Gaming
Games Lift Incubator 2021: Preparing five Teams for the Challenges of the Games Industry
Five up-and-coming game developer teams from Hamburg convinced the awarding committee with their project ideas, pitching their way into the Games Lift Incubator 2021. The incubator program starts on September 9 and aims to prepare the teams for the challenges of developing and marketing their games projects in the international markets – through start-up funding of 15,000 euros per team and an intensive three-month workshop and mentoring program under the guidance of international industry experts. With the support of the Games Lift Network, consisting of experts in marketing, pitching, business development, product development, and PR, the teams will further develop their ideas and concepts for marketable games projects. The teams will be provided with workspaces in the Hamburg co-working location “Code Working Space”. The Games Lift Incubator is organized by Gamecity Hamburg, the location initiative for the games industry, funded by the Free and Hanseatic City of Hamburg.
A total of 17 teams and solo devs applied to be taken in into the second run of the Games Lift Incubator.
The five participating teams were chosen by the awarding committee, consisting of Anne Beuttenmüller (Director Marketing EMEA Niantic, Inc.), Ole Schaper (CEO & CTO Sviper), Wolf Lang (CEO Super Crowd Entertainment), Margarete Schneider (Project Manager Gamecity Hamburg) and Jens Unrau (Head of Department Media and Digital Economy at Hamburg’s Ministry of Culture and Media).
The five teams and projects in the Games Lift Incubator 2021:
- The Invitation by tool1
- Monstersongs VR by Denise Koch
- PROSPECTOR by Koriol Games
- supernightshift by consider it
- The Treepoids by SUPERNATURAL GAMES
Anne Beuttenmüller, Director Marketing EMEA Niantic, Inc, is impressed with the wide range of projects genres from Hamburg’s developer scene: “It’s great to see the versatility and high quality of this year’s Games Lift participants. The developers and teams bring a great passion for their game ideas and concepts. In the incubator, these five teams now have a unique opportunity to work on their skills and take away valuable tips for their further path into the industry. I am very excited to see the further development of our participants.”
The five projects in detail:
The Invitation is an action-packed multiplayer loot shooter set in a future scenario of Earth in the year 2081. The team tool1 also successfully applied for prototype funding by Gamecity Hamburg.
Monstersongs VR by Denise Koch combines a graphic novel with a playable VR rock musical that takes players into a colorful world full of monsters, puzzles, and music.
In the narrative sci-fi adventure PROSPECTOR by Koriol Games, players uncover the mystery of a planet where masks are essential for survival and the game’s heroes have to build important relationships through a novel dialogue system.
In the mobile game supernightshift, the team consider it turns the city of Hamburg itself into a digital playing field in which the players have to find the best way through the city using different means of transport.
The Treepoids by developer/designer duo SUPERNATURAL GAMES puts nature in the focus of an entertaining strategy adventure, with hand-drawn 2D graphics and lots of colorful characters on a mysterious island.
The workshop, mentoring, and coaching program of the Games Lift Incubator is put together according to the needs of the participating teams. In addition to game development topics, it covers areas such as marketing, founding a company, or project management.
In a public pitch event in December, the participating developers present the progress they have made in the incubator. Following the intensive phase of the program from September to December, the participants are supported for another year with individual coaching sessions and by an international PR agency specializing in indie games. In 2020, five teams went through the first round of the incubator program. The program is aimed at developers and founders who develop digital game ideas in Hamburg.
Among many others, these industry experts have agreed to share their knowledge as coaches and mentors in the Games Lift Network:
Heather Chandler shares her experience from over 25 years in the international games industry, during which she worked as a senior producer on the hit game Fortnite, with the participants of the Games Lift Incubator in a workshop on producing and project management.
Simon Carless – is one of the best-known consultants in the video game industry and deals primarily with marketing and business development. For the Games Lift participants, he will hold the workshop “Perfecting your Game Hook & the 10 commandments of discoverability”.
Further information on the funded projects, the Games Lift Incubator program and the experts involved are available at https://www.gamecity-hamburg.de/incubator/.
More funding opportunities through Gamecity Hamburg
In addition to the Games Lift Incubator, Gamecity Hamburg also supports developers and games companies from Hamburg through its Prototype Funding program. Each year, a total of 400,000 euros are available for games projects from Hamburg, individual projects can be funded with up to 80,000 euros as a non-repayable grant. For the first time, there will be a second round of Prototype Funding in 2021. From August 30, developers, teams, and SMEs from Hamburg are called to apply.
MixRift unveils brand new strategic PvP arena gaming experience
MixRift, an innovative mixed reality (MR) gaming developer, today announced the official launch of Battle Orb, a competitive strategy game which invites players to challenge each other and transform their physical surroundings into dynamic battlefields. Available now for Meta Quest platforms, Battle Orb represents the next evolution in mutli-player MR gaming.
A first PvP game for MixRift, Battle Orb allows players to step into immersive arenas where physical and digital worlds collide. Skill meets chaos in this fast-paced multiplayer strategy game, which challenges players to aim, shoot, and dominate with speed and precision across customized battlefields, combining tactical thinking with physics-based gameplay. Every hit counts as players collide, strategise and outplay opponents from around the world, from the comfort of their own homes. Players can compete in 2-player or 4-player battles, earn trophies, unlock and upgrade powerful units, and master unique arenas to climb the leaderboard.
“With Battle Orb, we’re not just launching a game, we’re basically turning your living room into a fantasy battleground.” said Bobby Voicu, CEO of MixRift. “We wanted to create something where anyone can jump in and start having fun in seconds, but that you could also master and keep replaying. I think this is what the future of gaming looks like, and it’s a blast!”
Key Features:
- HD Graphics: Cutting-edge MR design technology creates a truly immersive gaming experience
- Creative Character Options: Choose from tens of monsters, creatures, and cartoons to play with – each one zanier than the last
- Real-Time PvP Action: Face-off in 2-player or 4-player matches full of high-stakes action
- Physics Meets Strategy: Master the perfect angle, power, and timing to outmaneuver opponents, and perfect your shots to climb through the ranks
- Unique Units & Powers: Earn wins and open loot chests to unlock and upgrade special characters and abilities
- Environmental Integration: Scale your battlefield to fit any space, turning living rooms into competitive arenas
- Competitive Progression: Climb global leaderboards through a rewarding rank system and prove you’re the righteous winner
The game’s intuitive controls ensure players of all skill levels can jump in immediately, while the strategic elements provide long-term engagement for competitive gamers. Battle Orb’s intuitive and quick matchmaking system means players are matched with others in similar ranks within seconds.
Battle Orb has been designed with comfort and safety in mind, earning a “Comfortable” rating and PEGI 3 classification, making it appropriate for players of all ages while still delivering compelling gameplay for serious competitors.
“We’ve created Battle Orb to be a really special mixed-reality competitive experience,” said Voicu. “The way it transforms your physical environment into a strategic battlefield creates moments of gaming magic that simply aren’t possible in traditional formats.”
Availability:
Battle Orb is available now on the Meta Quest Store for Meta Quest 3S, Meta Quest 3, and Meta Quest 2 platforms. The game requires an internet connection for its online features.
For more information, visit https://mixrift.com/ or follow MixRift on social media for updates, tournaments, and community highlights.
The post Physics-Based Strategy Meets Mixed Reality: Battle Orb Redefines Competitive Gaming appeared first on European Gaming Industry News.
(In order of appearance from left to right)
India is on the brink of witnessing a gaming revolution that is shaping the global industry. With 590 million gamers and industry projections estimating the market to reach INR 66,000 crores at a growth rate of 14.5%, as compared to the global growth of 8% (CAGR). India is now poised to become a billion dollar gaming powerhouse outpacing growth globally.
A large contributor to this sea change is mobile gaming. India has now become the second-largest mobile gaming market by downloads, with figures 3.5 times higher than the US or Brazil. As per a recent Lumikai report, 23 million new gamers from the country joined in FY24, with weekly playtime shooting up by a notable 30%. Backed by $2.8 billion in investments and significant job creation potential, gaming is becoming a key pillar of India’s digital economy.
Nitish Mittersain, CEO & Joint MD at Nazara Technologies, says that the evolution exceeds beyond mere numbers. He underscores, “In a world where gaming is becoming a cultural and economic force, India is no longer just a consumer market, but also becoming a maker. With scale, talent, and strategic capital, Indian companies are rewriting the rules, growing from local leaders to global powerhouses.”
The country’s mobile-first ecosystem, enormous internet penetration, and tech-savvy youth have made it a fertile ground for gaming, while what’s also changing is how games are being made, distributed, and funded.
According to Anuj Tandon, Partner India & UAE at BITKRAFT Ventures, “The Indian gaming industry is experiencing a significant resurgence. A large talent pool and innovative narrative developers are fostering ecosystem expansion, leading to the creation of globally marketable games. Recognizing the emerging prominence of the Indian market, BITKRAFT is looking to make strategic investments to support its development as a vital contributor to the international gaming & entertainment sector.”
With the gaming sector in India empowering the larger community, content, and creators across the country, games are increasingly interactive among larger audiences, and platforms are working to intrigue new-age streamers and influencers from tier 2 & 3 cities in India.
Speaking about the shift in the Indian gaming market, Piyush, Founder & CEO of Rooter, “India has witnessed a significant surge in in-app purchases by gamers over the past three years, driving industry revenue growth at a 40% CAGR. Once a challenging market to monetize, improved micro-transaction behavior and effective pricing strategies are now encouraging gamers to spend more for enhanced experiences. Content creators are leveraging streaming platforms like Rooter to collaborate with publishers and raise awareness about games and their assets. Over the last two years, Rooter has unlocked multiple monetization channels, engaging with over 100 brands, numerous gaming publishers, global platforms, and gift card partners to create scalable revenue opportunities.”
The rise in engagement is paving the way for real business opportunities. Casual games particularly have opened new doors for monetization via in-app purchases, ads, partnerships, and sponsorships especially when game access is embedded seamlessly into daily routine platforms.
Yashash Agarwal, CEO & Co-founder of Gamezop, explains, “The world is waking up to where the real action in gaming lies, and that’s India. A projected revenue CAGR of 14.5% – nearly double the global average, is a clear sign that India is not just part of the global gaming story, we’re writing the next chapter.
Web gaming, in particular, is seeing explosive traction, and India is leading the charge. We’re witnessing a new wave of native users turn to web games for their accessibility, speed, and immersive play – no downloads, no wait time, just instant fun. What’s equally exciting is that India is not just consuming web games at scale; it’s also emerging as a powerhouse for web game development.
From an infrastructure perspective, we find ourselves in a better position than ever before. Devices are becoming smarter and faster, and with 5G technology, smartphones today have more capabilities than ever. As a result, people are spending more time online, leading to a surge of apps and websites across categories. At Gamezop, we’ve seen how seamlessly web games can plug into the everyday digital lives of Indian users across news, entertainment, utility, and fintech platforms. With the right regulatory and infrastructure support, India could very well define the future of web gaming.”
Meanwhile, on the development front, the industry is seeing a shift toward homegrown innovation. Indian studios have evolved from providing services like localizing global titles to creating original games that are performing well on the global stage.
Anurag Choudhary, Founder & CEO of Felicity Games, puts it plainly, “India is not just becoming a billion-player market, it’s emerging as a powerhouse for innovation in mobile gaming. With a young, connected population and a rapidly evolving developer ecosystem, we’re seeing global-quality titles being built and scaled from here. At Felicity Games, we’re proud to be part of this movement by publishing Indian games for global audiences, backed by strong unit economics and technology-led operations.”
With supportive regulation, sustained investment, and a stark rise in talent, India’s gaming sector is reportedly estimated to reach around INR ~500,000 Crores in value by 2034. India with the growth, innovation, and the large user base is set to emerge as a billion-dollar global giant, surpassing the global growth and setting new benchmarks.
The post Gaming in India – The Rise of a New Billion-dollar Economic Powerhouse appeared first on European Gaming Industry News.
Conferences in Europe
Portside Game Assembly announces talks and roundtables for June 27th’s premiere of the conference for indie game leaders
Gamecity Hamburg is setting sail with the premiere edition of Portside Game Assembly – a dedicated B2B conference for international indie game leaders – taking place aboard a ship cruising Hamburg’s famous harbour on June 27. With a carefully curated program of keynotes, impulse talks, and roundtables, the conference offers a rare opportunity for studio directors and decision makers to connect in a focused and collaborative setting. Designed to spark fresh perspectives and actionable insights, the event brings together voices from acclaimed indie studios worldwide like Benjamin Laulan (COO & Co-Founder Evil Empire), Philomena Schwab (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 Inc.), and more speakers. Tickets for the full conference experience, including a Networking Brunch and the Games Industry Party, are available at portsideassembly.com.
As the premiere of the Portside Game Assembly on June 27 is approaching, the laser-focused program for indie game leaders takes shape.
Keynotes, impulse talks and roundtables: This is the program
By offering a confidential setting for studio directors, the Portside provides value through relevant conversations and strategic networking, which is also reflected in the diverse yet focused conference program. These are some of the program highlights:
- Keynote: Benjamin Laulan (COO & Co-Founder Evil Empire): The “Triple-i Initiative Deep Dive” keynote on how to create your own announcement space and talk directly to your audience when you can’t really relate to other existing showcases.
Impulse Blocks:Impulse Blocks consist of two to three impulse talks, all of which relate to an overarching topic, followed by an open discussion about the perspectives shown and an opportunity for participants to share their own experiences. The discussions will be moderated by Mariève Beauchemin (Programs Director & Co-Founder Indie Asylum) and Andreas Suika (Creative Director & Game Designer).
- Mining for Your Next Gem – How to Decide which Games to Develop
A defining and crucial decision for every indie game studio is: what of the (probably many) game ideas should be pursued? Where should studios allocate their resources – and what game will help a studio prevail? Three speakers will share their approaches to these questions in 10-minute impulse talks:
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- Philomena Schwab (Founder Stray Fawn Studio): Game Idea Validation
- Jonas Tyroller (Founder Grizzly Games): You Don’t Need a Hook
- René Habermann (Director bippinbits): Don’t Ship the Wrong Game
- Games Are Made by People – How to Foster a Good Company Culture
Founding and maintaining an independent game studio and managing a small to mid-size team comes with a lot of responsibility: from growing or having to downsize a team to maintaining a company culture where talent is nurtured, developed, and kept long-term.
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- Mauricio García (Studio Director The Game Kitchen): Keeping the Indie Mindset while Going Big
- Kevin Zuhn (Creative Director & Co-Founder Young Horses Inc.): Hold Your Horses: Why Slow is How We Grow
- From Dev to Dev – Why to Invest in Other Studios
More and more indie studios take the leap to market not only their own games but also put their resources and experiences on games from other developers. Two speakers will share their motivations and learnings from investing in games and studios that are not their own:
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- Søren Lundgaard (CEO Ghost Ship Publishing): Developer by Day, Publisher by Night
- Christian Nyhus Andreasen (COO Fair Games): How to Lose 50% and Still Prosper – Angel Investment Lifestyle
Roundtables:
Roundtables have a more interactive concept than impulse blocks and encourage participants to discuss all aspects of the overarching question from the very beginning
- Roundtable 1: Mobile Ports – When, Why & How? Moderated by Ali Farha (Senior Producer Star Stable Entertainment)
- Roundtable 2: Stronger Together – Business Cooperations Between Indies. Moderated by Manny Hachey (Creative Director Positive Impact Games)
- Roundtable 3: (Self-)Publishing – The Good, the Bad, the Ugly. Moderated by Sophie Atkin (Director & Founder Secret Sauce)
- Roundtable 4: Longtail FTW – How to Make the Most out of Your Game. Moderated by Leonie Wolf (Associate Art Director Maschinen-Mensch)
The Portside Game Assembly website offers a detailed view on speakers, program topics and participating studios: https://portsideassembly.com/program/
The premiere of the Portside Game Assembly is supported by these great sponsors and partners: Photon and Twin Harbour Interactive!
Selection of already confirmed participants:
More than 60 studios from over 15 countries have already registered for the Portside Game Assembly conference on board the MS Princess. Besides already announced participants like Evil Empire, Stray Fawn Studio, The Game Kitchen, Toukana Interactive, Ghostship Publishing, and others, further acclaimed studios join the conference:
- Digital Sun (Moonlighter, Cataclismo) / Spain
- Keen Games (Enshrouded) / Germany
- Young Horses Inc. (Bugsnax, Octodad) / USA
- Gamious (Lake, Turmoil) / Netherlands
- Color Gray Games (The Case of the Golden Idol) / Latvia
- Massive Damage (Star Renegades) / Canada
- Beam NG (BeamNG.drive) / Germany
Further participating studios can be found on the Portside Game Assembly.
The post Portside Game Assembly announces talks and roundtables for June 27th’s premiere of the conference for indie game leaders appeared first on European Gaming Industry News.
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