On June 26 and 27, Gamecity Hamburg, as part of Hamburg Kreativ Gesellschaft, celebrated the successful premiere of Portside Game Assembly. A B2B conference for indie studios with 100 selected studio directors from 15 countries on a ship cruising through the port of Hamburg. The event provided a confidential setting for studio executives to exchange ideas and gain new perspectives. The list of attendees is carefully curated, allowing only management-level representatives from indie studios that have successfully published at least one game on board. In addition to the conference, three other Portside Game Assembly events facilitated interaction between industry members of the Hamburg games industry and international guests, as well as additional networking with conference participants, publishers, and game studios.  200 additional games industry peers met with the conference attendees in three other extraordinary Hamburg locations for networking and exchange. Following a successful premiere and receiving very positive feedback from attendees, the second Portside Game Assembly in Hamburg is scheduled for June 25 and 26, 2026! 

“We saw a gap within the calendar of international games industry B2B events and decided to go for it. With the Portside Game Assembly, we are creating a space in which leaders of indie studios can exchange ideas confidentially and on an eye level. By curating the list of participants, we guarantee that participants get new impulses for their business and make relevant new contacts without distraction. We develop the content of the program in close exchange with the participating studios and always for the perspective of studio directors and founders. We are overjoyed with the feedback from the attendees on the premiere and are starting to plan the second Portside in June 2026”, explains Dennis Schoubye, Head of Gamecity Hamburg.

“With companies that have been successful for decades and a diverse and growing indie game scene, the games industry is an important part of Hamburg’s creative industry. With Portside Game Assembly, we have developed another key element that strengthens the importance of Hamburg as a games location by bringing important studio heads and industry contacts to Hamburg and thus promoting international exchange”, comments Egbert Rühl, Managing Director of Hamburg Kreativ Gesellschaft.

Quotes from Participating Studios

“There was a great atmosphere, and the curation was a good mix of profiles and range of companies. It was easy to get in touch with people at the different locations. I’d recommend Portside Game Assembly to network, meet other indies to connect, ask questions, and share knowledge”, Thomas Pfeiffer, CEO & Co-Founder Evil Empire.

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„Portside is not your typical conference, It’s something special. No business cards, no distractions, just studio heads having real, honest conversations. Everyone in the room has been through the same challenges, and that shared experience creates a rare level of openness. Ideas, insights, and best practices were shared freely, and I left with a notebook full of actionable takeaways. Absolutely worth it”, Jeroen Janssen, Studio Head & Founder Happy Volcano.

„Portside Game Assembly provided a wonderful ‘Free Port’ for me as an Indie Dev Executive to meet with likeminded leaders from the industry.
Good, deep, conversations about what works – and what doesn’t”, Christian Nyhus Andreasen, Partner & COO Fair Games.

The program of Portside Game Assembly included a keynote on the Triple-i Initiative, short impulse talks and roundtables focusing on thought provoking and subsequent discussions. All of this on a conference ship cruising through the port of Hamburg and along the river Elbe.

After a keynote speech by Benjamin Laulan (COO & Co-Founder Evil Empire), the two conference tracks (impulse talks & roundtables) provided numerous opportunities for input, exchange and insights from speakers like Philomena Schwab (Co-Founder Stray Fawn Studio), Søren Lundgaard (CEO Ghost Ship Games), Mauricio García (Studio Director The Game Kitchen), Kevin Zuhn (Creative Director & Co-Founder Young Horses), René Habermann (Director Bippinbits) and many more.

Participating studios at the premiere of the Portside Game Assembly included Bippinbits, Bolt Blaster Games, Byterockers’ Games, Chasing Carrots, Cipsoft, Color Gray, Cybernetic Walrus, Digital Cybercherries, Digital Sun, Evil Empire, Fair Games, Foulball Hangover, Gamious, Ghost Ship Games, Grizzly Games, Happy Volcano, Hutlihut, Indoor Astronaut, Kafi, kaleidoscube, Keen, Maschinen-Mensch, Megagon Industries, Mooneye, Osmotic Studios, Overhype Studios, Paint Bucket Games, Rockfish Games, Spellgarden Games, Stray Fawn Studio, Studio Seufz, Styrax Studios, The Game Kitchen, The Good Evil, Tiny Roar, Torpor Games, Toukana Interactive and Young Horses.

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All speakers of Portside Game Assembly 2025: https://portsideassembly.com/program/

At the three accompanying  events of Portside Game Assembly, the 100 conference attendees exchanged ideas with 200 people from the local and international games industry. The Opening Mixer the evening before kicked off the series of events with a relaxed networking session, followed by a morning networking brunch in the Hamburg HafenCity. The closing Games Industry Party after the conference brought all participants together on the culture ship MS Stubnitz for an atmospheric final.

Sponsors and partners photon and Twin Harbour Interactive were on board to support the premiere of the Portside Game Assembly.

Booming Games is pleased to announce the successful integration of its slot titles with Ivy Casino, one of the UK’s fastest-rising online gaming brands. The partnership marks an exciting milestone as Booming Games continues to gain traction across the UK market.

Ivy Casino players now have access to a growing portfolio of Booming Games’ titles, including the standout hit 64 Gold Coins Hold & Win. Known for its engaging mechanics and strong performance on some of the UK’s biggest platforms, Booming Games is quickly becoming a go-to provider for UK players seeking fresh, high-quality content.

Matt Attard, Account Management Team Lead at Booming Games, commented: “We’re thrilled to see our games now live on Ivy Casino, a brand that’s already establishing itself as a serious player in the UK market. Our titles, especially 64 Gold Coins Hold & Win, are designed to deliver excitement and engagement, and we’re confident Ivy Casino’s players will respond well to our growing portfolio.”

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The integration is now live, with more titles expected to follow in the coming months as both teams collaborate to bring even more variety and innovation to UK players.

The iGaming industry got a taste of heavyweight ambition at iGB L!VE London 2025, where GR8 Tech unveiled its Heavyweight Club—an exclusive community that takes domination in iGaming markets as seriously as world champion Oleksandr Usyk takes defending his undisputed heavyweight title.

“iGB L!VE London was the ignition point for the Heavyweight Club. We showcased top-tier tech and connected with operators ready to lead, scale, and dominate. The energy, the conversations, the demand for real performance confirmed what we’ve always believed: the iGaming industry is hungry for heavyweight solutions and GR8 Tech is here to deliver,” said Sergey Ghazaryan, GR8 Tech’s CRO.

Industry Response Points to Market Appetite

With increased competition making differentiation more challenging, speed-to-market pressure intensifying as new markets emerge, and technology debt from legacy systems hindering operators’ growth, the industry is at a critical juncture. In 110 meetings with the sales team and over 65 conducted demos, operator feedback consistently centered on these exact challenges.

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This shift is evident across the ecosystem. Mariia Shmelova, CEO of Aff.Tech—GR8 Tech’s proprietary affiliate management platform—observed similar patterns: “One major trend is the demand for greater transparency and performance accountability. Operators want to see exactly what’s driving traffic, conversions, and ROI. That’s why we’ve been doubling down on data—not just analytics, but actionable insights that affiliates and operators can use in real time. We’re also seeing growing interest in multi-geo, multi-brand campaigns, and our platform is built to support those kinds of complex setups with ease. Flexibility, automation, and smart integrations are the future.”

The conversations revealed a clear understanding: champion ambitions require champion tools. Operators emphasized the need for high-performance solutions that deliver geo-specificity for local market domination and margin mastery that turns competitive pressure into profit advantage. The response highlighted how operators are seeking partners who understand that every champion needs exactly the right tools for their specific fight.

GR8 Tech’s approach resonated because it addresses this reality with three key solutions designed for different use scenarios:

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This comprehensive approach ensures every operator gets precisely what they need to overcome their unique market challenges and achieve championship-level performance.

Heavyweight Club Momentum Builds Toward Next Championship Round

The “Fight for Greatness” collection drew significant attention on the show floor. Attendees’ enthusiasm for the showcased apparel and accessories, paired with strong performance of the online store, confirmed that the Heavyweight Club resonates far beyond technology—it’s a mindset people want to embody and a philosophy they want to wear.

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GR8 Tech’s AR experience featuring Oleksandr Usyk became a magnet for attendees, with over 80 participants stepping into the champion’s world in one of the most memorable activations on the show floor. Winners of the AR experience didn’t just walk away with impressive pictures—they earned tickets to witness Usyk defend his undisputed heavyweight title against Daniel Dubois this July.

Just as Usyk will defend his title at Wembley, the Heavyweight Club will continue its championship journey beyond iGB L!VE. The next epic edition awaits at SBC Summit in September, where the movement will expand with new challenges and opportunities for operators ready to dominate their markets.

Ready to fight for greatness? Connect with GR8 Tech and step into the ring.

GR8 Tech. Platform for Champions

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GR8 Tech is an award-winning provider, delivering high-performance sportsbook and iGaming solutions that empower operators to lead and win in competitive markets. Key elements of GR8 Tech’s comprehensive portfolio include the Hyper Turnkey solution, ULTIM8 Sportsbook iFrame,  Infinite Casino Aggregation, and Platform Acceler8 suite, featuring its proprietary affiliate management platform, Aff.Tech.

With a geo-specific approach to solutions, a focus on practical innovations, and an operator-first mindset, GR8 Tech helps its clients achieve measurable results in their target markets quickly and efficiently. Trusted by top operators worldwide, GR8 Tech has over 100 successful cases and earned multiple recognitions, including the title of the Best Sports Betting Provider in CEE by GamingTECH Awards 2025.