Advertisement
At the end of July The Gaming will officially launch in Munich: The Digital Ministry is financing the construction with more than half a million euros.
While Berlin is still sounding out the possibility, the Free State is creating facts: On 26 July, the 'House of Games' will open on Hohenlindener Strasse in the east of Munich – in the premises of the former Mimimi Games GmbH (Shadow Gambit, Shadow Tactics).
The unusual name for the self-promoted 'Bavarian Home of Gamechangers': The Gaming (Own spelling: THE GAME).
Office, event and community areas have been created on an area of 1,000 square meters, as well as 60 separately bookable workstations in offices with 4 to 12 places. A single workstation is available from just €300 per month – an office for 12 people costs €3,600 net. The price includes all additional costs, cleaning, coffee and use of the common areas. Notice period: three months to the end of the quarter.
Advertisement
The Bavarian state government – more precisely: the Digital Ministry – is promoting the development and operation of the Gaming initially over two years with €560,000. Digital Minister Fabian Mehring (Free Voters) announced the project in February as part of the Munich games fair GG Bavaria. The facility is operated by the location initiative Games Bavaria, a subsidiary of the state-owned Medien Bayern GmbH.
Core target group of Gaming are “games-related” Startups, indie studios and institutions. Demand is reportedly high. So far, three young companies have chosen the location: Jumpy Bit, ThreeDee and Leyline.
Robin Kocaurek from JumpyBit praises the new offer as “important location factor” – after all, the community thrives on exchange and cooperation. Philip Balonier, managing director of ThreeDee GmbH, which specializes in VR applications, wants to use the synergy with other studios in particular and develop games and apps together. The goal: “to help shape games technology in Munich with the latest computer game technologies. We attach great importance to a modern working culture and a livable working environment.” Jonathan Hager, founder of the newly founded Leyline Creations GmbH, sees the Gamerei “an ideal working environment for creativity and innovation.”
Bavaria’s Digital Minister Fabian Mehring: “With the Gamerei we are creating a visible sign: no one can easily ignore Bavaria's games industry! It is an international flagship and central point of contact for Bavaria's concentrated games power. It was very important to me to fulfill the gamers' long-standing wish for a visible place for Bavaria's games and that is why I have doubled down on the task of opening the Gamerei this year – the year of the games.”
Media Bavaria Managing Director Lina Timm: “The idea for this house project came about last year in a strategy workshop held by Games Bavaria together with the industry. It was a great desire to have our own center again. When the opportunity for a perfectly equipped property arose, we, together with the Digital Ministry, pulled out all the stops to realize the project in just a few months.”