The Federal Intelligence Service has developed its first game, and you can now play it at gamescom.
The German secret service BND has actually developed its own video game. It’s called BND Legends: Operation Blackbox and transports you into a futuristic cyberpunk world as an agent. We’ll tell you everything you need to know about it and how you can play it.
If you’re not familiar with the BND, you’ll find a brief overview at the bottom of the article.
Gaming for the next generation
What it’s about: Reports from the autocratic state of Bethulan claim that an AI-based computer virus called T-Cell has been developed. It is said to be capable of infiltrating and destroying the digital infrastructure of attacked countries in a very short time. So far, the data is only stored on a strictly sealed server belonging to the developer company.
The developer company is a state-affiliated enterprise closely intertwined with the Bethulan arms industry and run by the eldest son of the ruler. You take on the role of agent and BND legend AJ and, together with CNE specialist Ruby and geo specialist Atlas, try to infiltrate the research facility unnoticed and escape.
How it works: There are a total of three levels in which you play tricky mini-games
How to play: BND Legends: Operation Blackbox can be played exclusively at gamescom 2025 for the time being. You can find the booth in the Campus Area in Hall 10.1. The BND website (https://www.bnd.bund.de/DE/Karriere/Legenden/bnd-legenden-suche-sa.html) indicates that there will be further opportunities in the future.Karriere/Legenden/bnd-legenden-suche-sa.html“ data-icon=”external”>BND website suggests that there will be further opportunities in the future.
Why does the game exist in the first place? In Operation Blackout, selected BND jobs were transferred to a futuristic gaming world in order to recruit motivated young talent
, especially in the fields of IT and future technologies.
According to BND press spokeswoman Julia Linner, gamescom is a particularly suitable venue for this, as there is a lot of overlap among visitors with the profiles and requirements sought for intelligence work.
What does the BND do?
The Federal Intelligence Service (BND) is the civilian, military, and technical foreign intelligence service of the Federal Republic of Germany. Its mission is to gather information about other countries that is relevant to foreign and security policy, evaluate it, and make it available to the federal government in the form of reports and analyses.