Game Studies Watchlist 2026 #23

Business

G+ Recruiting & Employer Branding: Gaming and Esports in HR

To attract new skilled workers and make companies more appealing to applicants, HR departments are turning to gaming and esports, beyond mere gamification. This serves as an effective employer branding strategy, as demonstrated by the following projects and initiatives.

By Marcel Kleffmann • 15 min read

Events

Paris Game Biz Returns October 2026

In a new venue and with more studios and publishers, Paris Game Biz returns in October for the third time. The B2B event, held by Paris region video game cluster Capital Games, connects investors with studios selected for quality.

By Pascal Wagner • 1 min read

Development

ARD Game Jam Nets Cash Prizes in August

The upcoming ARD Game Jam will take place right before gamescom dev. The theme will be announced on 21 August, when the Jam starts. The kicker: A cash prize of 2,500€ awaits. Games/Bavaria and game are partnering with BR Puls for the jam.

By Pascal Wagner • 1 min read

GamesMarket Exclusive

Numbers & Insights Into Horses of Hoofprint Bay's Demo Success

Horses of Hoofprint Bay publisher The Mane Quest is leading us through some exclusive data insights of their massively successful game demo and wishlist campaign.

By Pascal Wagner • 4 min read

Business

The 1.0 Illusion – Why Relying on a Post-Early Access Revenue Spike Is a Losing Bet

In this week’s “Update”, Zoran Roso on the latest data from GameDiscoverCo, debunking the myth that an Early Access launch just generates additional revenue. The data shows, tha a 1.0 patch notes update rarely triggers a mainstream breakthrough if the upfront momentum isn't already there.

By Zoran Roso • 4 min read

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