Seminar “Video Game Development: From Idea to Grant Application”

The MEDIA Desks of Serbia and Montenegro, in cooperation with SGA, are organizing a seminar titled Video Game Development: From Idea to Grant Application, which will be held from October 15 to 18, 2026, in Vrdnik.

The Creative Europe program fosters European creativity, cultural and linguistic diversity, and heritage preservation. In the video game sector, support is directed towards the development of original narrative concepts and prototypes with potential for European and international markets. Key aspects of project evaluation include quality of the story, originality of gameplay, and the way narrative and game mechanics are integrated into the overall gaming experience.

The seminar is organized to help studios and companies refine their project ideas and prepare for the upcoming funding cycle. Through lectures, practical workshops and discussions with the speakers, participants will work on the game’s narrative concept, consider its development plan and receive guidance on preparing their grant applications.

Program

Special emphasis will be placed on storytelling aspects and the integration of the story with gameplay. The workshops will cover the development of the game world, characters and narrative structure, as well as how player actions and decisions shape the unfolding story. Work on narrative development will be led by Vanja Knežević, Co-founder and CEO of Euclidean Studios, who has experience in developing narrative-driven games and interactive experiences.

The part of the program dedicated to project preparation will cover translating a creative concept into a clearly justified and feasible project proposal. Participants will familiarize themselves with call requirements, evaluation criteria, activity planning, the preparation of budgets and financial structures, as well as the development of strategies for game distribution and audience outreach. Approaches to environmental sustainability, gender equality, diversity and accessibility—both within the game content and in work organization—will also be addressed.

Saša Veličković from the Niš-based studio Entropic Island—whose game Sova received support from the Creative Europe MEDIA program—will share his experience from the applicant’s perspective. The discussion will focus on preparing a successful application, the feedback received during the evaluation process and the experience of executing the supported project.

Una Domazetoski, Head of MEDIA Desk Serbia, Nikola Gudelj, Coordinator of MEDIA Desk Montenegro, Ana Ćosić, Financial Coordinator of MEDIA Desk Serbia, and Milan Đorđević, Project Manager at MEDIA Desk Serbia, will speak about the Creative Europe program, the call for proposals and the procedures.

Selection and Participation

The selection of participants will take into account:

• the quality and originality of the project idea;
• the potential for narrative development and its integration with gameplay;
• the alignment of the project idea with the call’s objectives;
• the project’s current stage of development;
• the participants’ motivation to work on the project’s development and the preparation of the competition application.

Participation in the seminar is free of charge. Up to 12 representatives from studios and companies will be selected to participate—up to six from Montenegro and up to six from Serbia. One person from each organization may participate with their accommodation costs covered by the organizers. If an organization wishes to register additional participants, they may attend at their own expense, provided this is clearly indicated on the registration form. It is recommended to nominate representatives who are directly involved in the creative development of the game or the preparation of the project proposal.

The organizers cover accommodation costs for all selected participants in shared double rooms (two participants per room) on a half-board basis, including breakfast and dinner. For participants from Montenegro, a group transfer from Belgrade Airport to Vrdnik is organized and covered. Participants are responsible for all other travel expenses.

Applications are submitted by completing an electronic application form.

Applications may be submitted until September 25, 2026. Selected participants will be notified of the selection outcome no later than October 1, 2026.