The European Commission is tightening the reins on the protection of minors, whilst Deadalic is celebrating a strong sales launch and Nintendo is celebrating a Platinum Award. Also: an interview with Paul Sulyok.
The EU is getting serious, dear readers,
when it comes to a social media ban, and it is still unclear to what extent the games industry will find itself caught in the crossfire. The introduction of the EU Kids Act marks the first major step towards a social media ban, and it shows that whilst online games are not treated as social media platforms, they must nevertheless comply with the ‘safety-by-design’ principle.
Admittedly, this is still only a proposal that must make its way through Parliament and the Council, but it is safe to assume that the impact on games companies will be all the harsher the more aggressively they have monetised their games amongst children and young people. It remains to be seen whether this will lead directly to the Digital Fairness Act, which will also regulate consumer protection for adults. A proposal is due to be presented this autumn, and to be honest, I cannot imagine that the EU will take a fundamentally different approach here.
However, there is also cause for optimism: it seems that word has got round to Brussels about the industry’s proactive commitment to the protection of minors through PEGI and USK, and this is being acknowledged with gratitude.
Here are the news of the day!
Your Stephan Steininger
The European Commission has presented the EU Kids Act, bringing significant changes not only to the use of social media by children but also to online games. As PEGI was named a benchmark, the consequences for the games industry may be limited. Initial reactions have come from Bavaria and the VGE.
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by Stephan Steininger
How do gaming executives rate Europe's position in the global market? And what key challenges and trends are currently affecting the industry? We spoke to Paul Sulyok, CEO Green Man Gaming (UK), to find out.
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by Marcel Kleffmann
Woodo invites players to slow down and appreciate the small things, however its launch has given Daedalic Entertainment plenty to celebrate, especially on Nintendo Switch. This validates Daedalic Entertainment's publishing strategy.
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by Marcel Kleffmann
game – The German Games Industry Association has announced its Sales Awards for August 2026. Only one game met the criteria for an award during this period: Pokémon Pokopia.
(Read more...)
Since 2006, the New Media Funding Programme run by Medienboard Berlin-Brandenburg has provided €60 million in funding for games, XR and other innovative audiovisual content and serial formats. This has played a key role in establishing the Capital Region as a major media hub in Germany and Europe.
(Read more...)
Marcel Kleffmann
Applications for the 7th Deutsche Indie Showcase open on 18 September 2026. The next edition will be broadcast on 10 December 2026.
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After the Ludicious Festival, GameZ and Zurich Games Week were discontinued, the two-day Gamespace Conference at the Swiss Game Hub in October will bring the international games industry together in Zurich.
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When it comes to monetising games, direct-to-consumer channels are becoming an increasingly important way of strengthening the connection between game developers and their customers. We spoke to Berkley Egenes, Xsolla’s Chief Marketing & Growth Officer, about this and other related issues.
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Marc Bosch, a German games industry veteran, joined EGDF as a developer relations and business development lead at the beginning of September 2026.
(Read more...)
The Unmistakable event, organised by ICO Partners, is set to take place for the first time in October. The event celebrates artists and animators who push the boundaries of visual storytelling in video games.
(Read more...)
Pascal Wagner
04.09. - 07.09.2026: PAX West (Seattle)
04.09. - 08.09.2026: IFA (Berlin)
18.09. - 20.09.2026: Gaming Istanbul (GIST) (Istanbul)
18.09. - 20.09.2026: Nexus Nerd Rock Festival (Leipzig)
21.09. - 23.09.2026: D.I.C.E. Europe (Athens)
22.09. - 25.09.2026: Game Devs of Color Expo (online)
23.09.2026: Open Stage Games BW (Suttgart)
23.09. - 25.09.2026: Northern Games Summit (Kajaani)
26.09. - 27.09.2026: Zurich Pop Con Game & Show (Zurich)
29.09. - 30.09.2026: DevGamm x FTW! (Belgrade)
02.10. - 04.10.2026: Hero Fest (Bern)
03.10.2026: IAM Gaming Expo (Moray)
04.10. - 11.10.2026: New York Games Week (New York)
07.10. - 08.10.2026: Mobidictum (Istanbul)
08.10. - 09.10.2026: Gamespace Conference (Zürich)
09.10. - 11.10.2026: Polaris (Hamburg)
09.10. - 11.10.2026: SAGA Barcelona Game Fest (Barcelona)
09.10. - 11.10.2026: PAX Aus (Melbourne)
Find more events in our GamesMarket calendar.
