“The city provides excellent support through initiatives like Gamecity Hamburg, which offers grants for smaller studios, workshops, and networking events. This support has truly been a
game changer for the industry.” Michelle Zou, Managing Director at Bigpoint
Gamecity Hamburg was the first initiative of its kind when it started 20 years ago, and has had a lot of time to optimise its support, is another big plus. Lastly, Hamburg is a metropolis by German standards, with nearly two million people living within the city limits and another five million in the Metropolitan Region. That’s a huge talent pool, and we all know how crucial that is for making great games. Marvin Eschenauer (Bytro): There are a lot of small and medium sized studios around. Also Hamburg, being a port, is a very international city - and Bytro is an international company. It just made sense.
Michelle Zou (Bigpoint): It is a highly international city with a vibrant and diverse population. There is always something interesting to do, regardless of one’s interests, whether it be in terms of culture, food, sports, or other activities. In terms of the gaming industry, Hamburg stands out due to the presence of numerous game developers, publishers, and other gaming-related companies. Additionally, the city provides excellent support through initiatives like Gamecity Hamburg, which offers grants for smaller studios, workshops, and networking events. This support has truly been a game changer for the industry.
What challenges would you say are unique to the area? Marc Morian (InnoGames): I can think of some challenges, but none of them are unique to Hamburg.
Marvin Eschenauer (Bytro): The weather, definitely!
Michelle Zou (Bigpoint): One unique challenge in the Hamburg area is the intense competition for attracting new talent. With a high concentration of gaming companies, it can be tricky to find suitable candidates for specific positions. The demand for skilled professionals often exceeds the available supply, leading to increased competition among companies.
What is your experience of local or federal government / business support in the area? Michelle Zou (Bigpoint): Our experience with local government support in Hamburg has been highly positive. The city’s Gamecity Hamburg initiative and Hamburg Invest Team have been instrumental in providing various forms of support to the gaming industry. They offer grants, organise workshops and networking events, and provide valuable resources for game developers. The government’s commitment to fostering the growth of the industry has been evident through these initiatives.
Marvin Eschenauer (Bytro): Events to meet and connect with local industry peers are very valuable - especially since the games industry is very open- minded and everybody can learn from each other. Gamecity Hamburg is an outstanding initiative there. We have been a sponsor and supporter of different GameCity events for years, because we strongly believe that the local games industry in Hamburg has many talented developers. We are a big fan of GameCity’s Games Lift program especially, where our CEO Tobias Kringe has supported new game developers and talents as a Mentor.
Marc Morian (InnoGames): The financial support provided by the City of Hamburg through Gamecity Hamburg is mainly focused on supporting start- ups, e.g. by providing financial aid for prototyping and access to know-how. Overall, Gamecity is doing a very good job in that area. For that reason alone, Hamburg is a good place to start your gaming business. In addition, Germany provides substantial federal funding. However, that funding has been a bit of
August 2023 MCV/DEVELOP | 29
Bigpoint, which is also celebrating its 20th year
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