Back to search

Funding for Digital Games and Interactive Content
Open

Hybrid
Last updated: 14.6.2025

The state of North Rhine-Westphalia supports the concept and prototype development, as well as the production of digital games and interactive content. The goal is to increase the quality of pedagogically significant digital games and to strengthen the North Rhine-Westphalian development and production industry. Funding is provided as a grant or an interest-free loan.

Who is funded

The funding program is aimed at companies and commercial individuals in North Rhine-Westphalia who are dedicated to the development and production of digital games and interactive content. The main goal is to promote the quality of pedagogically or culturally significant projects and to strengthen the regional media and creative industries.

What is funded

The program supports the development and production of digital games and interactive content in various phases, from concept development and prototype development to full production. Projects that are qualitatively worthy of funding and meet certain cultural, creative, and technological criteria are supported, while content that glorifies violence or endangers children and young people is explicitly excluded.

Type and Scope of Funding

The program offers different financing instruments for various project phases: grants for concept and prototype development and interest-free loans for production projects. The funding amount varies depending on the phase and covers a significant portion of the costs, with a co-financing share of at least 10% required.

Conditions and Requirements

Approval of funding is tied to specific prerequisites and obligations, ranging from compliance with formal application requirements to meeting content criteria. These include, among other things, a mandatory consultation before application, adherence to ethical principles, and transparent disclosure of funding in project credits.

Application Procedure

The application process requires careful preparation, including a mandatory consultation, and the timely submission of complete documents. Decisions on funding are made by a special allocation committee based on the submitted applications and the criteria catalog, whereby there is no legal entitlement to funding.

The legal basis of the funding program is primarily the "Funding Guidelines of Film- und Medienstiftung NRW GmbH for the Funding of Digital Games and Interactive Content," as of 01.01.2024. These documents define the goals and conditions of the funding and are binding for funding recipients.

#Digital Games Funding NRW#Games Funding North Rhine-Westphalia#Interactive Content Funding#Game Development NRW#Media Funding NRW#Game Prototype Development#Game Concept Development#Game Production NRW#Creative Industry NRW#Strengthening Media Economy#Cultural Games#Educational Games#Games Innovation#NRW Game Developers#Film and Media Foundation#Digital Media

Funding Overview

Maximum Amount

Maximum Amount:

500.000 €

Open Until

Open Until:

31.12.2026

Award Channel

Award Channel:

Demand Driven Scheme

Region

Region:

North Rhine-Westphalia (Germany)

Sectors

Sectors:

Information and Communication Technology, Creative Industries

Beneficiaries

Beneficiaries:

Culture, Media & Sports, Digitalization

Funding Stages

Funding Stages:

Planning, Prototyping, Product Development

Funding Provider

Program Level: Regional

Funding Body: Film- und Medienstiftung NRW GmbH

Managed By: Film- und Medienstiftung NRW GmbH

Website: Film- und Medienstiftung NRW