Greater Copenhagen Region's leading players
Maybe the Greater Copenhagen Region, consisting of Eastern Denmark and Southern Sweden, isn't the first place that comes to mind when thinking about game development. However, we're one of the densest game development areas on the planet and home to internationally celebrated games, from Hitman to Candy Crush.
Our region's game studios range from serious indie studios with global hits to some of the biggest AAA studios working on some of the largest entertainment IPs in history.
Did you know that Massive, King , Tarsier, Thunderful, Sharkmob, Avalanche Studios Group, Coffee Stain, Unity, IO Interactive, SYBO, Ghostship Games, Triband , Betadwarf, and Tactile are all home in the Greater Copenhagen Region?
And these studios aren't all we have. Our game industry keeps growing, and new game studios, whether indie, AA, or even AAA, choose the region as their space to grow.
This isn't surprising at all. The local game ecosystem continuously supports game studios and individuals via professional and social events, such as CPH Game Week or Nordic Game Jam. These events also offer networking, business, education, and community-building opportunities.
Rising game studio stars
The region is home to a multitude of successful and up-and-coming smaller studios with highly ambitious and experienced teams. These smaller studios, together with other supporting actors like educators specifically aimed towards educating game developers, and community organizations like Game Habitat and Copenhagen Game Collective work together to promote the many budding talents and early-stage studios.
Some of the more notable success stories are Frictional Games – makers of Amnesia and recently announced Amnesia: The Bunker. Triband – makers of comical and outrageous games like What the Car? Other successes are Bad North and My Friend Pedro. These are just some of the gems hidden in the Greater Copenhagen Region and many more remain to be discovered.
The region's game
industry in a nutshell
320 +
companies
2000 m €
approx. revenue
3500 +
employees
3
Major IPs: Star Wars, James Bond, Avatar
23 %
growth in revenue in the last 5 years
70+
nationalities in the industry
13%
annual employment growth the last 5 years
The hottest IPs in the game industry
Yes, this might be a bold headline, but hear us out.
Regional and international interest and support in the Greater Copenhagen Region's game industry act as an ongoing catalyst for creating successful IPs and games. To name a few: Tom Clancy’s The Division, My Friend Pedro, Sayonara Wildhearts, Ghostrunner, MovieStar Planet, or Subway Surfers.
In 2023, Massive Entertainment, the game studio behind Star Wars: Outlaws, in collaboration with Lightstorm Entertainment and Disney, released the latest Avatar game based on a James Cameron story. The game became a true hit, performing in the top 20 bestselling games in the US in 2024.
IO Interactive, who previously released the Hitman franchise, is currently working on "Project 007", a new James Bond game. Given their history with the Hitman series, there is arguably no better studio to do 007 justice.
by Massive
by IO Interactive
by Massive
The next generation of game developers
Next to developing future outstanding games, the Greater Copenhagen Region is also the place to be for future game developers. We're home to over 350 game studios, which employ 3500+ game developers. Yet, it's not enough.
Developing games is a creative endeavor that involves multiple disciplines, from art to storytelling to programming. A fact that our numerous universities and specialised colleges have understood.
The IT University of Copenhagen/ Denmark, for example, offers a dedicated master's education in game development, and Lund University in Sweden is recognised for its high standard in tech education.
Next to university education, the region offers a variety of professional or vocational education for future game developers. The National Academy for Digital Interactive Entertainment (DADIU) and Copenhagen Academy of Digital Arts (CADA) in Denmark or The Game Assembly and Future Games in Sweden are just a few of the many opportunities.
All together, the region offers more than 52 courses and educational opportunities for game developers, building up their diverse and highly demanded skills.
In addition to academic studies, many students take the chance to work part-time at one of the region's game studios, transforming and bringing academic knowledge into the real world. Working as a student assistant additionally helps building a broad network, setting future game developers up for success within the region's thriving game industry.
Photo by Peter Sørensen
Greater Copenhagen Region is a place of endless opportunities for businesses and people alike. A place to live grow and evolve.
- Top-quality of life
- Great for doing business
- Highly educated population
- Excellent infrastructure
- Direct proximity to two markets
- Lovely pastries
Gender equality in the region's game industry
The Greater Copenhagen Region actively promotes skill-development. At the same time we're concerned about providing a safe environment where talents have equal chances to grow their career, regardless of gender.
For example, in Sweden, almost every second hire in 2023 identifies as female. In general, the number of women in the game industry has risen from only 300 in 2012 to just below 2.000 in 2023 – that’s a 6x increase in only 9 years. In other words, female representation in the region's game industry more than doubles yearly!
Not only do companies in the region's game industry offer more career opportunities and more equal hiring processes for women, but we’re also actively fighting harassment and sexism in the industry. Here, Denmark’s initiative “Piger i Esport” (Engl.: Women in Esport) is a leading example. The project works towards a cultural change transforming Esports into a save environment for everyone.
Try it out!
Get 90 days of fully furnished office: free of cost!
Invest in Skåne, together with partners from the region, offers a unique opportunity for anyone interested in exploring the game development ecosystem in the region, to stay at Game Habitat's building for up to 90 days in a fully furnished office – and this is all free of cost!
Are you an investor/publisher looking for games/studios?
You will have the opportunity to meet new and old studios throughout your stay.
If you are looking to stay longer than 30 days, there is an opportunity to work with a partner that offers discounted rates for furnished apartments so that you do not have to look for a hotel or other accommodation options.
If you want to know more, have a look what some previous visitors have said here.
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About Greater Copenhagen Region
Greater Copenhagen Region stretches over the borders of Denmark and Sweden. With 4.4 million inhabitants and 17 universities, it’s the largest metropolitan area in the Nordics and a global hub for growth, sustainable solutions and innovation. The region offers world-class research facilities and a creative business environment. Outstanding infrastructure makes Greater Copenhagen Region highly connected via rail, road, air and sea. The two main cities of the region, Sweden’s Malmö and Denmark’s Copenhagen are just a half hour train-ride apart. Its strategic location makes Greater Copenhagen Region the link between 25 million consumers in Scandinavia and 125 million in Northern Europe.