Germany’s two games industry trade bodies BIU and GAME have merged together to form a single organisation that represents the sector.

The two trade bodies will now operate under a single banner of ‘Game - The German Games Industry Association’.

The association's five-member executive board is to be elected today and will be led by managing director Felix Falk. He was previously the MD of BIU.

"Historic day"

The trade body will represent developers, publishers and other groups such es esports event organisers, educational institutions and service providers.

Following the merger the organisation is a shareholder in the Entertainment Software Self-Regulation Body (USK) and the the Stiftung Digitale Spielekultur. It will also host the German Computer Games Awards and has become a sponsor of the hugely popular consumer expo Gamescom.

"Today is a historic day for the German games industry as a whole,” said Game MD Felix Falk.

“The forward-looking merger of the two associations unites the industry, enabling us to advocate jointly, and therefore even more persuasively and powerfully, for the interests of the entire German games industry.”