The debate over the EU Kids Act continues, with game and USK weighing in. WoW Forever has got off to a flying start, and there’s news from Berlin of new funding approvals for Leaderfy and SenAm Games.
Is the EU Kids’ Act a crisis or an opportunity, dear readers,
for the European games industry? I think it is both. There is a real danger that political parties and lobby groups in Brussels and Strasbourg will drag their feet over the draft for so long that, in the end, a compromise will be adopted that is neither compatible with the tried-and-tested practices of PEGI and USK, nor does it improve the protection of minors in games.
At the same time, however, I can see how united the industry is across national borders. And I notice how in unison the various associations are presenting their arguments and setting out their demands. Perhaps the industry – where people often focus solely on their own game – is realising just how much can be achieved at EU level when acting as a single force.
Here are the news of the day!
Your Stephan Steininger
Both the game and the USK have warned of unintended negative consequences for the protection of minors resulting from the proposed EU Kids Act. The USK even sees the German standard for the protection of minors under threat and has presented a summary setting out proposed changes.
(Read more...)
by Stephan Steininger
Two more German companies have been selected to receive funding from the German Federal Government's Video Game Funding Programme. Leaderfy, based in Tübingen, and SenAm Games, based in Munich, are the recipients.
(Read more...)
by Marcel Kleffmann
Following the largest beta test in the history of World of Warcraft, WoW: Forever has achieved the strongest launch of the long-running MMORPG in terms of peak concurrent players.
(Read more...)
by Marcel Kleffmann
GamesMarket Job Agent
As part of Games Ground in Berlin, strategy game publisher Slitherine organised the inaugural Dominion Days event, which served as a meeting point for strategy gamers. During the event, the publisher announced two new games and provided a closer look at Veil of Ashes from Greifenmaer Games.
(Read more...)
With just over a week to go, the organisers have revealed further details about the 19th Play – Creative Gaming Festival in Hamburg. As well as games and talks, there will be a game jam, as well as an indie and a Flinta* meet-up.
(Read more...)
In Hull Rupture, humanity's last hope lies with a spaceship staffed by expendable humans. Players must build the ship, manage the crew, and fend off alien attacks in this tower defense roguelite game from Konfa Games and publisher tinyBuild.
(Read more...)
Madeleine Egger
10.11. - 11.11.2026: MIGS - Montréal International Game Summit (Montréal) 04.11.2026: Invest in Games (Stockholm)
12.11. - 13.11.2026: The Games Forum Roma (Roma)
14.11. - 22.11.2026: Dutch Games Week (Breda)
17.11. - 18.11.2026: DevGamm Lisbon (Lisbon)
18.11.2026: DevGamm Awards (Lisbon)
18.11. - 21.11.2026: Play26 Festival (Hamburg)
21.11.2026: Card Galaxy Europe (Heidelberg)
21.11. - 22.11.2026: VIECC - Vienna Comic Con (Vienna)
26.11.2026: The Pre-Show (London)
27.11. - 29.11.2026: Milan Games Week (Milan)
28.11. - 29.11.2026: Be A Hero Gaming Zone at CCON | Comic Con Stuttgart (Stuttgart)
03.12. - 05.12.2026: Playtopia (Cape Town)
04.12. - 06.12.2026: PAX Unplugged (Philadelphia)
06.12. - 09.12.2026: Africa Games Week (Cape Town)
07.12.2026: Womenize! NRW Chapter (Cologne)
08.12.2026: Deutscher Entwicklerpreis (Cologne)
10.12.2026: The Game Awards (Los Angeles | 11.12.2026 at 01:30 CET)
Find more events in our GamesMarket calendar.
