Danish Computer Game Companies Index - Copenhagen ...

About Computerspilzonen
Major new effort to strengthen the computer game area
Producentforeningen along with a number of consortiums has been allocated to
9.2 million Danish kroner (over 3 years) for an Experience Zone for games - Com-
puterspilzonen. With a budget of 3 million Danish kroner from the Region Hoveds-
taden, a cash investment from the Producentforeningen at about 2 million Danish
kroner, and not least with project investments from partners in the consortium, the
Experience Zone for the computergames will reach a total budget of well over 20
million Danish kroner over 3 year. These Experience Zones - that besides video
games are dealing with fashion, cuisine and music - are aspired by the govern-
ment, that together with S, DF, RV and SF has earmarked a total of 90 million
Danish kroner to strengthen the culture and experience economy in Denmark.
The goal of the Producentforening concerning the Computer Game Zone, is to
establish the Computer Game Zone as a framework that enables developing the
game industry from being a potential into being a healthy, internationally oriented
industry with viable businesses geared for growth.
The basis of the Producentforenings work with games includes a comprehensive
and timely analysis of the video game industry, which was done in the winter of
2008-09. The analysis demonstrates that computer games industry is an industry
with lots of life and activity, but also that it is an industry that has a number of chal-
lenges. Many of these challenges will now be faced by the Computer Game Zone.
The biggest challenge is economic. There has lacked funding and venture capital
long before the financial crisis hit. Today, companies in the Danish games indus-
try so challenging that many have questioned whether the Danish branch even
exist in five years. Some have gone bankrupt and more companies are planning
to move abroad because of lack of access to venture capital and skilled labor.
Therefore, both capital and business development exist as very important areas in
the Zone.
On the positive side stands the fact that the Danish games industry is very crea-
tive. At the same time proper learning environments have been established which
will ensure that the talent is being educated. However, there is a great need for
upgrading of the industry and an understanding of that creativity and business are
not necessarily opposites, but requires each other, if one wants to make money
and be sustainable.
Producentforeningen manages the Computer Game Zone project. Producentfore-
ningen has brought together the many stakeholders and partners in the project
and have prepared the application itself. Pratically, the secretariat of the Pro-
ducentforening will house the Computer Game Zone, but the zone is a network
project where a wide range of partners come with their own specific projects,
skills and professional concerns, and make these available to the industry within
the network that forms the Zone. It is a cardinal point about the project, which
has now been approved that the activities take place outside in the environment,
which is already present and with the capabilities that exists in and may be benefi-
cial for the industry.
3