adminThe Rockfish Games grant of €8 million is set to support development of the next title in the Everspace space-shooter series. The award comes from Germany’s expanded games funding program, which now provides €125 million in annual support for the sector. For the Hamburg-based studio, the funding offers a way to develop a larger project while retaining control of its games.
Image credit: Rockfish Games
Michael Schade
How the Rockfish Games grant works
Introduced in 2020, the funding program run by Germany’s Federal Ministry of Research, Technology, and Space (BMFTR) can cover up to 50% of eligible production and prototype costs. Awards range from €300,000 to €8 million per project, depending on its scale. Rockfish received the fund’s largest available award, which will be paid over five years.
The studio plans to put the money toward its next Everspace game. Its latest release, Everspace 2: Wrath of the Ancients, launched in 2023 and also received partial BMFTR support. The grant for the new project covers nearly 45% of development costs against a stated budget of €20 million. Schade said the company will fund the remaining share itself, helping it continue as an independent developer and publisher.
Rockfish was developing a prototype while preparing its grant application. That work helped demonstrate the team’s technical capacity and ambitions, including new features for the series. The studio also submitted quarterly milestones, with progress monitored by DLR Projektträger (DLR-PT), Germany’s national research centre. For studios considering public funding, a clear prototype and realistic milestone plan can help show how a project will progress.
Funding for hiring, training, and production
The award gives Rockfish longer-term financial stability as it grows from a small studio into a mid-sized team. In the six months described by Schade, the company added ten people, including employees and experienced developers from co-development studios. The studio intends to manage recruitment at a sustainable pace so new team members can be integrated effectively.
Some of the funding will also support staff development, pay increases, marketing, and operational needs. Schade said training is expected to contribute to an improved cinematic process in the upcoming game. These areas are practical considerations for studios expanding production: funding can support not only development costs but also the people and processes needed to deliver a project.
Schade said the grant helps the studio make decisions that fit its team, respond more quickly to player interests and market needs, and preserve its creative direction.
The funding does not mean Rockfish is immediately starting several games or moving into other media. Instead, it gives the company room to consider future options while concentrating on its current project. Schade also said investment in technology could strengthen the studio’s ability to negotiate deals and seek visibility on platforms.
Game Pass and Early Access in Everspace development
Schade said Rockfish would not have faced an immediate crisis without the grant, but the studio would have needed to make compromises. Alternatives could have included crowdfunding, working with a publisher, seeking investment outside the games industry, or creating a smaller game.
Crowdfunding helped launch both Everspace and Everspace 2. Xbox Game Pass also supported the production runway for Everspace 2, allowing the team to add content and polish the game across platforms. Rockfish has not decided what role Game Pass may play in its next project.
Schade described Early Access as an important part of the studio’s development approach. Feedback from players who spend time and money on a work-in-progress game helped shape the previous release, and the studio is open to using the approach again. For players, Early Access offers a chance to provide feedback; for developers, it can reveal how a game is working before its full release.
Why Germany’s support matters for AA studios
Schade believes Germany is becoming a stronger destination for game development, particularly for independent and AA studios. He said the funding program’s long-term commitment can give smaller companies more opportunity to establish themselves. The program’s assessment requirements—including investment levels, team experience, and cultural criteria—also encourage applicants to plan projects carefully.
In his view, supporting small and mid-sized studios can create skilled jobs across multiple companies, encourage technology development, and bring German creative work to international audiences. While some in the local industry aspire to attract more AAA studios, Schade sees AA production as a strong fit because it can involve lower investment costs and greater creative flexibility.
What the Rockfish Games grant means next
The €8 million award gives Rockfish Games substantial support for its next Everspace project while allowing the studio to remain independent. Its use of milestone planning, staff development, crowdfunding, Game Pass, and Early Access also illustrates the range of approaches that can contribute to game production. For the company, the Rockfish Games grant provides a longer runway to develop the next game while maintaining its own creative direction.
