Gaming
Veloce Racing bow out of Island X Prix after pacey Sardinia outing
Veloce Racing’s hopes of a second Extreme E podium were extinguished at the Island X Prix in Sardinia following a dramatic barrel roll in the aptly named ‘Crazy Race’.
The London-based squad arrived in Italy with high hopes following the team’s efforts to the reach the final in Greenland, which ultimately fell short during Stéphane Sarrazin’s spirited excursion through the infamous ‘Rock Garden’.
Veloce got off to a strong start in Sardinia when Sarrazin and team-mate Emma Gilmour topped the timesheets in the initial practice runs and eventually finished third in the session.
Qualifying
Qualifying 1 in Sardinia was arguably the team’s most competitive outing of the inaugural Extreme E season. Calm and committed runs from both Gilmour and Sarrazin saw the duo finish an impressive third just 18 seconds adrift of pacesetters X44.
The team carried this momentum into the second qualifying session of the day and looked on course for another promising result as Sarrazin kept pace with X44 during the early stages of his run.
It was not to be, however, with the ODYSSEY 21’s front suspension failing during the course’s unforgiving second sector, forcing Sarrazin to grind to a halt and slip out of contention.
The disastrous Qualifying 2 run meant that Veloce Racing was eighth overall – just three points shy of second place, highlighting the volatility of the Island X Prix – and would take part in the Crazy Race on Sunday.
The Crazy Race
As the lights went out for the Crazy Race, Gilmour’s lightning-quick reactions weren’t enough to withstand the advances of Kevin Hansen in the JBXE car who capitalised taking the optimum route.
The New Zealander seized the initiative and switched lanes, trying an alternate line to gain the advantage into the first gate. Unfortunately, it didn’t pay off and the Veloce Racing car slipped into third position.
Gilmour handed the reigns over to Sarrazin hot on the heels of Christine GZ. The Frenchman immediately began applying the pressure to the Italian, and it paid off as the second-place car pulled over with mechanical gremlins releasing Sarrazin to hunt down JBXE.
The attack was short-lived, however, as Sarrazin hit a dip and fired the back of the car up into the air, pitching the ODYSSEY 21 into a spectacular barrel roll. Mercifully, Sarrazin emerged from the wreckage unscathed, but the team’s aims of a second Extreme E podium were over.
As a result of the crash, the Veloce Racing ODYSSEY 21’s chassis was compromised and subsequently, the team are unable to take part in next week’s Extreme E damper test and rookie test.
Stéphane Sarrazin, Extreme E Driver, Veloce Racing said: “It was a crazy race. I did my best to catch the JBXE car, the team were keeping me updated on the time difference and I was catching.
We knew we had to win to get to the final so we had to push. I attacked one of the compressions straight instead of side on and unfortunately the car rolled. I’m disappointed for the whole team as we really had the pace to be at the front this weekend.
Emma Gilmour, Extreme E Driver, Veloce Racing said: “Absolutely gutted. Stéphane and I had such good pace this weekend and to end up in the Crazy Race was really disappointing to start with.
“Personally, I’m disappointed I didn’t get a better start, from then on we were struggling with the dust and I handed over to Stéphane in P3. He did a great job to get past Christine GZ but got caught out in the rough stuff so glad he’s OK but just really sad for the team as we had good pace this weekend and it started so positively.”
Daniel Bailey, CEO, Veloce Racing added: “Despite the setbacks we faced at the Island X Prix, I think there are a lot of positives that Veloce Racing can take away from Sardinia. Pace-wise, this was our most competitive outing so far.
“We were fast in practice setting the pace early on and ending up P3 and we followed that up with another P3 in Qualifying 1. We got unlucky in Qualifying 2 and in the Crazy Race but this is motorsport and these things happen. I think we’ll come away from this weekend as a stronger team and we’ll aim to finish on a high note in Dorset in December.”
Jean-Eric Vergne, Co-Founder, Veloce Racing commented: “The most important thing was to see that Stéphane [Sarrazin] is out of the car and seems OK. It’s a shame because Emma [Gilmour] did a great job to hand the car over within the 25-second range that we wanted. Stéphane knew he had to push very hard to get it done at the end of the race so it’s unfortunate.”
Now, the St. Helena – Extreme E’s floating paddock – makes the trip to Dorset, England (18-19 December) where the inaugural Extreme E season will reach its dramatic conclusion.
Bridging the gap between functional hardware and considered design, Phantum debuts its first line of high-performance mousepads. The collection is built for users who demand precision but won’t compromise on aesthetics. Developed in Paris by founders Amine G. and Victor B., the mousepads combine minimalist design with carefully selected materials and collectible elements, positioning the product as a functional tool and a design object.
Created for gamers and digital creatives, Phantum’s mousepads emphasize tactile performance while remaining visually restrained. The surfaces are crafted using Japanese Poron and advanced fabrics chosen for their durability, responsiveness, and sensory qualities. Each product is designed to enhance, not distract from, the overall composition of a desk setup.
The company’s visual language draws on space, transparency, and disappearance themes, an intentional move to create objects that integrate flawlessly into a work or play environment. “Every detail reflects our DNA: clean, sharp, and futuristic,” said co-founder Amine G., whose tech-focused YouTube channel, MRG TECH, has built a following of over 200,000 subscribers. “We create tools that disappear under the hand but leave a lasting impression through design, feel, and finish.”
Phantum’s founders launched the brand after finding few products that met their standards for both performance and design integrity. The debut line is only the beginning: the team is developing glass mousepads and matching performance sleeves, with plans to expand into a broader ecosystem of desk essentials. Each new release will continue to feature collectible packaging designed to add narrative value rather than act as decoration.
Though recently launched, Phantum is already drawing attention beyond France, particularly in Latin America, where design-conscious gamers have begun to integrate the mousepads into their setups. The first collection is now available on phantum.co, with new formats and accessories to follow.
The post Phantum Introduces High-End Mousepads with Collectible Packaging and Parisian Design Roots appeared first on European Gaming Industry News.
Asia
CyberPowerPC India launches ‘Play Guarantee’ campaign for a transparent and gamer-first experience
In a market where gamers often make high-investment purchases without knowing exactly how their machine will perform until they bring it home and install a game, CyberPowerPC India is changing the game. With the Play Guarantee, CyberPowerPC India reinforces its confidence in the performance and reliability of its systems, offering buyers added assurance that what they receive will meet or exceed expectations. This is a first-of-its-kind offer in India’s custom PC market.
Every system sold under the Play Guarantee will be built using 100% brand-new parts sourced from authorized manufacturers. Each PC will come pre-installed with a genuine and activated version of Microsoft Windows at the BIOS level, ensuring users avoid post-purchase license issues or hidden software costs.
Additionally, customers will receive one year of on-site support, with certified technicians dispatched to their location for repairs or replacements, eliminating the need for long shipping delays or third-party service centers. Before dispatch, all the PCs undergo rigorous stress testing using global industry benchmarks to ensure performance integrity across GPU, CPU, thermals, and memory.
Vishal Parekh, Chief Operating Officer, CyberPowerPC India commented,“As more Indian gamers upgrade to high-performance PCs, trust becomes a critical factor. Gamers shouldn’t have to take a leap of faith when buying a PC. They should know what they’re getting and know it works right out of the box. We at CyberPowerPC India always believed in transparency, may it be sharing FPS benchmarks before purchase or building with only brand-new components. The ‘Play Guarantee’ campaign aligns perfectly with our commitment to building a credible, consumer-first ecosystem in Indian PC gaming, especially as the community becomes more competitive and discerning.”
According to a NeoGrowth study, 54% of Indian consumers prefer offline shopping due to the assurance of authenticity and product quality, underscoring a strong demand for transparency in purchase decisions. CyberPowerPC India’s ‘Play Ready’ campaign aims to replicate this confidence in the online custom PC market.
This campaign follows the company’s recent efforts to strengthen grassroots esports infrastructure, including its partnership with Indian esports organization Orangutan to power ApeCity, a dedicated esports arena in Navi Mumbai, with high-performance systems.
As part of its ongoing investment in the growth of India’s PC gaming market, CyberPowerPC India is also working to make high-performance gaming setups more accessible to a wider range of gamers. With the launch of its ‘Play Ready’ campaign, the company aims to foster a gaming culture built on transparency, trust, and a seamless user experience.
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In the latest round of Prototype Funding, Gamecity Hamburg, part of Hamburg Kreativ Gesellschaft, supports six promising digital games with up to 80,000 euros each as a non-repayable grant. This funding enables start-ups in Hamburg and supports companies in developing marketable prototypes. In addition, start-ups and developers can apply for Gamecity Hamburg’s Games Lift Incubator until June 10: https://www.gamecity-hamburg.de/de/inkubator/
The awarding committee selected projects with the greatest market potential from the many applications. Including this seventh round of funding, the development of 37 prototypes has been supported as part of Prototype Funding since 2020. The application phase for the next Prototype Funding round will start in spring 2026.
“The high quality of the projects submitted to this funding round led to an intensive decision process within the awarding committee. The funded projects show a wide variety of genres, ideas, and teams. With the Prototype Funding, we are supporting established companies and up-and-coming start-ups in Hamburg as a games location,” commented Dennis Schoubye, Head of Gamecity Hamburg and member of the awarding committee.
The 2025 funding recipients were selected by the awarding committee, consisting of Hamburg industry experts Nina Müller (VP Publishing & Development Services, Goodgame Studios), Jonas Hüsges (Publishing Director, Daedalic Entertainment), Valentina Birke (Director Indie Arena Booth / Super Crowd Entertainment), Michael Schade (CEO & Co-Founder ROCKFISH Games) and Dennis Schoubye (Head of Gamecity Hamburg).
The Funded Projects 2025
- NeverLight by Nightless Games – € 80,000
- Pet Universe by Tivola Games – € 80,000
- Space Station Manager by gameXcite – € 80,000
- Unbreachable by Buckfish – € 72,000
- Deep Fog Signals by Symmetry Break Studio – € 32,000
- Cosmic Run by Zinktank Labs – € 30,000
NeverLight by Nightless Games
NeverLight is a dark, cooperative role-playing game with fantasy and extraction elements, in which up to three players act as hunters in an endless night in search of terrifying monsters and collect valuable loot. The game combines monster hunting with the excitement of having to bring each reward to safety with the team to receive it.
Pet Universe by Tivola Games
In the 3D animal shelter simulation “Pet Universe”, players build their animal shelter from the ground up, organize animal care, collect donations, and design the shelter grounds according to their own ideas. The aim is to care for the animals with their individual needs and to find them a loving home.
Space Station Manager by gameXcite
In this strategy building game with real-time space battles, players manage a space station that serves as a base for spaceships, battles, recruitment, and a strategy hub for missions. In addition to organizing the base, players manage their limited resources and various upgrades, improve crew morals, and explore the galaxy with their individual fleets.
Unbreachable by Buckfish
In the multiplayer strategy game “Unbreachable”, players build a fortress in each run that competes with ten castles of rival players. Players strategically construct the different fortress buildings to increase attack power or minimize weaknesses to climb the leaderboard in competition with other players.
Deep Fog Signals by Symmetry Break Studio
In this sci-fi horror game with puzzle mechanics, players are trapped in the communication room of a remote research station during a toxic storm. To escape, they must coordinate the various crew members, decipher cryptic transmissions, and complete the research as the threatening situation escalates over several days.
Cosmic Run by Zinktank Labs
In this humorous and fast-paced roguelite, players fight their way through space with their ship in order to escape from a capitalist alien dictatorship. Weapons, shields, upgrades for the engine, and customization of the ship determine the narrative of the game. Depending on the character chosen, the course of the game and the story told vary in several runs.
All detailed information on the teams and games can be found at: https://gamecity-hamburg.de/funding/#Funded_Projects_2025
Developers, start-ups, and companies from Hamburg were able to apply for Gamecity Hamburg’s prototype funding from March 3 to April 7. In 2024, Gamecity Hamburg introduced a diversity checklist when applying for prototype funding, the answers to which can optionally be used by the awarding committee in the evaluation process.
The next application phase for prototype funding will start in spring 2026.
Further funding opportunities through Gamecity Hamburg
Each year, the Games Lift Incubator supports five teams, developers, and start-ups in the development of digital games. In addition to € 15,000 in start-up funding, the recipients receive a comprehensive coaching and mentoring program with international experts as well as workshops and follow-up individual support. Since 2024, the program has also included a visit to an international industry event.
Teams and developers can currently apply for the Games Lift Incubator until June 10.
All information can be found at: https://gamecity-hamburg.de/incubator/apply-now/
The post Gamecity Hamburg Supports six new Digital Games with Prototype Funding appeared first on European Gaming Industry News.
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