovations and strengthen EU competitiveness" as part of the gamescom congress. Additionally, several meetings are being held with leading European developers and publishers. The Creative Europe MEDIA subprogramme also has a strong presence in Cologne: its booth will host 70 European companies coming from 25 countries, proving new business opportunities to many video games professionals.

Background on EU support for the video games sector

Globally, around 4 in 10 people play video games, with the global market exceeding €170 billion, and growing. In this context, the Commission is ramping up its contribution to support European gaming businesses, allowing the European industry to become more competitive. Next to Creative Europe's yearly call for proposals to support the development of narrative video games and immersive experiences (€7 million in 2024), the Commission presented a first-ever EU-wide study on the economic, cultural, financial, and social impacts that video games have on our society. It is also curating a year-long dialogue with Member States to identify common priorities for the sector.

Looking forward, the Commission will issue the second edition of its "European Media Industry Outlook" in 2025, compiling new data on consumer habits and identifying technological and business developments in the video games sector.

Background on gamescom

gamescom is the world's largest event for video games taking place in Cologne annually. Up to 500,000 attendees visit gamescom every year. Both the innovative and creative value of video games are celebrated during the event, showcasing international and European talents and outlining the opportunities the sector brings to Europe's competitiveness and digital economy. This is a 360-degree event on the video games industry, and all businesses, sectors or business models relying on video gaming interactive technologies.

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