Co-production offers substantial opportunities for independent game studios to expand their projects, reach new audiences and mitigate financial risks. However, securing the necessary funding can pose significant challenges. Navigating complex funding landscapes and identifying suitable funding instruments is a challenge for each co-producer often consuming valuable development time.

What is co-production? 

Co-production, a concept that is very familiar and commonly applied in the film industry, is starting to make waves in the European video game sector. Traditionally, this approach has been used by major international studios to produce blockbuster games, take the Assassin's Creed series for example, which is often co-developed by numerous studios. Yet, for smaller indie studios, co-production can be a game-changer. Partnering with a foreign studio brings a wealth of benefits: it allows for more ambitious projects without the burden of inflated budgets, introduces fresh and diverse creative perspectives, boosts visibility by reaching new markets, and opens up access to a wider array of funding sources for every particular project. In a global market where American and Asian giants often overshadow European efforts, could co-production be the key to levelling the playing field? But, before members of a co-production can enjoy these advantages, each of them must first tackle a significant hurdle: finding the respective matching fund in their individual country.

“Co-production in game industry ?” article

Finding a fund

For independent video game studios, finding the right funding can feel like an uphill battle. Public and private funding platforms are often confusing and hard to navigate, leaving developers struggling to find the information they need. The complex and time-consuming application processes only add to their frustration. Adding to that, funds in different countries have different requirements that all co-producers should know about as those can come as a surprise later on in the development process. 

Indie Plaza: a swiss-army knife for solving financing problems 

Indie Plaza has gathered in a database all the European relevant public and private funds. Through comprehensive categories, simplifying the search, each co-producer of a project can make the best decision based on the specificities of the funding instruments available in a certain country, securing a successful co-production. This is especially valuable for the smaller teams lacking dedicated financial expertise.

Co-production holds immense potential for indie game studios. Indie Plaza simplifies the co-production process for European game studios by providing a comprehensive database of funding opportunities and analytical tools facilitating financial planning.

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