This grant is currently the largest yet given to a German video game developer from this fund and will be paid out over five years, enabling the creation of multiple new roles at the studio.
“We are beyond pleased to receive this grant from the German Federal Ministry of Research, Technology and Space. Over the last decade, ROCKFISH Games has been among the country’s top video game studios, showing Germany can deliver award-winning titles through teamwork, strong technical knowledge, and innovative design,” said ROCKFISH Games CEO and Co-Founder Michael Schade. “Ongoing investment in the video game industry shows Germany is aiming to take its place as one of the top countries for video game development. By supporting this creative industry, Germany not only demonstrates its technical and artistic strength, but also promotes growth in programming, design, visual effects, music, art, storytelling, and many other disciplines that contribute to game creation. As around 85% of our revenue comes from outside Germany and, as a fully independent self-publishing studio, all ROCKFISH Games profits are taxed here, this funding is also a strong deal for German taxpayers.”
Partially funded through the German Federal grant program, Everspace2: Wrath of the Ancients expanded the universe of Everspace 2 with four new star systems, a new player ship, and post-game story. More than 25 developers, artists, and programmers in Germany worked on this project.
Using crowdfunding to build a new community in 2015, ROCKFISH Games reached breakout success with the first installment of the Everspace franchise, leading to more than 2.4 million copies sold across the series on PC and consoles. The space combat series is best known for its responsive gameplay, expansive sci-fi setting, and deep system design. ROCKFISH Games’ latest title, Everspace 2, won Best German Game at the 2024 Deutscher Computerspielpreis, Germany’s most significant video game award event.
Above: Image showing new cinematic processes developed during the prototype for the next EVERSPACE project combining a blend of 2D handcrafted illustrations with 3D assets rendered in-game in real time.
“Everspace has grown into a franchise that means a great deal to our team and the global community of space game fans, so it is exciting to confirm that our next project will once again take players into this universe,” Schade continued. “Thanks to this substantial federal grant, we can significantly expand the scope of our ambitions for the next Everspace title, invest in entirely new gameplay experiences that we have already proven in our prototype, and grow our team to deliver the best possible space action experience for our fans.”
The Federal Ministry of Research, Technology and Space (BMFTR) provides grant funding of up to 50 percent for the production of video games and the development of prototypes. Depending on project size and evaluation, funding typically starts at €300,000 and is provided as a non-refundable grant of up to 50% of a project’s eligible costs, with caps of up to €8 million per project for companies with a registered office, permanent establishment, or branch office in Germany. In recent years, the overall annual budget of the program has been increased from €88 million to over €120 million to further strengthen Germany’s role as a leading video game development hub.
“Despite record profits globally, the video game industry faced significant challenges in recent years, with many studio closures around the world, including in Germany. For independent developers like ROCKFISH Games, this support is a crucial foundation for growth, competitiveness with lower-cost regions, and long-term stability,” said Schade. “Independence has allowed us to retain creative control and to pivot quickly based on team and player feedback, which has been central to developing the Everspace franchise. With the backing of this new grant, we can keep focusing on what we do best: making great games for dedicated niche audiences.”
ROCKFISH Games has previously been the recipient of grants from this program for Everspace 2: Titans and Everspace 2: Wrath of the Ancients expansion funding, and received €521,005 for prototype development in 2025.