The Situation in the EU: Overbearing Bureaucracy With Deep Pockets Stephan Steininger April 11, 2025 – 3 min read Share this post © European Union 2024/Dennis Lomme Julia Pfiffer & Tim Schmitz, the two co-CEOs of astragon entertainment © Sabrina Weniger Business Julia Pfiffer Is Stepping Down From Her Role as Co-Ceo at astragon Astragon Entertainment and astragon Development have announced a change in the management team. Julia Pfiffer is stepping down from her role as co-CEO. Going forward, Tim Schmitz will be the sole CEO. By Marcel Kleffmann • 2 min read Business Game Studies Watchlist 2026 #15 The Game Studies Watchlist newsletter, curated by Prof Dr Rudolf Inderst, is published weekly on GamesMarkt. This week's topics include project management as methodology in games, a LucasArts anthology book and more. By Rudolf Inderst • 3 min read Stephan Reichart, outgoing Managing Director of game events GmbH | Frederik Hammes, Managing Director-designate of game events GmbH | Felix Falk, Managing Director - game - the German Games Industry Association © Reichart, game events | Hammes, game events | Dirk Mathesius Business Frederik Hammes Takes Over Leadership of Game Events From Stephan Reichart From May 2026 onwards, Frederik Hammes will take on the role of Managing Director at game event, succeeding Stephan Reichart, who has chosen to step down. Hammes has over 20 years' experience in the industry, including a long-standing tenure as Managing Director at Travian Games. By Marcel Kleffmann • 2 min read Michael Frei (left) and Mario von Rickenbach in their natural element (Playables) Playables: Games by People, Not Companies Games have to be playable, but do Playables have to be games? With Mario von Rickenbach and Michael Frei, creativity is everything. We talked to the makers of KIDS, Time Flies and Pocket Boss about Switzerland, game feel and working with Panic. By Pascal Wagner • 5 min read Julia Pfiffer & Tim Schmitz, the two co-CEOs of astragon entertainment © Sabrina Weniger Business Julia Pfiffer Is Stepping Down From Her Role as Co-Ceo at astragon Astragon Entertainment and astragon Development have announced a change in the management team. Julia Pfiffer is stepping down from her role as co-CEO. Going forward, Tim Schmitz will be the sole CEO. By Marcel Kleffmann • 2 min read People Fair Play Democracy Steps Into the Light With Open Letter Fair Play Democracy, an alliance of academics and serious game makers together with over 50 signatories from games, politics, media and civil society is calling for games to use their power and possibilities to fight against anti-democratic sentiments. Everyone can now co-sign the open letter. By Pascal Wagner • 4 min read Daniel Budiman (left, RBTV) and Maik Reichelt (ByteRockers' Games) People ByteRockers' and RBTV Debut Docuseries Indie Made Showing how games "outside the mainstream" are made: Daniel Budiman of Rocket Beans and Maik Reichelt of ByteRockers' have kicked off their new joint documentary series at caggtus 2026. By Pascal Wagner • 1 min read Nordic Game 25 Masterclass © Nordic Game Events Speakers for the Nordic Game 26 Masterclass Revealed The Masterclass returns to Nordic Game Spring on Friday 29 May 2026 at the Slagthuset venue in Malmö. Curated by Mighty Diamonds, it's a full-day programme offering hands-on workshops for students and indie developers. By Marcel Kleffmann • 1 min read A "Zeche" wherever they go: Björn and Jennifer Pankratz are Pithead Studios (Pithead). People Pithead Studio: Realising Our First "Indie" Game Pithead Studio alias Björn and Jennifer Pankratz have released their first new game after Piranha Bytes on Friday, as a shadowdrop on Caggtus' Webedia FYNG show. We talked to them about being just the two of them again and what they wanted to bring back with Cralon. By Pascal Wagner • 3 min read
Julia Pfiffer & Tim Schmitz, the two co-CEOs of astragon entertainment © Sabrina Weniger Business Julia Pfiffer Is Stepping Down From Her Role as Co-Ceo at astragon Astragon Entertainment and astragon Development have announced a change in the management team. Julia Pfiffer is stepping down from her role as co-CEO. Going forward, Tim Schmitz will be the sole CEO. By Marcel Kleffmann • 2 min read
Business Game Studies Watchlist 2026 #15 The Game Studies Watchlist newsletter, curated by Prof Dr Rudolf Inderst, is published weekly on GamesMarkt. This week's topics include project management as methodology in games, a LucasArts anthology book and more. By Rudolf Inderst • 3 min read
Stephan Reichart, outgoing Managing Director of game events GmbH | Frederik Hammes, Managing Director-designate of game events GmbH | Felix Falk, Managing Director - game - the German Games Industry Association © Reichart, game events | Hammes, game events | Dirk Mathesius Business Frederik Hammes Takes Over Leadership of Game Events From Stephan Reichart From May 2026 onwards, Frederik Hammes will take on the role of Managing Director at game event, succeeding Stephan Reichart, who has chosen to step down. Hammes has over 20 years' experience in the industry, including a long-standing tenure as Managing Director at Travian Games. By Marcel Kleffmann • 2 min read
Michael Frei (left) and Mario von Rickenbach in their natural element (Playables) Playables: Games by People, Not Companies Games have to be playable, but do Playables have to be games? With Mario von Rickenbach and Michael Frei, creativity is everything. We talked to the makers of KIDS, Time Flies and Pocket Boss about Switzerland, game feel and working with Panic. By Pascal Wagner • 5 min read
Julia Pfiffer & Tim Schmitz, the two co-CEOs of astragon entertainment © Sabrina Weniger Business Julia Pfiffer Is Stepping Down From Her Role as Co-Ceo at astragon Astragon Entertainment and astragon Development have announced a change in the management team. Julia Pfiffer is stepping down from her role as co-CEO. Going forward, Tim Schmitz will be the sole CEO. By Marcel Kleffmann • 2 min read
People Fair Play Democracy Steps Into the Light With Open Letter Fair Play Democracy, an alliance of academics and serious game makers together with over 50 signatories from games, politics, media and civil society is calling for games to use their power and possibilities to fight against anti-democratic sentiments. Everyone can now co-sign the open letter. By Pascal Wagner • 4 min read
Daniel Budiman (left, RBTV) and Maik Reichelt (ByteRockers' Games) People ByteRockers' and RBTV Debut Docuseries Indie Made Showing how games "outside the mainstream" are made: Daniel Budiman of Rocket Beans and Maik Reichelt of ByteRockers' have kicked off their new joint documentary series at caggtus 2026. By Pascal Wagner • 1 min read
Nordic Game 25 Masterclass © Nordic Game Events Speakers for the Nordic Game 26 Masterclass Revealed The Masterclass returns to Nordic Game Spring on Friday 29 May 2026 at the Slagthuset venue in Malmö. Curated by Mighty Diamonds, it's a full-day programme offering hands-on workshops for students and indie developers. By Marcel Kleffmann • 1 min read
A "Zeche" wherever they go: Björn and Jennifer Pankratz are Pithead Studios (Pithead). People Pithead Studio: Realising Our First "Indie" Game Pithead Studio alias Björn and Jennifer Pankratz have released their first new game after Piranha Bytes on Friday, as a shadowdrop on Caggtus' Webedia FYNG show. We talked to them about being just the two of them again and what they wanted to bring back with Cralon. By Pascal Wagner • 3 min read
