Rumours about the closure of Piranha Bytes are intensifying. © Piranha Bytes Business Rumours About the Closure of Piranha Bytes Are Intensifying - Update Although Piranha Bytes showed fighting spirit with its last announcement in January, things are looking increasingly bleak for the studio known for Gothic, Risen and Elex. Rumours of closure are growing louder. News-Update: 09 July, 10:37 The closure of Piranha Bytes is becoming more and more likely. Björn and By Marcel Kleffmann • 2 min read
Robert Habeck, Vice Chancellor and Federal Minister for Economic Affairs and Climate Protection (BMWK). © Dominik Butzmann / GamesMarkt Business Federal Ministry Dissolves Independent Games Division and Integrates It Into Cross-Departmental Unit The Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Climate Protection is to abolish the independent Games Department. The unit will be integrated into the new department "Cultural and Creative Industries; Games". The game Association has strongly criticised this decision. The Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Climate Protection (BMWK) By Marcel Kleffmann • 2 min read
Jacob Riis (Program Director, Executive Producer) © Nordic Game Business Jacob Riis and Erik Robertson About Nordic Game and NG24 Spring By Marcel Kleffmann • 7 min read
Eric Patzschke (left), Team Leader Digital Economy at the Office for Economic Development of the City of Leipzig, presents the institutional funding from the City of Leipzig to Friedrich Lüder (right), Chairman of Games & XR Mitteldeutschland. © Elisabeth Conrad (Sallisias Dreams) Business Games & XR Mitteldeutschland Celebrates Fifth Anniversary and Receives Institutional Funding The association Games & XR Mitteldeutschland celebrated its fifth anniversary on 4 July 2024. For the first time, the association received institutional funding from the city of Leipzig in the amount of 40,000 Euros. On 4 July, the association Games & XR Mitteldeutschland (Games & XR Central Germany) celebrated By Marcel Kleffmann • 2 min read
Björn Pankratz and Jennifer Pankratz at gamescom 2023. © GamesMarkt, Marcel Kleffmann Business Pithead Studio Founded by Björn Pankratz and Jennifer Pankratz Björn Pankratz and Jennifer Pankratz have founded Pithead Studio. The two experienced game developers, who have worked for Piranha Bytes for many years, are now going their own way. Björn Pankratz and Jennifer Pankratz have founded a new studio: Pithead Studio. The two experienced game developers are starting their new By Marcel Kleffmann • 1 min read
Christian Lindner, Federal Minister of Finance / Robert Habeck, Vice Chancellor, Federal Minister of Economic Affairs and Climate Action / Olaf Scholz, Federal Chancellor of the Federal Republic of Germany. © Bundesregierung / Steffen Kugler Business Combined Federal and State Funding for German Games Announced Germany's position as a gaming location is being strengthened by the government's draft budget for 2025 and the growth initiative announced by the government. The funding of games will be revised. Funding grants jointly financed by the Federal Government and the States are to be introduced. By Marcel Kleffmann • 2 min read
The exterior view of the Gürzenich in the city centre of Cologne © Jens Willebrand/Koelncongress Business Pocket Gamer Mobile Games Awards Move to Gamescom in Cologne Several companies from Germany, Austria and Switzerland have been nominated for this year's Pocket Gamer Mobile Games Awards. Voting runs until 22 July and the awards will be presented for the first time in Cologne on the eve of gamescom. Alongside gamescom Opening Night Live, there will be By Stephan Steininger • 1 min read
David Darling, founder of Kwalee © Kwalee Business Kwalee Acquires Stake in Devolver Digital UK-based hyper-casual games publisher Kwalee has acquired a minority stake in Devolver Digital. This is a strategic investment in a market that Kwalee is keen to conquer. Kwalee announced a year ago (in German) that it was looking to increase its efforts in classic PC and console games. The British By Stephan Steininger • 2 min read
EA Sports FC Futures and adidas organise youth training in Berlin. © EA Sports Business EA Sports FC Futures and adidas Organise Youth Training in Berlin Electronic Arts, together with adidas, hosted a UEFA Festival of Football event as part of EA Sports FC Futures at the UEFA Euro 2024 Fan Zone in Berlin, in front of the Reichstag. EA Sports FC Futures hosted a UEFA Festival of Football event at the UEFA Euro 2024 Fan By Marcel Kleffmann • 3 min read
Many studios from Germany and Switzerland nominated for Indie Cup Europe'24 Awards. © Indie Cup Europe'24 Awards Business Many studios from Germany and Switzerland nominated for Indie Cup Europe'24 Awards The nominees for the Indie Cup Europe'24 Awards have been announced. Many studios from Germany and Switzerland are among them, including Paintbucket Games, Sven Ahlgrimm, Mathilde Hoffmann, Lululu Entertainment, Stardust, Kato Games, Schleuder Games and many more. A total of 49 games have made it to the final By Marcel Kleffmann • 3 min read
Sony Interactive Entertainment to exhibit at TGS 2024. © Computer Entertainment Supplier's Association (CESA). Business Sony Interactive Entertainment to Exhibit at Tokyo Game Show 2024 Sony Interactive Entertainment will return to the Tokyo Game Show this year as an exhibitor for the first time since 2019. However, it is still unclear what the company will be showing. As previously announced, SIE will not exhibit at gamescom 2024. Sony Interactive Entertainment (SIE) will not be exhibiting By Marcel Kleffmann • 2 min read
Lifetime Units Sold for Co-op and Non Co-op Games on Steam. © Video Game Insights Business Growing Popularity of Co-op Games on Steam Cooperative games like Palworld, Helldivers 2 and Content Warning have been very successful on Steam this year. This continues the trend of recent years, as co-op games tend to generate significantly more revenue than non-co-op games. Steam market researchers at Video Game Insights (VGI) have released a report on the By Marcel Kleffmann • 2 min read
