The Dutch Game Garden is a video game studio incubator which was launched in Utrecht, The Netherlands in 2008 using funding from the European Regional Development Fund. The organisation is the largest such program in the Netherlands.[1][2]
 | |
 The building on Neude square where the organisation was based from 2010 - 2020 | |
| Company type | Private foundation |
|---|---|
| Industry | Video games |
| Founded | June 19, 2008 |
| Defunct | January 1, 2025 |
| Fate | Closed amid funding issues |
| Headquarters | Utrecht, Netherlands |
| Website | dutchgamegarden |
History
edit
The universities in Utrecht- Hogeschool voor de Kunsten Utrecht and Utrecht University had been offering courses in game development since 2002. The Utrecht city council and Dutch government recognised the potential for the rapidly growing video game sector in 2008, which at the time suffered from a lack of visibility in the Netherlands. The only major studio in the country at that time was Guerrilla Games, and so the Dutch Game Garden was conceived as a means to invest in new studios. Many studios at the Dutch Game Garden were formed by former students from games programs at the local universities.[3]
in 2010, the program was relocated to the former ABN AMRO building on Neude square, which offered much more space than the initial venue. Some of the companies then working at the garden were considering moving out of the city in search of larger offices, so the move was intended to keep them present in Utrecht.[4] By 2014 the program had resulted in the creation of 200 jobs and 6 million euros in revenue.[5] The organisation relocated again in 2020, to Europalaan 400, in order to be close to technology start-ups in the Dotslash community.[6]
In September 2024, it was announced that the Dutch Game Garden would close at the end of the year, as the province of Utrecht changed conditions associated with the subsidies that had funded it.[7][8]
Events
editIn 2010, the Dutch Game Garden introduced the INDIGO showcase, an interactive exhibition of the Dutch video games. It has become an annual event in the Netherlands,[9] and showcases Dutch video games at the international events.[10][11]
Notable studios incubated
edit- Vlambeer - Ridiculous Fishing (2012)
- Abbey Games - Reus (2013)
- Ronimo Games - Awesomenauts (2013)
- Digital Dreams - Metrico (2014)
- Excamedia - European distributor for AntVR (2014)[12][13]
- Active Cues - Tovertafel (2015)
- Wispfire - Herald: An Interactive Period Drama (2017)
- RageSquid - Descenders (2019)
References
edit- ^ "Dutch Game Garden- video game industry gets boost with start up incubator".
- ^ "Utrecht is the gaming capital of Europe and that's making millions". IO. 1 February 2020.
- ^ "Utrecht is the gaming capital of Europe and that's making millions". IO. 1 February 2020.
- ^ "Dutch Game Garden expansion". GamesIndustry.biz. 17 February 2010.
- ^ Bailey, Kat (30 December 2015). "How the Dutch Game Garden Helped Remake Video Games in the Netherlands". VG247.
- ^ Garden, Stagiair Dutch Game (5 February 2020). "Dutch Game Garden relocating to Dotslash". Dutch Game Garden.
- ^ "Incubator program Dutch Game Garden is shutting down in 2025". www.gamedeveloper.com.
- ^ Pascoe, Robin (9 September 2024). "Dutch Game Garden to close down after subsidy shift". DutchNews.nl.
- ^ Dutch Game Garden krijgt miljoenensubsidie
- ^ INDIGO in San Francisco – Video
- ^ Playable showcase INDIGO at Gamescom in Cologne
- ^ "De ANTVR op Firstlook - Willie Wartaal laat chicks rollen (video)". Xbox Nederland (in Dutch). 17 October 2015.
- ^ "Excamedia". Top Game Developers. 18 November 2015.