News

Berlin / Potsdam - The New Media Funding program of MBB is supporting 14 projects from the fields of games, XR experiences, and serial formats with a total of around 2 million euros in its summer session, the third funding session of the year.

In the games category, the range of projects includes a hidden object puzzle game (Hidden Tales), a survival exploration game (Wanderburg), an action role-playing game (Project Desert), and a point-and-click game (Later). Among the funded XR projects is The Privilege Game Show, an interactive VR game show from the previously supported emerging Potsdam studio arkanum pictures (Wingspan). Two XR experiences focus particularly on serious content: In Eddie and I, users experience the world of a deaf child, and Body/Memory deals with the topic of breast cancer. Both production companies presented other funded projects at Venice Immersive in 2023 (Reynard Films: competition winner Emperor, Daring House: Tales of the March). In the series category, funding is awarded to Herbertstraße, a production based on the best-selling book of the same name about the red-light district from a female perspective. Additionally, Softies, a series about the challenges faced by three men in their twenties, receives support. The project is the winner of the RTL+ Storytellers Award and is now being produced as part of our collaboration with RTL.

All funded projects at a glance!

GAMES

Hidden Tales

Litejoy Games
250,000 euros
Production funding
Hidden object puzzles are solved in interactive levels and quests, unlocking stories in the process. The art styles change throughout the game and are adapted to current events along with the stories.

Wanderburg

Randwerk Games
200,000 euros 
Production funding
In the survival exploration game, players build their own mobile fortress, explore the game world, and battle against enemy strongholds.

Project Desert

Stratosphere Games 
147,000 euros
Development funding
A story-based sci-fi action RPG with a focus on class development and diversity.

Summer on Tidewind

Sudden Forest
100,000 euros
Development funding
In the cozy action adventure game, players explore the island of Tidewind as the protagonist Fiona, traveling by bicycle and on foot. By completing tasks and gaining the trust of the residents, Fiona gets closer to finding her lost sister.

Later

GaHa Games
36,500 euros
Production funding
A point-and-click game with hidden object elements, where players end up finding more than they initially expected.

XR AND OTHER AUDIOVISUAL CONTENT

The Privilege Game Show

arkanum pictures 
180,000 euros
Development and production funding
This interactive VR game show questions privileges determined by background, gender, and social status. It cleverly combines documentary approaches, social issues, and television entertainment, inviting viewers to shift their perspectives.

Eddie and I

Reynard Films
160,000 euros
Development and production funding
The interactive VR experience tells the story of 8-year-old Ron, who is deaf. Users embody the gentle monster Eddie in a magical forest, helping Ron overcome his fear of a camping trip while playfully learning sign language through hand tracking.

Echoes of Mora

Selkies Interactive
160,000 euros
Production funding
In the VR adventure, players dive into a mysterious underwater world. They uncover the secrets of a sunken village, solve puzzles, and help the young Mora find her brother across the boundaries of time.

Body/Memory

Daring House
64,500 euros
Development funding
After her breast cancer diagnosis, 27-year-old Amanda is confronted with a new reality: In her "cancer bubble," she fights for healing and grapples with existential questions. Users of the animated VR experience journey through self-discovery and empathy from Amanda's perspective.

Cyrcadia

Jonas Jülch
32,000 euros
Development and production funding
In this VR game, dusty asteroids are transformed into lush jungle paradises through a cycle of creation and destruction. Using hand tracking and divine powers, players shape the world at will, creating a unique, vibrant ecosystem.

SERIAL FORMATS

Softies

UFA Fiction
350,000 euros
Production funding
Three guys in their twenties try to figure out what it means to be a modern man amidst love, performance pressure, friendship, a bit of self-care, and dishonorable Tinder dates. Supported as part of the collaboration with the RTL Group.

Herbertstraße

MadeFor Film
280,000 euros
Production funding
The docu-fiction tells the compelling life story of Manuela Freitag. With a female perspective on the red-light district, the miniseries raises questions about the needs, desires, and dark corners of our society.

Let's talk about Porn

Film Five
90,000 euros
Production funding
Almost everyone watches them, but no one talks about them: Pornography. Told from the perspective of women in the industry, this documentary series takes a behind-the-scenes look and dispels myths and prejudices.

Vereint

The Imposters
45,000 euros
Development funding
What does a private reunification look like in 2024? Caro (from East Germany) and Christian (from West Germany) decide to bring their families together. However, their children are not thrilled about the patchwork arrangement. Additionally, the couple has overlooked some cultural differences in their planning.