Michael Metzger, Managing Partner Drake Star © MM Drake Star Michael Metzger of Drake Star Reflects on 2025 and Looks Ahead to 2026 How do game industry executives look back at 2025 and what do they think about 2026? We spoke to Michael Metzger, Managing Partner Drake Star, to find out. By Marcel Kleffmann • 4 min read
2025 Was a Landmark Year for Gaming M&A © Drake Star - Sources: CapIQ, Pitchbook & DSP Research Business Drake Star: "2025 Was a Landmark Year for Gaming M&A" Drake Star has released its latest Global Gaming Report 2025, which covers gaming M&As, financings and IPOs. Two megadeals stand out in particular. The global technology investment bank is also positive about 2026. By Marcel Kleffmann • 4 min read
The Last Caretaker © Channel37 Products The Last Caretaker The nine-person Finnish studio Channel37 has made a name for itself in the crowded survival crafting genre with The Last Caretaker. This is not only due to the human-free water world, aka Earth, but also thanks to the excellent crafting system. By Marcel Kleffmann • 5 min read
Xsolla © Xsolla Xsolla Is Planning Coordinated Activations in the UK Xsolla has announced a programme of events and activations to take place across the United Kingdom from 10 to 22 January 2026. This schedule demonstrates Xsolla's continued dedication to the UK and European gaming communities. By Marcel Kleffmann • 2 min read
Angry Birds © Sega Business Angry Birds Licensing Merges with Sega's Global Operations Rovio and Sega have confirmed a strategic change in the management of the Angry Birds brand. The brand's global licensing activities will now be unified under Sega's transmedia licensing operations. This change is the next obvious step following Sega's acquisition of Rovio in 2023. By Marcel Kleffmann • 2 min read
Winfried Diekmann, Managing Director, Aerosoft © Aerosoft People Winfried Diekmann of Aerosoft Reflects on 2025 and Looks Ahead to 2026 How do game industry executives look back at 2025 and what do they think about 2026? We spoke to Winfried Diekmann, Managing Director Aerosoft, to find out. By Marcel Kleffmann • 1 min read
Esports Nations Cup © ENC/EWCF Business Esports Nations Cup 2026: Application for National Team Partners The EWCF has opened the application process for official National Team Partners for the 2026 Esports Nations Cup (ENC). To support the long-term growth of nation-based esports, the EWCF is establishing the ENC Development Fund, committing a minimum of $20 million each year. By Marcel Kleffmann • 2 min read
Xbox Developer_Direct © Xbox Products Xbox Developer_Direct in January with Fable and Forza To celebrate the 25th anniversary of Microsoft's Xbox this year, a number of major games are set to be released. Three of these will be presented in more detail in the next Developer_Direct: Fable, Forza Horizon 6 and Beast of Reincarnation. By Marcel Kleffmann • 1 min read
Products Swiss Herdling Lands DICE Award Nomination Alongside Ghost of Yōtei and Clair Obscur With Okomotive, only one studio from GSA made it onto the list of nominees for the D.I.C.E. Awards, even though numerous European studios were nominated. Sucker Punch and Sandfall Interactive, as well as Embark and Adhoc Studios, received the most nominations. By Stephan Steininger • 4 min read
Planetary exploration in Heroes of Science and Fiction © Oxymoron Games Products Heroes of Science and Fiction Heroes of Science and Fiction – this game couldn't have been given a better name! The strategy game from Czech developer Oxymoron Games is clearly inspired by Heroes of Might & Magic III, but transports the whole thing into a sci-fi setting. And it works really well! By Marcel Kleffmann • 5 min read
Bosslords / Architect of Ruin © RocketMoose Studios / Dead Money LLC / Hooded Horse Hooded Horse Signs Bosslords and Architect of Ruin Right at the start of the year, Hooded Horse, a publisher specialising in strategy games, signed two new titles. These are Bosslords from RocketMoose Studios in Sweden and Architect of Ruin from Dead Money LLC in Las Vegas. By Marcel Kleffmann • 3 min read
This photo shows the rokaplay team at the Deutscher Entwicklerpreis 2025. CEO Robert Kaiser is standing on the far right of the photo. People Robert Kaiser of rokaplay Reflects on 2025 and Looks Ahead to 2026 How do game industry executives look back at 2025 and what do they think about 2026? We spoke to Robert Kaiser, CEO rokaplay, to find out. By Marcel Kleffmann • 2 min read
