Charts: "Watch Dogs" bremst "Mario Kart 8"

Business

In Conversation With… Benedikt Grindel

In his new ‘Update,’ brand and marketing expert Zoran Roso talks to Ubisoft Blue Byte's Benedikt Grindel about the integration of a studio, on live games, German game funding, and the fundamental changes he expects to see in the financing and monetisation of AAA games.

By Zoran Roso • 9 min read

gamescom

Gamescom Dev Talk Review: War Stories From the Frontlines of Game Development

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, which you can also rewatch on YouTube. This time, the focus is on the exciting and high-profile panel Warstories From the Frontlines of Game Development.

By Stephan Steininger • 2 min read

gamescom

Gamescom Dev Talk Review: Don’t Ship the Wrong Game From René Habermann

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, which you can also rewatch on YouTube. This Time: Don’t Ship the Wrong Game: A Framework for Choosing What to Finish by René Habermann from Bippinbits.

By Stephan Steininger • 1 min read

Business

Sharma and Booty: "This Cannot Continue Going Forward"

In a letter on their first 100 days as Xbox leadership, Asha Sharma and Matt Booty define declining revenue, overextended studio landscapes without a pipeline of exclusives and an overly complex, slow infrastructure as main challenges within Xbox.

By Pascal Wagner • 1 min read

People

IGDA Welcomes Natasha Skult, Christopher Hamilton and Mark Stanley as Board Directors

The IGDA held its regular election to appoint three new board members. Natasha Skult, Christopher Hamilton and Mark Stanley will replace Zak Whaley, Nazih Fares and Valentina Birke, who have concluded their terms.

By Stephan Steininger • 1 min read

Funding

Discord and Techleap Launch Scale-up Programme for Dutch Gaming Founders

Through the Gaming Founders Circle, Techleap and Discord aim to support selected gaming start-ups as their businesses scale up. The first five companies in the programme are VaultN, Poki, Maxumum, Yom and Immens.

By Stephan Steininger • 1 min read

Events

GIC Sees Summer Edition as Part of Its Brand Expansion

With just a few weeks to go before GIC Sprint in Katowice, the organisers have revealed further details. In terms of concept, the Summer Edition of Poland’s largest B2B developer conference is modelled on the main event, albeit with some differences in the details.

By Stephan Steininger • 1 min read

No Game City Vienna in 2026, New Dual Concept in 2027

Europe's second-biggest pure gaming convention Game City Vienna will not take place in 2026. Instead, event agency Mice & Men is working on a new concept for 2027: A localised Game City in one place, and several decentralised Game Days around it.

By Pascal Wagner • 2 min read

Awards

Two German Studios Nominated for Digital Vikings Awards

The shortlist for the Digital Vikings Awards, presented as part of Devgamm Gdansk, has been announced. Among the 12 nominated games across the four product categories are two titles from Germany. All Devgamm Gdansk participating studios are in the running for Studio of the Year.

By Stephan Steininger • 1 min read