GAME-ER

GAME-ER (official website), a 36-month project funded under the HORIZON Europe and UKRI programs, aims to research the emergence, development, and sustainability of local and regional video game clusters. This research will inform a series of policy and practical recommendations compiled into an Interactive Methodological Toolkit, specifically targeting local and national policymakers and decision-makers. The goal is to equip them with the tools to establish new video game clusters or strengthen existing ones in their regions or cities.

While existing research often focuses on non-European clusters or those in major European cities, GAME-ER will fill the knowledge gap regarding local and regional clusters, recognizing their role as drivers of innovation, growth, and cohesion.

The project will conduct a comparative analysis of six such clusters in France, the Czech Republic, Italy, Scotland, and Portugal, chosen for their varying maturity levels and unique characteristics. In addition, GAME-ER will undertake a comprehensive Europe-wide analysis of the spatial organization of the video game industry emphasizing local and regional clusters.

The Prague Game Production Studies group participates on the project as one of the many partners. It focuses primarily on collecting and analyzing data from the Brno video game industry cluster.