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.
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.
The post CyberPowerPC India launches ‘Play Guarantee’ campaign for a transparent and gamer-first experience appeared first on European Gaming Industry News.
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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