In a country where four out of five of the population plays a digital game, the cultural impact of video games is undeniable.

Yet in public conversation, cultural policies, or national storytelling in Denmark - the impact remains almost invisible.

But then — like a well-timed Poké Ball throw — NIMBI - Danish Institute for Game Development appears.

🏛️ Visiting NIMBI HQ

Patch Notes from Denmark was invited to NIMBI by Managing Director Jan Neiiendam who has been spearheading NIMBI (named after the board game, and later Denmark’s first digital game, created by famous Danish artist Piet Hein) since it was officially established August 1st 2024.

Jan has a business degree and before NIMBI he was the face of Vision Denmark, a non-profit association for companies and organizations within the audiovisual and creative industries.

From the first handheld Donkey Kong to modern indie games, he has followed the evolution of gaming closely and now leads NIMBI with the mission of giving Danish game development the visibility and support it deserves - always trying to look at the industry from the young Danes’ perspective.

He has been busy working behind the scenes, assembling a five-person team to ensure everything was up and running ahead of the April 8th deadline for Spilordningen — a public funding scheme through which NIMBI allocates DKK 15 million (about EUR 2 million) annually to support Danish game development projects.

In addition to this, NIMBI also manages DKK 33.8 million (around EUR 4.5 million) in funding through 2027 to operate the institute itself and run other game-promoting initiatives.

"It’s a big piano I’ve been allowed to play on — and I’m grateful for that."

Spilordningen is one of the team’s main responsibilities, and when we spoke with Jan they still did not have a clear picture of how many applications they had received, but:

"I expect we’ll receive many qualified applications — but we’ll end up saying no to more than we say yes to. And that’s a problem in itself. At the same time there’s no doubt that not everyone who applies should receive funding. But those who are objectively qualified based on the criteria should be supported,” he states.

💰 More funding, less stigma

So how do we get more funding for the Danish game developers who already outperform film and TV on revenue?

First of all, Jan makes it clear that people should be careful of making it into something as simple as a fund allocation excercise.

But we need to change the stereotype that only teenage boys sit alone in their basements playing video games.

"I think we can start shifting that narrative when we tell the story of an 80-year-old who plays Wordfeud. That same 80-year-old uses the platform to say goodnight and good morning to her daughters — creating a meaningful social bond beyond just the gameplay. Or when people watch films like Ibelin, or other stories that show what gaming truly is in the broadest sense — not just esports or FPS games,” he says and continues:

"I think we need to start nudging those basic narratives — to show what kind of industry we really are, and the impact we have on Danish society. That’s the opportunity we’ve been given with NIMBI."

But there are strong cultural forces and traditions at play — and still a lot of stigma tied to playing video games.

He compares how we use games, to how we experience concerts or cinema. E.g. on a Friday evening it is much easier to experience what other people listen to and watch in the cinema.

But games? Not so much.

"When you play games, you’re usually at home. You don’t notice that just next door, there might be someone who’s just as into gaming as you are. And at a dinner party, you’re unlikely to ask, 'So, are you into video games?'”

“Whereas talking about music or something you’ve watched on Netflix — like Adolescence — comes naturally."

🏦🏰 Stock Exchange and Cathedral

During our short conversation at NIMBI headquarters in the center of Copenhagen, Jan Neiiendam drew a sharp comparison of the games industry with a stock exchange and a cathedral — two powerful symbols for the competing forces shaping the Danish games industry.

The stock exchange represents the business sides of games - the (potential for) big profits that many (including myself) often point to as a key metric of Danish gaming’s success as a business. The cathedral, on the other hand, is about cultural value and the art side of the games industry.

"My focus is that we need to put more emphasis on 'the cathedral.' In other words, we need to find a way to show Danes how valuable and meaningful gaming is for so many people — and that there are a lot of fantastic Danish games out there."

It is a call to look beyond quarterly results and see games as part of Denmark’s cultural DNA — not just entertainment, but expression. Not just product, but potential.

To support this vision, Jan argues, we need more visibility, more storytelling, and more recognition of the creative labor behind the screens.

"The untold story is that there's a vibrant undergrowth of colorful people bursting with passionate content — in all kinds of forms, shades, and for all sorts of platforms — and it’s being played all over the world. That alone justifies the existence of a game institute like NIMBI. And that’s a story we want to help bring forward."

Jan Neiiendam’s point is clear: there is already something thriving here — we just need to show it.

It will probably not be accomplished overnight but there is ample opportunity to make both the public and politicians aware of all the fantastic work being developed in the kingdom of Denmark.

🌱 Promising future: Momentum is building

The Danish gaming industry is currently in a very exciting place. With the establishment of NIMBI and the industry association Games Denmark in 2024, there are many positive forces working to strengthen and support Danish game development.

The new managing director is also very happy that Games Denmark has been founded and can serve as a strong voice in public debate.

"I think it’s incredibly important that companies step forward — with employees who can proudly tell their parents that they work on something they’re deeply passionate about, that they get paid for, and pay taxes on — just like any other Dane."

NIMBI has already collaborated with Game Denmark and ran Copenhagen Gaming Week in February where about 25.000 attended in their winter holiday.

38 game developers were present at the event. They showed what they had developed or were currently working on.

But more than anything, it was the networking that stood out — something many of the developers highlighted as a key takeaway in their evaluations of the event. This also underscores the great sense of community there is between Danish game developers - even though face-to-face networking can be under-prioritized.

🇸🇪🆚🇩🇰 Closing the gap?

It is a classic Scandinavian rivalry. Denmark vs. Sweden.

We love to talk about our neighbors and how we are far ahead of our Swedish neighbours in many areas. But we are miles behind their gaming industry. This is a “classic” discussion I have seen in the media and heard from people in the industry.

With global juggernauts such as Minecraft, Battlefield and Candy Crush, Sweden’s industry generates several times more revenue than Denmark’s.

How can we close that gap?

Jan Neiiendam applauds the Swedish industry but he does not think Denmark should try to emulate the Swedish model.

"I think we need to get better at understanding what makes Denmark’s games industry unique. And if I were to offer my own take — which is by no means a final truth — I believe it lies in our ability to create highly valuable content on relatively small budgets. Just like we’ve seen in the music scene, and especially in the film industry. We’re celebrated for telling stories and creating interactive experiences that hit above our weight class,” he says.

From Jan Neiiendams point of view, one major challenge is that Danish developers are brilliant at planning projects — but less skilled at building the kind of businesses that can eventually scale or be sold off. And that is precisely where our Scandinavian neighbors have shown real strength on the business side.

Imagine watching participants in Dragon's Den - pitching great ideas with passion but with little knowledge of how to turn it into a viable business.

While business development and scaling of the game developers is not Jan Neiiendam’s primary domain, he believes the industry could - and should - help new developers transform their promising projects into sustainable startups.

Becoming better business developers will not close the financial gap on its own — but helping more developers build lasting, viable studios could make it easier to argue for the next big investment in Danish games - both from public and private sources.

⏳ Looking toward 2027

NIMBI GameLab is currently funded through 2027. I asked Jan what success would look like by then.

🗣️ "If developers feel they’ve received funding that helped them bring new creative ideas with original gameplay to life, then that’s obviously a huge win for us — because it means the funding scheme worked.

🎮 If Danes feel they’ve gained a better understanding of what Danish game development looks like in Denmark — and how the work is actually done — that’s also a win.

🏛️ Ideally, the combination of those two outcomes should make it completely natural for politicians to say, 'Of course we’ll create a new games agreement after 2027’.'"

In short, it is not just about the games that get made — it is even more about the stories NIMBI are able to tell, the public understanding they build, and the political will they hopefully will inspire.

🛠️ The end of one level, the start of another

It was a pleasure talking to Jan Neiiendam about his vision for the Danish games industry — not just where it is today, but what it potentially can become.

Looking at it from the cathedral perspective: it takes time, care, and collaboration to build something that lasts.

As NIMBI works to shift the narrative and support the next generation of Danish game developers, the goal is clear — that games will no longer be seen as just entertainment or export, but as cultural expression.

As part of our Danish identity.