How Gaming and eSports fell in Political Conflict in Germany Pascal Wagner March 21, 2024 – 5 min read Share this post Minister of Family Affairs Lisa Paus roused the anger - and soothed it. © Ministry of Family Affairs Business SimRacing Expo Celebrates Record Edition and Relocates to Frankfurt in 2026 With almost 25,000 visitors and a sold-out venue, the SimRacing Expo in Dortmund set a new record last weekend. In order to continue growing, the trade fair will move to Frankfurt in 2026. Before that, however, the US spin-off in Charlotte will celebrate its debut. By Stephan Steininger • 1 min read Business Esports Awards Announces Nominees, Voting is Running The Esports Awards are entering the final phase. Voting began after the nominees were announced. The awards will be presented on 19 November in Las Vegas. By Stephan Steininger • 4 min read BIG and LevlUp Join Forces © BIG esports BIG and LevlUp Join Forces Berlin International Gaming (BIG) has announced a partnership with LevlUp, one of Europe's leading gaming drink brands. As well as community events, social media activations and promotions, LevlUp will also support BIG's boot camp to promote young esports talent. Founded in Germany in 2018, LevlUp quickly By Marcel Kleffmann • 2 min read Marta Cienkowska with GIC Organiser Jakub Marszałkowski (Picture by GamesMarkt) Business Poland's Minister of Culture Marta Cienkowska Visits GIC and Awards CEEGA to Warhorse Studios The second day of the GIC was not only marked by interesting presentations, but also by politics. Polish Minister of Culture Marta Cienkowska visited the conference for a round table discussion with the industry. Later, she also presented the main prize at the Central & East European Game Awards. By Stephan Steininger • 2 min read PLAY! Con in Trier; Photo Credit: Sebastian Hontheim Business The Fourth Edition of PLAY! Con in Trier Is the Biggest One Yet PLAY! Con returns to Messepark Trier on 8 and 9 November 2025. As well as an expanded gaming area, the fourth edition of the fair will also feature a trading card area for the first time. By Marcel Kleffmann • 1 min read Marco Alessandro Minoli, the Publishing Director of Slitherine; Photo: Slitherine Business Marco Alessandro Minoli (Slitherine) on Europe as a Gaming Location How do industry executives rate Europe's position in the global market? We spoke to Marco Alessandro Minoli, the Publishing Director of Slitherine, to find out. By Marcel Kleffmann • 3 min read Pokémon Legends Z-A; The Pokémon Company & Nintendo Products Pokémon Legends Z-A Sells 5.8m Copies in One Week Pokémon Legends Z-A, released on 16 October for Nintendo Switch and Nintendo Switch 2, sold almost six million copies worldwide in its opening week. By Marcel Kleffmann • 1 min read Aethermancer: Combat in the Garden District showing the action "Stone Punch". moi rai games / offbrand games Products Aethermancer After Monster Sanctuary, Hamburg-based studio moi rai remains true to the genre, demonstrating with Aethermancer that monster taming also works extremely well in a roguelite style. By Marcel Kleffmann • 5 min read Prof. Dr. Dr. Rudolf Thomas Inderst Business Game Studies Watchlist #42 The Game Studies Watchlist newsletter is published weekly on GamesMarkt, curated by Prof Dr Rudolf Inderst. This week's topics include a philosophical side quest in Cyberpunk 2077, Games for Change, and the sustainable transition of Europe's games industry. By Team Gamesmarkt • 3 min read
Business SimRacing Expo Celebrates Record Edition and Relocates to Frankfurt in 2026 With almost 25,000 visitors and a sold-out venue, the SimRacing Expo in Dortmund set a new record last weekend. In order to continue growing, the trade fair will move to Frankfurt in 2026. Before that, however, the US spin-off in Charlotte will celebrate its debut. By Stephan Steininger • 1 min read
Business Esports Awards Announces Nominees, Voting is Running The Esports Awards are entering the final phase. Voting began after the nominees were announced. The awards will be presented on 19 November in Las Vegas. By Stephan Steininger • 4 min read
BIG and LevlUp Join Forces © BIG esports BIG and LevlUp Join Forces Berlin International Gaming (BIG) has announced a partnership with LevlUp, one of Europe's leading gaming drink brands. As well as community events, social media activations and promotions, LevlUp will also support BIG's boot camp to promote young esports talent. Founded in Germany in 2018, LevlUp quickly By Marcel Kleffmann • 2 min read
Marta Cienkowska with GIC Organiser Jakub Marszałkowski (Picture by GamesMarkt) Business Poland's Minister of Culture Marta Cienkowska Visits GIC and Awards CEEGA to Warhorse Studios The second day of the GIC was not only marked by interesting presentations, but also by politics. Polish Minister of Culture Marta Cienkowska visited the conference for a round table discussion with the industry. Later, she also presented the main prize at the Central & East European Game Awards. By Stephan Steininger • 2 min read
PLAY! Con in Trier; Photo Credit: Sebastian Hontheim Business The Fourth Edition of PLAY! Con in Trier Is the Biggest One Yet PLAY! Con returns to Messepark Trier on 8 and 9 November 2025. As well as an expanded gaming area, the fourth edition of the fair will also feature a trading card area for the first time. By Marcel Kleffmann • 1 min read
Marco Alessandro Minoli, the Publishing Director of Slitherine; Photo: Slitherine Business Marco Alessandro Minoli (Slitherine) on Europe as a Gaming Location How do industry executives rate Europe's position in the global market? We spoke to Marco Alessandro Minoli, the Publishing Director of Slitherine, to find out. By Marcel Kleffmann • 3 min read
Pokémon Legends Z-A; The Pokémon Company & Nintendo Products Pokémon Legends Z-A Sells 5.8m Copies in One Week Pokémon Legends Z-A, released on 16 October for Nintendo Switch and Nintendo Switch 2, sold almost six million copies worldwide in its opening week. By Marcel Kleffmann • 1 min read
Aethermancer: Combat in the Garden District showing the action "Stone Punch". moi rai games / offbrand games Products Aethermancer After Monster Sanctuary, Hamburg-based studio moi rai remains true to the genre, demonstrating with Aethermancer that monster taming also works extremely well in a roguelite style. By Marcel Kleffmann • 5 min read
Prof. Dr. Dr. Rudolf Thomas Inderst Business Game Studies Watchlist #42 The Game Studies Watchlist newsletter is published weekly on GamesMarkt, curated by Prof Dr Rudolf Inderst. This week's topics include a philosophical side quest in Cyberpunk 2077, Games for Change, and the sustainable transition of Europe's games industry. By Team Gamesmarkt • 3 min read
