Periodic Reporting for period 1 - GAME-ER (Gaming Clusters Across Multiple European Regions)
Berichtszeitraum: 2024-03-01 bis 2025-05-31
GAME-ER addresses a critical gap in understanding the role of local and regional video game clusters in Europe’s Cultural and Creative Industries (CCIs). While the video game sector is growing rapidly worldwide, research has mainly focused on large metropolitan hubs like Helsinki and Hamburg. GAME-ER recognizes that smaller, regional clusters outside of capital cities also drive innovation and employment, yet they remain under-researched and under-supported.
The project aims to explore how these clusters emerge, develop, and sustain themselves, with a focus on local contexts. By analyzing six clusters across five countries (France, Italy, Czech Republic, Portugal, and Scotland), GAME-ER will identify key patterns, challenges, and success factors. Based on this research, GAME-ER will create an Interactive Toolkit with policy recommendations for European policymakers and practical guidelines for local actors to strengthen gaming/CCIs clusters. This toolkit will ensure the insights are actionable and tailored to the needs of decision-makers.
GAME-ER’s findings will benefit at least 14 European regions and hundreds of policymakers, contributing to the EU’s cultural, digital, and cohesion policy goals, positioning Europe’s CCIs as engines of inclusive and sustainable innovation.
The project aims to explore how these clusters emerge, develop, and sustain themselves, with a focus on local contexts. By analyzing six clusters across five countries (France, Italy, Czech Republic, Portugal, and Scotland), GAME-ER will identify key patterns, challenges, and success factors. Based on this research, GAME-ER will create an Interactive Toolkit with policy recommendations for European policymakers and practical guidelines for local actors to strengthen gaming/CCIs clusters. This toolkit will ensure the insights are actionable and tailored to the needs of decision-makers.
GAME-ER’s findings will benefit at least 14 European regions and hundreds of policymakers, contributing to the EU’s cultural, digital, and cohesion policy goals, positioning Europe’s CCIs as engines of inclusive and sustainable innovation.
GAME-ER has advanced steadily during the first reporting period, with substantial progress on the research work packages and the first building blocks for the comparative analysis and methodological toolkit
SO1. Research – Comparative study of local and regional video game clusters
-Extensive data collection was conducted across the six selected clusters
-149 semi-structured interviews with local actors
-285 documents mapped and analysed
-25 interviews and 86 documents collected for historical cluster development
-Spatial mapping of the European video game industry was advanced through a data-driven methodology combining web-scraping, business registers, and GIS
-Over 9,500 companies identified , of which 3,500 are active (2020–2024)
-More than 4,000 companies georeferenced and included in preliminary European maps
-A common analytical grid for cross-case comparison was designed and validated, providing a robust framework for harmonising qualitative and quantitative findings
-Deliverables submitted/prepared: D2.1 D3.1 D4.1 (prepared)
SO2. Knowledge – Understanding social, cultural, educational and political factors
-Preliminary insights show that regional clusters innovate differently from capital-city hubs, often compensating limited resources with strong community ties, cross-sector collaborations, and talent embedded in local ecosystems
-Archival and historical research revealed critical founding conditions of the clusters, such as public sector support, early university involvement, or the catalytic role of anchor companies
-Early thematic analysis has identified recurrent challenges across clusters, such as talent retention, gender imbalances, and access to external investment
-Deliverables submitted: D1.5
-Bibliographic datasets deposited on Zenodo
SO3. Policy – Towards evidence-based policy recommendations
-A comprehensive review of 42 existing policy documents was carried out, forming the foundation for new policy guidance
-Early interactions with policymakers through cluster visits and steering sessions ensured alignment with policy needs
-Preparations for validation activities have begun, ensuring that recommendations will be tested and grounded in practice during the next phase
-Deliverables submitted:D5.1
SO4. Practice – Developing practical recommendations and methodologies
-Preliminary work for the Interactive Methodological Toolkit has been completed, including software specification and initial wireframes
-Pilot activities were prepared in Turin and Fundão , testing recommendations related to entrepreneurship, skills, and ecosystem building
-Early evidence suggests that methodological tools can be replicated across different regional contexts, ensuring transferability
Milestones achieved: MS1, MS2 , MS3, MS9 MS4 rescheduled to M16 with approval
SO1. Research – Comparative study of local and regional video game clusters
-Extensive data collection was conducted across the six selected clusters
-149 semi-structured interviews with local actors
-285 documents mapped and analysed
-25 interviews and 86 documents collected for historical cluster development
-Spatial mapping of the European video game industry was advanced through a data-driven methodology combining web-scraping, business registers, and GIS
-Over 9,500 companies identified , of which 3,500 are active (2020–2024)
-More than 4,000 companies georeferenced and included in preliminary European maps
-A common analytical grid for cross-case comparison was designed and validated, providing a robust framework for harmonising qualitative and quantitative findings
-Deliverables submitted/prepared: D2.1 D3.1 D4.1 (prepared)
SO2. Knowledge – Understanding social, cultural, educational and political factors
-Preliminary insights show that regional clusters innovate differently from capital-city hubs, often compensating limited resources with strong community ties, cross-sector collaborations, and talent embedded in local ecosystems
-Archival and historical research revealed critical founding conditions of the clusters, such as public sector support, early university involvement, or the catalytic role of anchor companies
-Early thematic analysis has identified recurrent challenges across clusters, such as talent retention, gender imbalances, and access to external investment
-Deliverables submitted: D1.5
-Bibliographic datasets deposited on Zenodo
SO3. Policy – Towards evidence-based policy recommendations
-A comprehensive review of 42 existing policy documents was carried out, forming the foundation for new policy guidance
-Early interactions with policymakers through cluster visits and steering sessions ensured alignment with policy needs
-Preparations for validation activities have begun, ensuring that recommendations will be tested and grounded in practice during the next phase
-Deliverables submitted:D5.1
SO4. Practice – Developing practical recommendations and methodologies
-Preliminary work for the Interactive Methodological Toolkit has been completed, including software specification and initial wireframes
-Pilot activities were prepared in Turin and Fundão , testing recommendations related to entrepreneurship, skills, and ecosystem building
-Early evidence suggests that methodological tools can be replicated across different regional contexts, ensuring transferability
Milestones achieved: MS1, MS2 , MS3, MS9 MS4 rescheduled to M16 with approval
GAME-ER moves beyond the current state of the art in three key dimensions:
-New empirical evidence
-Europe-wide spatial mapping of the video games industry, including >9,500 companies geo-referenced, with emphasis on regional and local clusters
-Rich comparative evidence from six case studies, combining over 149 interviews, 285 cluster documents, and historical analysis
-Integration of historical, social, cultural, and economic perspectives, offering a multi-layered understanding of cluster dynamics
-Methodological innovation
-Development of a comparative analytical grid tailored to CCIs clusters, adaptable across different maturity levels and regional contexts
-Introduction of a participatory approach involving local stakeholders and policymakers in co-designing recommendations
-Creation of the Interactive Toolkit that synthesises research insights into accessible and actionable policy and practice guidelines
-Policy relevance and societal contribution
-Demonstration on how regional video game clusters can drive territorial cohesion, diversify local economies, and retain youth talent
-New empirical evidence
-Europe-wide spatial mapping of the video games industry, including >9,500 companies geo-referenced, with emphasis on regional and local clusters
-Rich comparative evidence from six case studies, combining over 149 interviews, 285 cluster documents, and historical analysis
-Integration of historical, social, cultural, and economic perspectives, offering a multi-layered understanding of cluster dynamics
-Methodological innovation
-Development of a comparative analytical grid tailored to CCIs clusters, adaptable across different maturity levels and regional contexts
-Introduction of a participatory approach involving local stakeholders and policymakers in co-designing recommendations
-Creation of the Interactive Toolkit that synthesises research insights into accessible and actionable policy and practice guidelines
-Policy relevance and societal contribution
-Demonstration on how regional video game clusters can drive territorial cohesion, diversify local economies, and retain youth talent