Wachsender Einfluss: E-Sport und Games statt Öl Marcel Kleffmann December 11, 2023 – 10 min read Share this post Gamers8 - Das nach eigenen Angaben weltgrößte Gaming- und E-Sport-Festival beendete seine zweite Ausgabe mit der Preisverleihung, bei der sich das Team Twisted Minds den ersten Platz bei den Gamers8 Club Awards sicherte. © Saudi Esports Federation Tivola received the DCP in the Best Mobile Game category for Cat Rescue Story in 2024. | Screenshot: Tivola Products Jumpgate and Tivola Sign Contract with Mobile Games Publisher for New Game Project Jumpgate has announced the signing of a new development contract with an unnamed mobile games publisher. The contract is for a game that is also still unknown, which will be produced largely by Tivola. By Stephan Steininger • 2 min read Business Gamecity Hamburg Organises 5th Pitch Level Up On February 17, Pitch Level Up will take place for the fifth time at Space in Hamburg. There, developers can present their pitches to experts and receive individual feedback. By Stephan Steininger • 2 min read Dirk Ringe, Chief Executive Officer, Co-Founder, Envision Entertainment Business Dirk Ringe: "We Are Proud to Have a Large German Player Base, Which Is No Surprise Considering Our Roots." Today is the day that Pioneers of Pagonia leaves Early Access after two years. We spoke to Dirk Ringe, CEO and co-founder of Envision Entertainment, about their experiences with Early Access, the growing competition in the market and Germany's position as a games location. By Marcel Kleffmann • 8 min read Imprinted (Cobalt Lane) Products Imprinted is Munich Veteran Developer Cobalt Lane’s Debut Title A new studio sitting in Munich has announced their horror title Imprinted: Cobalt Lane is made up out of and working with veteran faces of the German industry such as Filippo Beck Peccoz, Simone Mändl and Josef Attenberger of DU&I or Alexander Zacherl. By Pascal Wagner • 1 min read Michael Metzger, Managing Partner Drake Star © MM Drake Star Michael Metzger of Drake Star Reflects on 2025 and Looks Ahead to 2026 How do game industry executives look back at 2025 and what do they think about 2026? We spoke to Michael Metzger, Managing Partner Drake Star, to find out. By Marcel Kleffmann • 4 min read 2025 Was a Landmark Year for Gaming M&A © Drake Star - Sources: CapIQ, Pitchbook & DSP Research Business Drake Star: "2025 Was a Landmark Year for Gaming M&A" Drake Star has released its latest Global Gaming Report 2025, which covers gaming M&As, financings and IPOs. Two megadeals stand out in particular. The global technology investment bank is also positive about 2026. By Marcel Kleffmann • 4 min read The Wandering Village, kevin's PLAYING in berlin, Mini Mini Golf Golf and Backpack Battles (from Left) are nominated for an IGF Award as well as the not pictured Time Flies. Products Five GSA Studios Can Hope For an Independent Games Festival Award The jury has selected the nominees for this year's Independent Games Festival Awards (IGFA) from 800 submissions. Baby Steps is the favorite, but with Playables, Three More Years, Kevin Du, PlayWithFurcifer, and Stray Fawn, studios GSA also have a chance. By Stephan Steininger • 3 min read The Swiss Games booth at gamescom (Swiss Games) Products Pro Helvetia Opens Games Funding Call for 2026 Game workers in Switzerland can apply for prototype, production and post-production funding until 1 March with Pro Helvetia. A gamescom travel call is open until 1 February. Pro Helvetia has also updated their funding guidelines for some disciplines. By Pascal Wagner • 1 min read Code: 9 by Riding Turtles, one of the funded games of the first MDM 2026 round. (Riding Turtles) Products MDM Funds Seven Games With 655,000 Euros The Mitteldeutsche Medienförderung (MDM) funds 55 media products with 5.8 mil €, of which 655,000 € go to 7 game and XR products. Among them are Code: 9 by Riding Turtles, Vivid by Team Nava and Actrio Studio's DeMaré. By Pascal Wagner • 1 min read
Tivola received the DCP in the Best Mobile Game category for Cat Rescue Story in 2024. | Screenshot: Tivola Products Jumpgate and Tivola Sign Contract with Mobile Games Publisher for New Game Project Jumpgate has announced the signing of a new development contract with an unnamed mobile games publisher. The contract is for a game that is also still unknown, which will be produced largely by Tivola. By Stephan Steininger • 2 min read
Business Gamecity Hamburg Organises 5th Pitch Level Up On February 17, Pitch Level Up will take place for the fifth time at Space in Hamburg. There, developers can present their pitches to experts and receive individual feedback. By Stephan Steininger • 2 min read
Dirk Ringe, Chief Executive Officer, Co-Founder, Envision Entertainment Business Dirk Ringe: "We Are Proud to Have a Large German Player Base, Which Is No Surprise Considering Our Roots." Today is the day that Pioneers of Pagonia leaves Early Access after two years. We spoke to Dirk Ringe, CEO and co-founder of Envision Entertainment, about their experiences with Early Access, the growing competition in the market and Germany's position as a games location. By Marcel Kleffmann • 8 min read
Imprinted (Cobalt Lane) Products Imprinted is Munich Veteran Developer Cobalt Lane’s Debut Title A new studio sitting in Munich has announced their horror title Imprinted: Cobalt Lane is made up out of and working with veteran faces of the German industry such as Filippo Beck Peccoz, Simone Mändl and Josef Attenberger of DU&I or Alexander Zacherl. By Pascal Wagner • 1 min read
Michael Metzger, Managing Partner Drake Star © MM Drake Star Michael Metzger of Drake Star Reflects on 2025 and Looks Ahead to 2026 How do game industry executives look back at 2025 and what do they think about 2026? We spoke to Michael Metzger, Managing Partner Drake Star, to find out. By Marcel Kleffmann • 4 min read
2025 Was a Landmark Year for Gaming M&A © Drake Star - Sources: CapIQ, Pitchbook & DSP Research Business Drake Star: "2025 Was a Landmark Year for Gaming M&A" Drake Star has released its latest Global Gaming Report 2025, which covers gaming M&As, financings and IPOs. Two megadeals stand out in particular. The global technology investment bank is also positive about 2026. By Marcel Kleffmann • 4 min read
The Wandering Village, kevin's PLAYING in berlin, Mini Mini Golf Golf and Backpack Battles (from Left) are nominated for an IGF Award as well as the not pictured Time Flies. Products Five GSA Studios Can Hope For an Independent Games Festival Award The jury has selected the nominees for this year's Independent Games Festival Awards (IGFA) from 800 submissions. Baby Steps is the favorite, but with Playables, Three More Years, Kevin Du, PlayWithFurcifer, and Stray Fawn, studios GSA also have a chance. By Stephan Steininger • 3 min read
The Swiss Games booth at gamescom (Swiss Games) Products Pro Helvetia Opens Games Funding Call for 2026 Game workers in Switzerland can apply for prototype, production and post-production funding until 1 March with Pro Helvetia. A gamescom travel call is open until 1 February. Pro Helvetia has also updated their funding guidelines for some disciplines. By Pascal Wagner • 1 min read
Code: 9 by Riding Turtles, one of the funded games of the first MDM 2026 round. (Riding Turtles) Products MDM Funds Seven Games With 655,000 Euros The Mitteldeutsche Medienförderung (MDM) funds 55 media products with 5.8 mil €, of which 655,000 € go to 7 game and XR products. Among them are Code: 9 by Riding Turtles, Vivid by Team Nava and Actrio Studio's DeMaré. By Pascal Wagner • 1 min read