© IMAGO / SOPA Images Development Valve Rules Out Paid Advertising as a Business Model for Games on Steam According to media reports, Valve has updated its developer guidelines regarding advertising in games distributed on Steam, clarifying what is and isn’t allowed on the platform. In particular, paid ads as a core business model for a game are not permitted. However, this change could also impact publishing services. By Stephan Steininger • 2 min read
Behold Ventures is an early-stage venture capital fund investing in European video games start-ups, founded in 2021 by Magnus Kenneby, Sigurlína Ingvarsdóttir and Karl Magnus Troedsson (from left to right). © Behold Ventures Business Dead Astronauts Secures €4 Million in Seed Round Led by Behold Ventures Sweden-based game developer Dead Astronauts has raised €4 million in its first seed funding round led by Behold Ventures. Klaas Kersting has also invested in the team and their open-world action-adventure game, codenamed Veil. Founded in 2024 by Tobias Nyman, Erik Morin, Robert Moschos and Thomas Tedemalm with industry experience By Marcel Kleffmann • 1 min read
from left: Dolores Bakos (Wienxtra Board Member), Vanesh (Mayor of Game City), Moderator, Vice Mayor Christoph Wiederkehr © Andreas Tischler Events Game City 2025 to Take Place in Vienna in October Austria's largest gaming event will return to Vienna's City Hall and the Rathausplatz from 10 to 12 October 2025. The date for the 16th Game City in Vienna has been set, once again with free admission. Vienna's Vice Mayor Christoph Wiederkehr: "From 10 By Marcel Kleffmann • 1 min read
Group photo of the Press Start scholarship recipients at the kick-off meeting © Picture: Klara Yoon Business Coaching and Networking Kick-Off for Press Start Scholarship Holders Many of the 132 scholarship holders of the Press Start programme gathered in Berlin on 9 February at the invitation of game and the Stiftung Digitale Spielkultur. This event provided an opportunity for them to meet for the first time and exchange ideas with their coaches. With the selection process By Stephan Steininger • 1 min read
Tyler Sigman, Red Hook Studios Co-Founder; Chris Bourassa, Red Hook Studios Co-Founder; Remi Racine, Behaviour Interactive Co-Founder and CEO © Behaviour Interactive, Red Hook Studios Business Red Hook on Darkest Dungeon II, Long Time Support Strategies and the Takeover by Behaviour By Marcel Kleffmann • 5 min read
The winners of the cosplay competition at MAG-C © Robert Vogel/Messe Erfurt Business MAG-C Attracts More Visitors and Announces Plans for 2026 This year’s MAG-C in Erfurt welcomed 12,300 visitors, marking another successful Community Convention for both exhibitors and Messe Erfurt. With a slight date adjustment, Messe Erfurt is already preparing for 2026. For the first time, the MAG-C programme was held in Halls 1 and 2 of the Messe By Stephan Steininger • 1 min read
Sid Meier's Civilization VII © Firaxis Games, 2K Games Products Sid Meier's Civilization VII One of the most successful and longest-running series of strategy games is Sid Meier's Civilization. After more than 30 years, more than 73 million copies sold and more than 1 billion hours played, it is still the same: just one more turn. The seventh mainline title in the By Marcel Kleffmann • 6 min read
© Jump over the Age / Fellow Traveler Products Citizen Sleeper 2: Starward Vector One of the most successful games from narrative games specialist Fellow Traveler is Citizen Sleeper, which has over a million players. Now the dice-based role-playing game, developed by Jump Over the Age, is entering the next round. In Citizen Sleeper 2: Starward Vector, players control an amnesiac android, a Sleeper, By Marcel Kleffmann • 3 min read
© game Business Dorothee Bär Joins the #gamechanger Talk on the 2025 Elections With the Bundestag elections just around the corner, the game association is pushing ahead with its #gamechanger livestream format. Dorothee Bär, CSU Vice Party Leader and Vice Chairwoman of the CDU/CSU parliamentary group, has been announced as the next guest. The talk will take place on 11 February. On By Marcel Kleffmann • 1 min read
Take-Two Interactive Management © Take-Two Interactive IR Business Take-Two: Solid Holiday Season and Record Year Ahead Thanks to Mafia, GTA 6 and Borderlands The calendar year 2025 will be an "inflection point" for Take-Two Interactive. Grand Theft Auto VI is still scheduled for fall 2025, not to forget Mafia: The Old Country and Borderlands 4. The last holiday season was also more than solid. Take-Two Interactive has delivered 'solid results& By Marcel Kleffmann • 3 min read
At the Games Summit in November, NRW Media Minister Nathanael Liminksi, seen here next to Walid Nakschbandi of the Film- und Medienstiftung NRW (2nd from left), announced additional funding. The call for funding applications has now been launched. © (Archive image) Robin Teller Development NRW Launches Funding for Games Tackling Fake News, Hate, and Extremism The Film- und Medienstiftung NRW has issued an additional call for funding for games and interactive media that, among other things, focus on the prevention of extremism, particularly Islamism. The funding comes from a special budget, with potential grants exceeding those available for standard game prototypes. In November, North Rhine-Westphalian By Stephan Steininger • 1 min read
© Kalypso Media Publishing Kalypso Media to Release Commandos: Origins in Early April Not in March, but in April 2025. Kalypso Media and Claymore Game Studios will release Commandos: Origins a little later. The retail release will follow in May. On 9 April 2025, Commandos: Origins will be released digitally for PC, Xbox Series X|S and PlayStation 5. The latest instalment in By Marcel Kleffmann • 1 min read
