Project description
Green technology development in the EU gaming industry
Europe hosts more than 4 900 video game developer studios, employing a workforce of 98 000 individuals. The game development sector, known for its energy-intensive nature, significantly contributes to greenhouse gas emissions, necessitating urgent measures to align with climate goals. Notably, the board game industry is also of substantial importance. Despite the environmental impact, game developers are at the forefront of adopting green technologies and innovative business practices to facilitate an inclusive societal climate transition. Aligning with the goals of the European Green Deal, the EU-funded STRATEGIES project will play a crucial role in supporting Europe’s gaming industry. It will do so by helping it become cleaner and greener and supporting its potential to change players’ hearts and minds.
Objective
STRATEGIES aim is to support Europe’s game industries in realising their potential as drivers of sustainable innovation, contributing to achieving the goals of the European Green Deal and delivering an economy that works for people. Europe’s game developers are a vital cultural and creative industry whose capacity to meet climate goals must be achieved as a matter of urgency. The size, energy and resource intensive nature of game development means that these industries are key contributors to greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions and ecological destruction. There are over 4,900 video game developer studios in Europe, employing 98,000 people, with a combined revenue of €23.3bn. Although smaller in size, Europe’s board game industry is also a significant CCI, with revenues projected to reach $4 billion by 2023. Analogue and video game developers share expertise, creative practices, and workers, and can support one another to meet challenges and take up opportunities. In video and analogue game development, micro and small enterprises represent over 90% of the industries. The fact that most developers are micro enterprises presents specific challenges in their climate transition. However, game developers are also first movers among Europe’s CCIs, paving the way in green technological developments and business innovation. Furthermore, game development requires innovative design practices that can be harnessed to drive an inclusive societal climate transition. This project not only addresses the challenges faced by the industries, then, but seizes on the opportunities for game developers, and on the unprecedented reach of games among European citizens, recognizing the role of bottom-up behaviour change as key to the success of policy aimed at societal transformation.
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Funding Scheme
HORIZON-RIA - HORIZON Research and Innovation ActionsCoordinator
3584 CS Utrecht
Netherlands