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Event „Virtuelle Welten – Chancen im Metaverse erleben“

On Thursday, May 8, 2025, the Ministerium für Wirtschaft, Arbeit und Tourismus Baden-Württemberg (Ministry of Economic Affairs) invites you to the conference “Virtuelle Welten – Chancen im Metaverse erleben” (Virtual Worlds – Experiencing Opportunities in the Metaverse) at the Hans-Martin-Schleyer-Halle and the Porsche-Arena in Stuttgart. From 9.00 to 17.00 CET, the focus will be on the latest developments and applications in the Metaverse. Participation is free of charge!

The first program highlights and speakers have been confirmed, and the full program will be published soon. Among the speakers will be Maximilian Schmierer, CEO of our HEROES from b.Rex.

The MFG Baden-Württemberg is organizing the THE CREATIVE LÄND exhibition area on behalf of the Ministry of Economic Affairs. This space will feature live demos, an open stage, and interactive experience labs. Companies from the creative industries – such as games, animation, VFX, and UX – can showcase their innovative XR applications and provide insights into the opportunities and possibilities of Metaverse technologies. They have the opportunity to exhibit in THE CREATIVE LÄND area free of charge. Interested companies and institutions can register on the official website and select the option „Ich möchte im THE CREATIVE LÄND Bereich ausstellen“ at “Standwunsch”. For any questions regarding THE CREATIVE LÄND area please contact Ulrich Winchenbach (E-mail: winchenbach@mfg.de, Phone: 0711-90715313).

Sources, registration, and more information: Event | MFG Baden-Württemberg News | MFG Event | Flyer Ministry of Economic Affairs

The event is organized by the Ministerium für Wirtschaft, Arbeit und Tourismus Baden-Württemberg in cooperation with the XR Expo of the Virtual Dimension Center Fellbach (VDC). The XR Expo takes place alongside the Metaverse conference from May 8 to 9. More information

Pre-Fixe with Animation Lounge – with Kaleidoscube

Together with the Film- und Medienfestival gGmbH (organizer of Stuttgart International Festival of Animated Film) and the AMCRS, MFG organizes the Pre Fixe with Animation Lounge as a prelude to the monthly network meeting of the film industry (Jour Fixe). Speakers from the animation film scene present practical examples of current projects and provide insights into their work.

The next Animation Lounge will take place on Monday, March 10, 2025, 18:00 CET. Dominik Schön, Managing Director, Founder & Game Designer of the Stuttgart-based game studio Kaleidoscube, presents the newly announced video game RECUR, which they are currently developing, and shares insights into the biggest challenges of the development process. A wild journey to the end of the world and back – in RECUR, time is linked to the player’s position. By running and jumping, players must manipulate time to save a city from an endlessly recurring catastrophe.

The event will take place at the Kulturzentrum Merlin, Augustenstraße 72, 70178 Stuttgart. Admission is free.

Dominik Schön, Kaleidoscube
Artwork RECUR
Screenshot RECUR
Screenshot RECUR

All participants are cordially invited to attend the subsequent MFG Jour Fixe from 19:00 CET. The Jour Fixe offers a unique opportunity for exchange and networking with colleagues from the MFG Film Funding Unit.

More information

GAMESCOM 2025: Apply now for the THE LÄND joint booth!

From August 20 to 22, 2025, the booth “THE LÄND – Games & Gamification Made in Baden-Württemberg” will showcase companies, games, interactive media, and apps at Gamescom 2025 in Cologne. To achieve this, MFG Baden-Württemberg is looking for the best games and interactive VR and XR applications – from entertainment to smart automotive industry and training solutions – made in Baden-Württemberg. The goal is to present the innovative strength of Baden-Württemberg’s gaming industry to an international trade audience at the world’s largest trade fair for computer and video games.

THE LÄND joint booth 2024, Photo: MFG Baden-Württemberg

Companies, developers, and institutions from the games, media, and digital industries – especially those with VR/AR/XR/UX projects – are invited to apply. Spots are limited, and selection will be made by a jury. The THE LÄND booth in the Business Area of Gamescom offers a prime location alongside other international exhibitors. In collaboration with Baden-Württemberg International and the K³ Kultur- und Kreativwirtschaftsbüro Karlsruhe, a diverse program will be provided, including networking opportunities and visits from political representatives.

Application Deadline: March 21, 2025 | Apply now!

Source and further information at the MFG website

Participants and impressions from previous years

Call for Entries: FOCUS OPEN 2025

Until April 25, 2025, companies, professional designers, as well as startups, newcomers, and emerging talents from all over the world have the opportunity to submit their current and innovative design solutions for the FOCUS OPEN 2025 Baden-Württemberg International Design Award.

The FOCUS OPEN is an important component of the economic and design promotion in the state of Baden-Württemberg. It rewards the innovation and design quality of new products, services, and concepts, and stands out with moderate costs while offering very high visibility.

New this year are the categories IMMERSIVE MEDIA (conceptualization, development, or design of multisensory experiences using digital media such as Virtual Reality (VR), Augmented Reality (AR), Mixed Reality (MR), game design, immersive film productions, etc.) and CIRCULAR DESIGN (products or systems whose design strategies aim to efficiently use raw materials and return them to the biological material cycle with minimal quality loss).

Deadline Call for Entries: April 4, 2025 – Deadline extended: April 25, 2025!

More information Call for Entries | FOCUS OPEN 2025 | Application

The benefits for Award Winners:

  • Festive award ceremony and exhibition opening that focus public attention on all the winning products
  • An exhibition lasting several months in Haus der Wirtschaft Baden-Württemberg, Stuttgart (impressions 2024)
  • Publication in a yearbook that is distributed to the major international markets via a publishing house renowned for its books on design
  • Extensive online communication

The Baden-Württemberg International Design Award FOCUS OPEN 2025 is organized by the Design Center Baden-Württemberg and funded by the Ministry of Economics.

TALENT Meet-Up BW 2025

TALENT Meet-up BW 2025 offers young professionals the opportunity to experience the Stuttgart Animated Week 2025 – FMX – Film & Media Exchange (May 6-9), the Stuttgart International Festival of Animated Film (May 6-11), and the Animation Production Days Conference (May 6) – with a free Combi Ticket. This initiative supports participants in networking, provides personalized program recommendations, and creates an optimal framework for exchange – both among attendees and within the international industry. Additionally, participants will get to know regional support programs and key contacts.

Ahead of Stuttgart Animated Week, the Studi Stage, part of the Open Stage Games BW on March 12, 2025, in Stuttgart, offers a great opportunity for initial networking and exchanges. The official kickoff of the TALENT Meet-up BW 2025 program will take place on May 5, from 14:00 to 16:30 CET in Stuttgart, bringing participants together to start the week. To wrap up the eventful days, a Get-Together on May 9, from 12:30 to 15:00 CET provides a space for sharing experiences and reflections.

Specifically for talents and start-ups from Stuttgart, Wirtschaftsförderung der Landeshauptstadt Stuttgart offers additional support: Through the FMX NEW_Comer program, they have the opportunity to secure a booth, a workshop slot, and a speaker badge at FMX 2025 (for more information, please get in touch with Hannah Schneider at hannah.schneider@stuttgart.de).

The TALENT Meet-up BW 2025 program is aimed at individuals who are at the beginning of their own startup journey, those in the midst of developing animation-based content – such as games, XR, VFX, and animation – or those from non-industry but related fields, such as students of (humanities) sciences, who want to connect with professionals from the animation, film, and games industries.

Source (MFG Baden-Württemberg) and more information | Applications are possible until February 17, 2025. The program is free of charge.

Initiated and organized by: MFG Baden-Württemberg, Wirtschaftsförderung Region Stuttgart, Film Commission Region Stuttgart, Wirtschaftsförderung der Stadt Stuttgart, Animationsinstitut (Filmakademie Baden-Württemberg) and AMCRS

New Study: Baden-Württemberg Now Germany’s Leading Hub for Animation Film and VFX

Image: Cover Study, Goldmedia / MFG

Source: MFG Baden-Württemberg, January 24, 2025

A recent study by the research institute Goldmedia shows that Baden-Württemberg has risen to become Germany’s leading hub for animation films and digital feature film production in recent years. No other federal state in Germany is home to as many companies and professionals generating films and series entirely digitally. Many VFX companies based in Baden-Württemberg also collaborate on major Hollywood productions. Since 2010, the revenue of the local animation and VFX industry has grown by a remarkable 800 percent, reaching 170 million euros. According to the study, this development is largely attributed to the targeted support provided by Medien- und Filmgesellschaft Baden-Württemberg (MFG).

MFG Managing Director Carl Bergengruen stated: “In 2014, we became the first federal state to introduce a highly effective funding instrument specifically tailored to the animation and visual effects sector, laying the foundation for the significant growth of this industry.” Currently, the revenue in the field of animation and visual effects in Baden-Württemberg is generated by 85 companies. In 2010, there were only around 30 such businesses.

In the field of digital games, the study also identified significant revenue growth of at least 90 percent since 2015, reaching 190 million euros in Baden-Württemberg. This revenue is generated by 146 companies. The substantial growth is partly due to a specialized funding program introduced by the MFG in 2020 for local games companies. This program supports innovative games projects from concept to production.

The study also highlights the industrial policy significance of the animation, VFX, and games sectors for Baden-Württemberg. Technological innovations from these fields are already being applied in a wide range of industries, from the automotive sector and mechanical engineering to healthcare. However, 48 percent of the orders in the VFX and animation industry come from the audiovisual media sector, including film and series productions for cinema, streaming, and television.

In the games market, a significant portion of orders – 45 percent – comes from the entertainment sector of audiovisual media. However, similar to the animation and VFX sectors, there is a growing trend in orders from other industries.

The study also underscores the importance of the 70 industry-relevant degree programs and the highly sought-after networking and advisory activities offered by the MFG in the fields of animation, VFX, and games. Examples include the “Animation Media Creators Region Stuttgart” (AMCRS) network.

Source (in German): MFG, Goldmedia

Link to the study

The Stuttgarter Zeitung also reported on this topic in the article “Region Stuttgart ist Spitze bei Spezialeffekten aus Deutschland” on January 24, 2025. To the article

THE LÄND Global Game Jam 2025

At the world’s largest event for game development, the Global Game Jam, up to 250 gaming enthusiasts from across Baden-Württemberg will come together at the invitation of  MFG Baden-Württemberg at the end of January 2025. The “THE LÄND Global Game Jam” will take place from January 24 to 26, 2025, at Karlshochschule in Karlsruhe. During this 48-hour development and programming hackathon, game design students will collaborate with game studios, passionate developers will work alongside experienced and professional coders, and disciplines such as sound, design, psychology, and communication will also find their place.

MFG, Image: Ingo Jürgens

After a successful debut in January 2024, the statewide THE LÄND site is once again introducing an exclusive offering: In two side tracks, participants can collaborate with exciting challenge providers to develop game ideas and build prototypes on specific topics. How can classical music, with all its emotions and tonal colors, serve as a foundation for the creative process of game development? This will be explored live in the “Classical Game Jam” hosted by SWR, featuring an ensemble from the SWR Symphony Orchestra. In “Blame the game, not the player!”, game developers will work together with researchers from Karlshochschule to design game rules that reflect an economic system respecting social foundations and planetary boundaries. Preceding kick-off workshops will set the stage for the side tracks. Afterward, participants will join the main THE LÄND Global Game Jam for a collaborative jam session.

The THE LÄND Global Game Jam is coordinated by MFG Baden-Württemberg as part of its Games BW initiative, in partnership with Karlshochschule International University, SWR Südwestrundfunk, game Verband Baden-Württemberg, and K³ – dem Kultur- und Kreativwirtschaftsbüro Karlsruhe. The Game Jam is supported by the Ministry of Science, Research, and the Arts of Baden-Württemberg (Ministerium für Wissenschaft, Forschung und Kunst Baden-Württemberg).

Interested participants can register via this link.

More information

Source: MFG Baden-Württemberg

Impressions from THE LÄND Global Game Jam 2024:

Photos: MFG Baden-Württemberg

Mucks! Games are on board!

We are delighted to welcome the indie game studio Mucks! Games as new CREATORS in our network!

Mucks! Games

Mucks! Games is based in Ludwigsburg and was founded in 2023 by three graduates of Filmakademie Baden-Württemberg‘s Animationsinstitut – Clara Deitmar, Julius Dorsel and Luzie Kehle. Their logo, a screaming mouse, symbolizes that even the smallest voices have meaningful stories to tell: “We create atmospheric and visually unique 2D story games with powerful messages. Our games blend poetic narratives with immersive worlds and interactive formats – games and story experiences for both indie enthusiasts and casual players.”

In April 2024, their interactive bedtime story THE BEAR – A STORY FROM THE WORLD OF GRA won the German Computer Game Award (DCP) in the category “Best Graphic Design”. THE BEAR is part of the WORLD OF GRA story universe which also includes the visuals and trailers for Stuttgart Animated Week 2024 (consisting of: FMX – Film and Media Exchange, Stuttgart International Festival of Animated Film and Animation Production Days), created by the team while still students at the Animationsinstitut.

Find out more about Mucks! Games.

The Bear, Mucks! Games

B.REX wins prize at the CREÄTIVE LÄND CHÄLLENGE 2024

Our CREATORS from b.Rex have won THE CREÄTIVE LÄND CHÄLLENGE 2024 competition in the software/games industry category – with “INKLU GAME”!

“How does a wheelchair user board a train? How does a blind person find the right platform? INKLU GAME is a virtual, app-based game designed to create an awareness-raising experience for young people. The game incorporates a media and inclusion-focused pedagogical approach, combining innovative digital media with an inclusive education concept. Through the app, players experience an immersive journey that brings the realities of people with disabilities to life. This fusion of technology, inclusive pedagogy, and interactive storytelling represents a cultural achievement that promotes both education and empathy.”

INKLU GAME, b.Rex

More about INKLU GAME

The game can be downloaded for free in the App Store.

The CREÄTIVE LÄND CHÄLLENGE 2024 is a creativity competition organized by MFG Baden-Württemberg, supported by the Ministry of Economic Affairs, Labor, and Tourism of Baden-Württemberg. Under the motto “Share your values – Show your works,” cultural and creative enterprises across the state were invited to showcase their diversity and innovative potential. With over 170 submissions from all regions of Baden-Württemberg, the competition highlighted the impressive range and dynamism of the cultural and creative industries.

More about the competition and all winners

The award-winning works can be viewed and experienced free of charge in an exhibition at the Haus der Wirtschaft until December 18, 2024.

All winners, photo: MFG

Calls for Entries ITFS – German Animation Screenplay Award and Animated Games Award Germany

The 32nd Stuttgart International Festival of Animated Film (ITFS) will take place from May 6 to 11, 2025. It focuses on artistic animated films and the promotion of young talent. In addition to the short and feature film competitions (submission deadlines: short film competitions – November 15, 2024; feature film competition – January 15, 2024), additional categories are now open for submissions: the German Animation Screenplay Award, the Animated Games Award Germany, and the Work in Progress section.

The German Animation Screenplay Award recognises outstanding screenplays for feature-length animated films. The goal of the competition is to honor the central role of professional screenwriters in the creation of outstanding films and to encourage the development of exceptional stories for animated films.

The Award for the Best Screenplay for a Feature-Length Animated Film comes with €2,500, sponsored by the Animation Media Creators Region Stuttgart (AMCRS).

The Award for the Screenplay with the Greatest International Market Potential is endowed with €2,500, sponsored by our CREATORS from SOLA MEDIA.

For the best screenplay award submissions are possible in German and English, for the market potential award submissions are only possible in English. Submission Deadline: February 1, 2025 | Regulations | Submit here

Winner German Animation Screenplay Award for a Feature-Length Animated Film at ITFS 2024: Das Neinhorn, Photo: Trickfilm-Festival Stuttgart, Reiner Pfisterer
Winner Animated Games Award Germany at ITFS 2024: Closer the Distance, Photo: Trickfilm-Festival Stuttgart, Reiner Pfisterer

The Animated Games Award Germany is endowed with €5,000 and is sponsored by MFG Baden-Württemberg. It targets developers of high-quality video games who have their primary or secondary residence in Germany.

Eligible for submission are completed games for commercially available platforms that were released after January 1, 2024. The top five games will be nominated for the GameZone and showcased to the public during the event.
Submission Deadline: February 1, 2025 | Regulations | Submit here

The Work in Progress section provides a platform for animation projects in the concept, development, or production stages. Producers and directors have the opportunity to present their current projects in film, TV, web, games, and immersive media to an international professional audience.

Each presentation lasts approximately 20 minutes and includes initial visual insights, trailers, and a follow-up Q&A session. The audience gains exclusive behind-the-scenes access and can connect directly with the creative teams behind the projects. Submission Deadline: February 15, 2025 | Submit here