Germany Funds Rockfish Games With €8M Development Grant
▼ Summary
– Rockfish Games received an €8 million grant from a German government fund, the largest single award, to develop the next Everspace game.
– The grant covers nearly 45% of the project’s €20 million budget, allowing the studio to remain fully independent and self-fund the remainder.
– The funding provides long-term stability for the studio to expand its team, upskill staff, and grow from a small to a mid-sized company.
– CEO Michael Schade states the grant enables creative independence, allowing faster reactions to fan feedback and market needs without a publisher.
– Schade highlights that such government support helps incubate the AA game development sector in Germany, creating jobs and fostering technology.
The German government has awarded a major €8 million development grant to Rockfish Games, providing crucial support for the next title in the Everspace shooter franchise. This funding, the largest single award from the nation’s expanded €125 million games fund, underscores a strategic push to bolster the domestic video game industry. Administered by the Federal Ministry of Research, Technology, and Space (BMFTR), the program offers grants covering up to half of a project’s production and prototype costs, with awards ranging from €300,000 to €8 million.
For the Hamburg-based studio, this grant represents a transformative investment. The funds, distributed over five years, will cover nearly 45% of the development costs for the next Everspace game, which carries a total budget of €20 million. Rockfish Games CEO Michael Schade emphasized that this financial backing allows the studio to maintain its fully independent status as both a developer and publisher. The company self-funds the remaining portion, preserving creative and operational control.
Securing the grant was a rigorous process. Rockfish submitted a detailed prototype and a quarterly milestone plan, which is now overseen by DLR Projektträger (DLR-PT), Germany’s national research centre. Schade noted that the government evaluators displayed a sophisticated understanding of game development. Their feedback and questions regarding production timelines demonstrated an industry knowledge comparable to that of a top-tier publisher, he said.
The infusion of capital provides long-term stability for Rockfish as it scales from a small to a mid-sized studio. The funding supports strategic expansion, including recent hires that have added ten new team members through a mix of full-time roles and specialized co-development partnerships. This growth is managed carefully to preserve a positive studio culture. Resources are also allocated for upskilling current staff, with Schade pointing to planned improvements in the studio’s cinematic processes as one direct result.
For Schade, the core value of the grant is the freedom it safeguards. Independence allows the studio to make decisions that best fit its team, respond swiftly to fan feedback and market trends, and fully realize its creative vision for the Everspace universe. This does not mean an immediate foray into multiple projects or cross-media ventures, but it does provide the security to explore such possibilities in the future. Furthermore, the financial backing helps Rockfish stay at the forefront of new technology, strengthening its position in platform negotiations and global market visibility.
While the studio was not in dire financial straits, Schade acknowledged that without the grant, significant compromises would have been necessary. Alternatives like crowdfunding, seeking a traditional publisher, or reducing the game’s scope were all potential paths. Rockfish has successfully utilized both crowdfunding and Xbox Game Pass support for previous titles. Game Pass was instrumental in extending the production runway for Everspace 2, allowing for more content and polish. The studio’s strong relationship with Xbox leaves the door open for similar partnerships on the new project. Early Access also remains a vital part of Rockfish’s development philosophy, providing invaluable player feedback during production.
Schade sees the German funding initiative as a catalyst for the broader AA games development sector. The grant program, with its requirements for minimum investment, team experience, and cultural contributions, is designed to foster commercially and artistically successful projects. He argues that supporting mid-sized AA studios is a wise economic strategy, creating high-paying jobs, driving technological innovation, and showcasing German creativity internationally. While there is industry desire for a flagship AAA studio in Germany, Schade believes the creative flexibility and lower risk profile of the AA model is a strength. The government’s commitment, he concludes, is creating an environment where small and mid-sized companies can not only begin but truly thrive.
(Source: GamesIndustry.biz)