Wallimage, the Walloon public investment fund for the audiovisual sector, has confirmed €2 million for Walloon game funding in 2026, ending more than a year of uncertainty for studios in the region after previous support ran dry in mid-2024.
The money will be split across two project calls. Wallimage Gaming expects to back between 8 and 15 projects in total, with individual grants reaching up to €400,000 for production and up to €75,000 for pre-production work. A separate €100,000 pot covers commercialization efforts for projects that have already reached the market.
A gap in Walloon game funding
The Walloon Region and Wallimage ran six project calls between 2022 and 2024 under the Wallonia Recovery Plan, distributing roughly €3.6 million to 33 games. That budget was not renewed after mid-2024, leaving studios without public support for over a year.
The 2026 allocation restores Walloon game funding after that gap, though on a smaller annual scale than the Recovery Plan years. Studios that had been holding off on pre-production work now have a concrete path to apply.
How the funding works
Sophie Augurelle, who oversees video games at Wallimage, said pre-production support is part of a deliberate strategy. Even at lower return rates, it creates “a continuous pipeline of future projects.” Production grants carry a stronger economic multiplier: according to Wallimage Gaming, each euro invested in production returns approximately 4.64 euros.
Since the fund launched, Wallimage has also facilitated seven co-productions with foreign partners, which it sees as a way to bring external resources into the Walloon studio ecosystem.
Industry response
The sector has responded positively. Jean Gréban, coordinator of Walga, the Walloon video game federation, called the return of Walloon game funding “a major achievement and very encouraging.” He had raised concerns at Gamescom about the lack of public backing for Belgian studios.
Studio closures remain a real concern in Wallonia. Many recent game releases have not recovered their production costs in a competitive global market, and Gréban stressed the importance of preserving developer experience within the creative sector even when individual projects end or studios restructure. He argued that keeping experienced developers employed, even in adjacent creative roles, is more sustainable than losing that talent entirely.
One open question: Walga’s own 2026 operating budget is still under discussion, separate from the Wallimage allocation.
What comes after 2026
Wallimage Gaming has said it plans to continue beyond 2026, but the next round of Walloon game funding depends on whether the European Investment Fund renews its backing. That confirmation has not come yet, leaving studios unable to plan past the current year’s two calls. The fund has not provided a timeline for when that decision might be made.
For studios in Wallonia, the two 2026 project calls represent a return to stability after an extended period without public support. Exact opening dates have not been announced.