Thalita Malagò, Director General, IIDEA (Italian Interactive Digital Entertainment Association) © Marco Bravi GamesMarket Plus The Italian Games Market Through the Eyes of Thalita Malagò, IIDEA Director No one knows the specifics of the Italian games market as well as Thalita Malagò, Director General of IIDEA. We speak with her about the challenges facing the industry, what support is needed, and how they can increase the visibility of games made in Italy on the international market. By Marcel Kleffmann • 7 min read
Witchfire | Adrian Chmielarz © The Astronauts People G+ Adrian Chmielarz on AAA Mediocrity, Creativity in Small Teams and Witchfire Witchfire from The Astronauts is an acclaimed shooter currently available on Early Access. We spoke to co-owner Adrian Chmielarz about the current state of the AAA shooter genre, the creative nature of the AA segment, and the game's lengthy development period since it was first announced in 2017. By Marcel Kleffmann • 8 min read
Starseeker: Astroneer Expeditions © System Era and Devolver Digital Products Starseeker: Astroneer Expeditions Starseeker: Astroneer Expeditions, System Era and Devolver Digital have released a cooperative space action-adventure game featuring extraction elements on PC and consoles via Early Access. This game is not Astroneer 2.0, and it has had a difficult start. By Marcel Kleffmann • 6 min read
astragon and Team17 @ gamescom 2026 © astragon gamescom astragon and Team17 Are Returning to gamescom 2026 Both subsidiaries of the British everplay group, astragon and Team17 will be returning to Cologne for gamescom this year. They will be exhibiting in the entertainment area and business section of the event. By Marcel Kleffmann • 1 min read
THQ Nordic Digital Showcase 2026 © THQ Nordic Products THQ Nordic's Digital Showcase Returns in August Just like in recent years: THQ Nordic has announced its Digital Showcase 2026 for early August. In just a few weeks, the Austrian publisher will present its line-up across a wide range of its core IPs. By Marcel Kleffmann • 1 min read
gamescom 2025 - Hall 7 © Koelnmesse GmbH, Harald Fleissner gamescom gamescom Is Committed to Accessibility, Resource Conservation and Democracy This year, gamescom is expanding its accessibility guidelines and self-commitment for exhibitors. The awareness initiatives and safer space offerings are also being scaled up. Additionally, this will be the first time that the organisers are collaborating with Kölner Tafel. By Marcel Kleffmann • 3 min read
Steam Machine 2 TB with extra faceplates - red fabric and solid walnut © Valve Software Products Valve Announces Steam Machine Prices and Begins Sales With the price of the 512 GB version of the Steam Machine exceeding €1,000, Valve Software has launched sales of the mini-PC. The price is much higher than originally planned due to the current hardware market and the sharp rise in prices for RAM and storage components. By Marcel Kleffmann • 2 min read
Krafton @ gamescom 2026 © Krafton gamescom Krafton to Showcase Five Games at gamescom 2026 Krafton is bringing five titles to Cologne for gamescom 2026, including a new game from PUBG Studios and several second-party publishing projects. These include an early glimpse of Age Twisters and the premiere of Tarae: The Unbound. By Marcel Kleffmann • 1 min read
People "Our Mission Is to Carry Forward the Long-Standing Tradition of German Management Classics" With We Are Football 2027, Cologne-based Winning Streak Games hopes to continue the tradition of popular German football management games. We spoke to Gerald Köhler about the genre, how the team has been scaled down since WAF 2024, and the dedicated community that the game has attracted. By Marcel Kleffmann • 6 min read
33 Immortals © Thunder Lotus Products 33 Immortals 33 players teaming up to fight a boss? That's something we usually see in MMORPGs, but Thunder Lotus demonstrates that the same concept can work in an action roguelike with 33 Immortals. It's a unique experiment indeed. By Marcel Kleffmann • 5 min read
Warhammer 40,000: Boltgun 2 © Auroch Digital, Big Fan Games, Games Workshop GamesMarket Plus G+ Interview: Boltgun 2 and Nostalgic Shooters From Auroch Digital Nostalgia plays a major role in boomer shooters, but first and foremost, it's important to recapture that old-school feel. We spoke to Jack Midgley-Munns, Lead Programmer at Auroch Digital, about this genre, its hallmarks, and Warhammer 40,000: Boltgun 2. By Marcel Kleffmann • 6 min read
Esports Leaders Honours 2026: Christopher Flato (ESBD), Maria Helmis-Arend (Mayor Cologne), Martin Blum (Leipzig eSports) and Klemens Witt (Leipzig eSports) © Invest in Film Esports Esports Leaders Honours Winners Announced; Leipzig eSports Receives the Local Hero Award The inaugural Esports Leaders Honours ceremony took place on 19 June 2026 as part of Global Esports Industry Week in Cologne. Leipzig eSports was awarded the Local Hero Award during the ceremony. By Marcel Kleffmann • 4 min read
