Dutch Game Garden is closing after 17 years

• “This decision was made due to changes in opportunities and focus for public funding”

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Games industry company Dutch Game Garden is shutting down in January 2025 after operating for 17 years. 

The Utrecht-based institution has been vital to the Dutch games industry for nearly two decades, fostering initiatives and ventures that have helped put the Netherlands on the map.

“Dutch Game Garden regretfully announces that it will close its doors as of January 2025,” the company’s LinkedIn account wrote. “This decision was made due to changes in opportunities and focus for public funding, which makes it no longer possible to realize a balanced budget that allows the continuation of activities in a responsible manner.”

Chairman of the board Peter Laanen said: “It is with a heavy heart that we have had to make this decision. We are proud of what we have achieved over the past 17 years and the effect that our efforts have had on the Dutch games industry. Unfortunately, we are now forced to close our doors, but we look back with satisfaction on everything we have accomplished together.”

Games industry experts weigh-in 

Vlambeer co-founder Rami Ismail took to LinkedIn to post about the news, calling it an “unimaginable” loss for the Dutch games industry. 

“As a person, I have many more thoughts and tears to shed about this loss – but as a board member of the Dutch Games Association, I know there’s a lot of work we can do to ensure the damage caused by their forced closure is at the very least reduced,” said Ismail.

He added: “We are already actively evaluating how our association can ensure continuity on at least some of the incredible activities of the Dutch Games Garden. And, as the person responsible for government relations, I am going to give it everything I have to ensure this will never happen again,”

Providing more support 

Dutch Games Association’s general manager, Martine Spaans, also shared that it’s “truly a sad day for the Dutch game industry. We will lose a pillar of our industry and an institution that supported so many starting game studios for the last 17 years.”

Spaans added: “This does not only impact the Dutch game industry. Internationally the Dutch Game Garden helped so many incubators around the world to set up and shared crucial knowledge with them.”

“In the next few months the Dutch Games Association will sit down with the Dutch Game Garden to discuss which initiatives and responsibilities we can continue to support in some way to another,” Spaans concludes.

Managing director, JP van Seventer said: “In the coming months, several regular activities, such as the successful Network Lunches, will continue as planned. We thank all our partners, employees, companies, and the entire game community for their support and trust during all these years.”