GAME ON NRW! 3 North Rhine-Westphalia is Germany‘s No. 1 games hub. No other federal state unites more WEL media companies with more employees. The local conditions in the „Digital Media Region NRW“ are first-class. > The State Government provides the Film- und Medienstiftung NRW with 3 million Euros funding for the games industry. As a co-initiator, COME the federal state of NRW supported the setting up of the esports player foundation. Prime-Minister Armin Laschet established a successful dialogue event with the creation of the „Games Summit“. > The international computer and games industry comes together TO each year at the gamescom. Whether virtual or physical present in Cologne – it is the world‘s largest trade fair for digital games. The presentation of the German Developers Award is also a top industry #connect event in North Rhine-Westphalia. > The Mediennetzwerk.NRW provides visibility to the media hub NRW! and its games companies and supports with networking and internationalisation. Cross-sectoral meetups and global networking at trade fairs and conferences are bolstering the sector. We are presenting a selection of the players in the NRW games industry in this brochure. We are successful together with such industry players as publishers, developers, creatives and experts – including from the research and academic communities: the next level for North Rhine-Westphalia‘s games hub. The high score is our goal. #gameonrw Nathanael Liminski Petra Müller Sandra Winterberg Head of the State Chancellery CEO CEO of the Federal State of Film- und Medienstiftung NRW Mediennetzwerk.NRW North Rhine-Westphalia c/o Mediencluster NRW FACTS & FIGURES 5 Games industry 3 Mio. EUR in North Rhine- funding budget per annum for Digital Games and Interactive Content by the The German games industry Westphalia Film- und Medienstiftung NRW has its roots in NRW 10 years 20 years 30 years The games sector Blue Byte in NRW 1988 32 years Egosoft „NRW is 1988 32 years Aerosoft 373.000 1991 29 years the home of visitors at gamescom 2019 Piranha Bytes 287 1996 24 years companies the games 1.153 astragon industry Entertainment 20 years exhibitors at gamescom 2019 2000 3.856 and central employees meeting Gaming Hotspot Big Player The core market of point for Germany has a total of 614 games com- The German games industry has its roots developers and publishers panies, 287 of which are located in North in NRW with developers such as Blue Byte national and Rhine-Westphalia. This puts NRW in second (founded in 1988 and taken over by Ubisoft place among the federal states. But the in 2001) and Egosoft (founded in 1988). long-term goal is clear: North Rhine-West- Global players like Electronic Arts has also international phalia is aiming to be the No. 1 games hub located their German office in the heart of in Germany. “The heart of gaming” – this NRW. The German computer game publis- gamers.“ is the self-proclaimed title of gamescom, her astragon Entertainment was founded in 108 the world’s largest consumer fair for video 2000 and is celebrating its 20th anniversary companies Sandra Winterberg games, which brings together all the big this year. But Indies also feel comfortable CEO, Mediennetzwerk.NRW names of the video game industry and nu- and prosper well due to the well networked merous fans year after year. With ESL One infrastructure, which NRW provides. Many Cologne, the largest “Counter Strike: Glo- start-ups, such as Rivers and Wine Studios, FACT1.260 & bal Offensive” eSports tournament in the find their business location in NRW. employees world takes place annually in NRW. sources: • www.filmstiftung.de • www.gamescom.de/ die-messe/gamescom/gamescom-report/ FIGURES • Jahresreport der deutschen Games-Branche 2019 Simulatoren #evolve Aerosoft The Aerosoft GmbH was founded in 1991. In the beginning, the development of soft- ware for training and exam preparation of Fata Deum pilots and the distribution of professional procedure trainers were the main focal 42 Bits Entertainment points. These days, the label Aerosoft The young indie developer studio 42 Bits houses an even broader range of titles in Entertainment with headquarters in Jüchen different genres. About 30 employees and develops strategy and simulation games more than 50 freelancers work for Aerosoft for PC and console (Xbox and PlayStation) today. Aerosoft can be counted as one of for the international market. The com- the world’s leading publishers in the simu- pany’s first work is the Fata Deum “god lation genre. Thanks to strong distribution simulation” which follows in the tradition partners Aerosoft today generates over of such games as Black&White, FromDust, 50% of their turnover abroad. Numerous Populous or Reus by letting the player slip international awards from the industry re- into the role of a god in a fantasy world. peatedly prove the high-quality standard COMPANIES The production of Fata Deum is supported of the products. by the Film- und Medienstiftung NRW. Games: XPlane 11, OMSI 2, Fernbus Simulator, Game: Fata Deum Tourist Bus Simulator, Notruf 112 – Die Feuerwehr Simulation 2, On The Road, Rescue HQ – The Tycoon, Autobahn Polizei Simulator 1 & 2 Contact Contact Bedburdycker Str. 42 Lindberghring 12 41363 Jüchen 33142 Büren T +49 2181 818 279 0 T +49 2955 760 310 [email protected] [email protected] www.42bits-entertainment.com www.aerosoft.com COMPANIES 9 articy:draft 3 articy Software Articy Software is an innovative software developer focused on solutions for inter- Fiete Sports PRIMAX®-MemoApp active storytelling and game narrative. We believe that the future of stories is interac- AppPlusMobile tive and made it our mission to transform Ahoiii Entertainment Systemhaus the way that interactive narrative experien- ces are created. We want to provide wri- The Cologne-based specialists for children’s The mobile experts for developing mobile ters and narrative designers with the best apps have managed to generate over 6.5 solutions, platforms, games and enterprise tools that enable them to execute their Viking Rage million downloads and inspire children solutions. For native, cross platform and creative vision in a fast and more efficient around the world with their Fiete apps. gaming apps and gaming engines such as way. Our latest product is articy:draft, 3 a The apps are translated into 20 languages Unity or Unreal including VR and AR tech- complete solution that helps game writers Arvur Interactive and have already won numerous awards. nologies.We create the idea, design the and narrative designers plan, write and or- Small, Cologne-based Game Development Apart from the apps, the Fiete brand is also concept and implement for any mobile ganize all narrative content in a visual and Studio focused on Virtual Reality Games & available in book form. A TV series about platform and web. Our apps combine ele- writer friendly way with easy exports to Applications. Fiete is also being planned. The Ahoiii team ments of Gamification and technology. game engines. Game: Viking Rage also works as a consulting agency for com- Games: PRIMAX®-MemoApp, Volksbanken und Game: articy:draft 3 panies in the children’s segment and has a Raiffeisenbanken, Devilstriker wealth of experience to offer on all aspects of digital value creation. Games: Fiete World, Fiete Sports, Fiete Soccer Contact Contact Technologiepark der TU Dortmund Contact Contact Gilbachstr. 24 Joseph-von-Fraunhofer-Str. 20 Massenbergstrasse 15 Wallensteinstraße 25 50672 Cologne 44227 Dortmund 44787 Bochum 51067 Cologne T +49 221 169 107 81 T +49 231 985 380 90 T +49 23454 458 955 T +49 1577 606 45 34 [email protected] [email protected] [email protected] [email protected] www.ahoiii.com www.appplusmobile.de/en www.articy.com www.arvur.com 11 Landwirtschafts-Simulator astragon Entertainment Simulation games – who likes to play stuff Kniffel Dice Clubs Resort Game of Goats like that? We at astragon encounter this question quite often and not just since the amazing success of the Farming Simulator b-interaktive Backwoods Entertainment Bootcamp Bros. series. Our answer is as easy as it is plea- We love what we do and we’re translating Backwoods Entertainment is an award-win- Bootcamp Bros. is a mixed team out of ne- sing: Just about everyone! Core gamers and this passion into our products. The core of ning indie game studio from Germany. wcomers and professionals, who commit- casual players, teenagers and pensioners, our international team consists of talented We set out to make original and fun sto- ted themselves to develop the best mobile whole families, bus drivers and office wor- individuals with decade-long mobile games ry-driven games. In 2018 we released our game in 2020. Our studio was founded in kers – the sometimes small, sometimes experience working together in Germany debut title Unforeseen Incidents, which September 2017 and is based near Bonn. gigantic but always lovingly modelled vehi- and Poland. We have founded b-interaktive was well received all over the world. We’re Over the time we quickly grew to up to cles and machines of our simulation games in 2011 and today, our multicultural team currently working on two new games: The nine members who highly focus on quality manage to enthrall and inspire new fans speaking over six native languages is an es- interactive mystery Resort and Pen & Paper and “friendship-destroying” PVP mobile every year. Players around the globe are tablished creator of innovative social games Stories: Morriton Manor. games. Our first baby is called Game of digging, ploughing and transporting left and for the broad audiences world wide. Games: Unforeseen Incidents (2018), Goats and will be available in your favou- right on PC, consoles and mobile devices. Games: Kniffel Dice Clubs, Resort (in production), Pen & Paper Stories: rite app store soon.