THE FINNISH GAME INDUSTRY’S 2027 PARLIAMENTARY ELECTION OBJECTIVES

1. THE WORLD’S BEST GAME INDUSTRY NEEDS ITS TALENT​

Finland is home to some of the world’s best game companies, which recruit the world’s best professionals globally. Finland must also educate top game industry talent so that new game entrepreneurs continue to emerge from Finland and drive the country’s economic growth and competitiveness. Access to game culture and game development as a hobby must be available throughout Finland. Literacy in games and other digital content, the ability to create them, and an understanding of the business models and technologies behind them are essential civic skills.

1.1. INTERNATIONAL TOP TALENT TO FINLAND IN SEVEN DAYS

• Finland’s country brand must be sharpened. Finland must have a prominent presence at the game industry’s largest events in the EU, the United States, South Korea, China and Japan.
• The residence permit process, from dealing with a Finnish mission to receiving a residence permit, must be completed within seven days. The entire process, from Migri’s residence permit to registration with Kela and the Finnish Tax Administration, as well as securing school and early childhood education places, must be completed within 14 days. The entire process must be available digitally and in English.
• The three- and six-month unemployment limits must be extended to 12 months, and the employer’s reporting obligation must be abolished to improve the retention of international talent.

1.2. TOP-TALENT EDUCATION PATHWAY – A CLEAR ROUTE IN FINLAND FROM HOBBYIST TO TOP PROFESSIONAL​

• Game development must be included in the national basic art education.
• AI-assisted programming must be established as a subject in both general upper secondary schools and vocational institutions.
• Cooperation among higher education institutions, and between educational institutions and companies, must be strengthened in sharing knowledge, teaching content and professional skills requirements.

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2. SUOMESTA 2. FINLAND – THE WORLD’S BEST PLACE TO START AND BUILD A GAME COMPANY

A well-functioning game industry ecosystem creates new centaurs and unicorns in Finland. Determined RDI policy enables companies to be established and grow.

START-UP FUNDING

• Funding for the DigiDemo production support scheme must be secured. Alongside it, a production incentive must be created to enable smaller companies to develop new Finnish game brands. Game industry support instruments must be brought within the audiovisual exemption under the General Block Exemption Regulation to establish a national production support instrument.
• Business Finland’s direct RDI funding must better recognise innovation funding as part of production and development support. Finland must be willing to invest in promising new entrants so that disruption in the industry can be turned to its advantage.

CLUSTER FUNDING

• Local game industry clusters, hubs and accelerators must be taken into account in national and local strategies.