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Jan 12, 2026

Things are so bad with games in Poland these days that the Ministry of Culture will have to save the industry.

Michael Torres
By Michael Torres Video Game News and Features Editor
Last updated: Jan 12, 2026
Things are so bad with games in poland these days that the ministry of culture will have to save the industry

The gaming industry in Poland is in such bad shape that the Ministry of Culture will have to save it

The Swedes are taking over the gaming industry, the Germans are doing quite well, but the Polish beavers seem to have lost their edge, as stated by the head of the Ministry of Culture and National Heritage, Marta Cienkowska. The ministry is now working on a strategy for the development of the gaming industry, GameINN 2.0.

The problem was identified after a roundtable with industry representatives, following which a preliminary consultation report was prepared. In the context of culture, game development is among the priority areas with the greatest potential. The lack of state support, as seen in Germany, is holding back local studios, preventing them from realizing larger and more ambitious projects.

Experts analyzed a list of the 200 most desired games on Steam and came to disappointing conclusions: since 2021, Poland has been experiencing a steady decline — seventh place with 12 games in 2025, while Germany showed 460% growth and entered the top five with 14 games.

Today, there is no doubt that the Polish gaming industry is in crisis. From the report "The Gaming Industry of Poland 2025"

Employment in the industry has declined for the first time, from 15,300 to 14,500 people; over two years, revenues fell from 6 billion to 5.5 billion zloty; 120 studios — a quarter of the total — have ceased to exist.

There are at least three reasons, and they have compounded each other:

  • The global market crash amid production oversaturation and investment overheating has limited access to markets and foreign financing;
  • A sharp reversal occurred in the Polish stock market: domestic investors shifted from games to "trendy" investments, primarily in weapons and ammunition production;
  • The term of the last major gaming industry support program has expired.

The new support program is intended to be enshrined in strategic government documents and funded from national and European funds: "This is an investment that will pay off many times over — through innovation, jobs, and international prestige."