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Stephan Steininger

Stephan Steininger

Stephan Steininger is Director of Operations and Editor-in-Chief of GamesMarket. He was one of the founding editors and is part of the magazine since its inception in 2001, he knows the GSA games industry by heart.

Gamescom Dev Talk Review: Reclaiming the Workplace — Emese-Anna Hoppa (Ubisoft), Jamie Elms (Bytro), Rüdiger Brandis (Playing History), Devan Soyka (Crytek) and Jelmer Lukkien (Limbic Entertainment; from Left to Right)´

gamescom

Gamescom Dev Talk Review: Reclaiming the Workplace

Not sure what sort of talks to expect at gamescom dev? Together with gamescom dev, we’re taking a look back at selected talks from 2025. The panellists at today’s session will be discussing the experiences and challenges faced when workers in the games industry organise themselves.

By Stephan Steininger • 1 min read

Newzoo: China and US Account for More Than Half of $201.6bn Dollar Gaming Market 2025 — Source: Newzoo Games Market Reports and Forecasts, May 2026

Insights

Newzoo: China and US Account for More Than Half of $201.6bn Dollar Gaming Market 2025

PC games as a growth driver, the dominance of the two largest markets and sustained growth until 2028 – in its latest quarterly update on the global games market, Newzoo estimates the market size for 2025 at 201.6 billion dollars and highlights a number of interesting trends.

By Stephan Steininger • 2 min read

Games/Bavaria Welcomes Batch 3 of Its Level Up Accelerator Programme at Gamerei — Annette Kümmel and Alexandra Palme from Medien.Bayern (centre front) welcome the participants of the 3rd cohort of Level Up | Picture: Games/Bavaria

Development

Games/Bavaria Welcomes Batch 3 of Its Level Up Accelerator Programme at Gamerei

Eight indie studios and solo developers make up the third cohort of Games/Bavaria’s Level Up accelerator programme. The kick-off meeting took place at the Gamerei in Munich.

By Stephan Steininger • 1 min read

SuperAwesome Becomes Exclusive Third-Party Advertising Partner for Under-13s on Roblox

Business

SuperAwesome Becomes Exclusive Third-Party Advertising Partner for Under-13s on Roblox

Roblox and SuperAwesome have agreed a groundbreaking partnership. Under the deal, SuperAwesome will become the only third-party advertising provider on Roblox for under-13s worldwide. In North America Roblox will continue to market advertising space directly to selected strategic partners.

By Stephan Steininger • 1 min read

Omdia: XR Market to Hit Rock Bottom in 2026, With Recovery on the Horizon

VR-XR-MR

Omdia: XR Market to Hit Rock Bottom in 2026, With Recovery on the Horizon

In 2026, global sales of XR headsets are set to fall by a further 12 per cent. However, according to a new forecast by Omdia, sales are expected to pick up again as early as 2027 and then continue to rise.

By Stephan Steininger • 1 min read

Stop Killing Games: European Commission Wants Dialogue, But Not Legislation — Henna Virkkunen and Michael McGrath | Pictures by EU

Politics

Stop Killing Games: European Commission Wants Dialogue, But Not Legislation

The European Commission has issued a statement on the ‘Stop Killing Games’ initiative, and the result is unlikely to satisfy the organisers. According to Brussels, the Commission will seek dialogue, but there is no basis for legislation to preserve games that have been discontinued commercially.

By Stephan Steininger • 2 min read

EGDF Calls on EU to Take Action in Response to US Export Controls on AI Tools — European Union 2026 - Denis Lomme

Politics

EGDF Calls on EU to Take Action in Response to US Export Controls on AI Tools

Following the export ban on the AI tools Fable 5 and Mythos 5, the European Games Developer Federation (EGDF) calls the EU for immediate action to defend Europe’s cultural and digital sovereignty. In the EGDF’s view, the US is no longer a reliable partner in the digital sphere.

By Stephan Steininger • 2 min read

UK Trade Body TIGA Appoints New Board Members — Picture by TIGA

People

UK Trade Body TIGA Appoints New Board Members

The UK games developers’ trade body has announced a total of nine new members of its Board of Directors. This is intended to further strengthen the body’s ability to champion the interests of the industry across all sectors.

By Stephan Steininger • 1 min read

UK: Government Announces Social Media Ban For Under-16s; UKIE Responds With Relief — UKIE-CEO Nick Poole and Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer | Pictures: UKIE; House of Commons

Politics

UK: Government Announces Social Media Ban For Under-16s; UKIE Responds With Relief

Keir Starmer’s UK government has announced plans to introduce a social media ban for under-16s. The first restrictions are set to be introduced as early as spring 2027. Video games are excluded from the regulations. UKIE reacted with relief, but nevertheless points to the stricter PEGI rules.

By Stephan Steininger • 2 min read

Facts & Figures: The German Games Ecosystem

Business

G+ Facts & Figures: The German Games Ecosystem

Germany is one of the world's most important markets for computer and video games. But what is the state of the country's games industry? Read on for an overview of the studios based here, the industry's structure, and key figures.

By Marcel Kleffmann • 8 min read

BzKJ Funding: Record Number of Applications, No Games Among Funded Projects — Sebastian Gutknecht, Director of the | Picture by BzKJ

Funding

BzKJ Funding: Record Number of Applications, No Games Among Funded Projects

In the third round of funding from the BzKJ, the organisation received a record number of applications. The five digital projects selected for funding, which will receive a total of €240,000, have now been announced. However, there is no connection to games this time.

By Stephan Steininger • 1 min read

Paintbucket Games, Yaldi Games And Reynard Films Among Finalists of Games for Change Awards

Awards

Paintbucket Games, Yaldi Games And Reynard Films Among Finalists of Games for Change Awards

The finalists for the Games for Change Awards have been announced, and German studios and developers are among the nominees, with a total of five nominations. Paintbucket Games and Reynard Films have each received two nominations, whilst Yaldi Games, based in Scotland and Germany, has received one.

By Stephan Steininger • 3 min read