© USK Business USK Insists on Proportionality Principle and Right to Digital Participation The USK has published its statement on the planned EU guidelines for the protection of minors online. The USK addresses three fundamental issues as well as the positive experiences with the protection of minors in games in Germany and points out a possible fundamental conflict with the GDPR. At the By Stephan Steininger • 2 min read
Intel Extreme Masters (IEM) Cologne 2024: 39,000 visitors came to the Lanxess Arena over the weekend, while 1,050,000 viewers (according to esportscharts.com) watched the live stream from around the world. This made the IEM Cologne 2024 the most watched ESL Pro Tour event of the year. Team Vitality won the Grand Final. © ESL Faceit Group Esports Intel Extreme Masters Returns to Cologne in 2025, Moving Further Away From gamescom The Intel Extreme Masters (IEM) Cologne will take place at a greater distance from gamescom in 2025. In addition, the ESL Faceit Group has announced a financial contribution of over $22m to the Counter-Strike ecosystem in 2025 and 2026. ESL Faceit Group (EFG) has announced details of the ESL Pro By Marcel Kleffmann • 2 min read
Ulrike Küchler and Prof. Thomas Langhanki © Christof Jakob Business Gamebook Studio Wins ContentShift Start-up Accelerator The start-up, which enhances books with interactive content, receives a €10,000 innovation award. In addition, Gamebook Studios and the other finalists will receive workshop days and coaching. It is a great success for Gamebook Studios and proof that books and games are not mutually exclusive media: Gamebook Studio won By Stephan Steininger • 1 min read
Aelxis Bonte replaces Jören Larsson (right picture) © Stillfront Business Alexis Bonte Replaces Jörgen Larsson Stillfront's board of directors has appointed Alexis Bonte as interim CEO of the Swedish games group. He succeeds company founder Jörgen Larsson, who has stepped down as CEO. The personnel decisions are also related to a reorganization of the company with a focus on three business areas. " By Stephan Steininger • 1 min read
Sony's PlayStation Portable. © Sony Interactive Entertainment Business Cheating Software: Sony Loses Against Datel at European Court Under German law, Sony had sued the cheating software provider Datel for damages. The Bundesgerichtshof had enquired at the European Court, now both courts have decided: The software isn't illegal because it doesn't change Sony's operating system, it merely runs along games. In a By Pascal Wagner • 1 min read
HandOfBlood, Sterzig, Martin (Maddin) Schneider, Katjana Gerz, Nils Bomhoff and Milschbaum (from left to right) © JvM Sports/Sascha Vojticsek Business Jung von Matt Sports Happy With Twitch Debut of Sparkassen-Hänno After the first stream by HandOfBlood as his charakter "Sparkassen-Hänno" on Twitch, the cooperation partners of Instinct3 are satisfied. The new format was worth it and will surely return, they said. With “Brennpunkt Beratungscenter”, HandOfBlood not only launched a new format on his Twitch channel at the weekend, By Stephan Steininger • 1 min read
© Pullup Business Record Revenues for Pullup Entertainment With Space Marine 2 Pullup Entertainment, formerly Focus Entertainment, has announced record revenues. Thanks to Warhammer 40,000: Space Marine 2, the French company has generated more revenue in a single quarter than in its previous record year of 2022/23. Space Marine 2 has now been played by more than 4.5 million By Marcel Kleffmann • 3 min read
© Don't Nod Business Don't Nod Restructures Following Underperformance of Recent Games Don't Nod's revenues have been hit by the commercial underperformance of recent launches in an "extremely competitive and concentrated market". As a result, the French company has announced a reorganisation initiative to get the business back on track. This could affect up to 69 By Marcel Kleffmann • 2 min read
Hendrik Ruhe and Malte Froehlich © Eintracht Spandau Esports Eintracht Spandau Hires National Small Field Football Coach for Baller League Ahead of the draft for the third season of the Baller League, Eintracht Spandau have announced several transfers. The influencer club has signed the current national small field football coach, Malte Froehlich. Spandau have also secured three key players early in the season. Hans Sarpei will take on the sports By Marcel Kleffmann • 3 min read
IO Interactive is best known for Hitman. © IO Interactive Business Why IO Interactive Is Teaming up With Build a Rocket Boy By Marcel Kleffmann • 2 min read
Claudia Roth, Minister of State for Culture and the Media / Felix Falk, Managing Director of game - The German Games Industry Association / Nandita Wegehaupt, Managing Director of the Foundation for Digital Games Culture © J. Konrad Schmidt / Dirk Mathesius / Die Hoffotografen Business New German-wide Games Funding Grant For New Studios The Minister of State for Culture and the Media, Claudia Roth, has announced a nationwide games start-up grant called "Press Start: Games Founding Grant" or "Press Start: Gründungsstipendium Games" in German. It is an 18-month programme with a grant, workshops and coaching. The application phase will By Marcel Kleffmann • 3 min read
