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BIG appoints Christian “Blizzard” Chmiel as COO

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Another 1.6 icon joins the BIG Family as we officially appoint Christian “Blizzard” Chmiel as our Chief Operating Officer!

A name synonymous with German Counter-Strike, Blizzard is someone who needs no introduction to 1.6 fans after his distinguished career in the game. Winning CPL Spain 2005, as well as bringing home nine EPS titles among many others, he now makes his return to esports in an administrative role at BIG.
After hanging up the mouse, Blizzard started his studies at the Technical University of Berlin, continuing his career in economic engineering at companies such as Viessmann and AVM. With his business experience as well as extensive background in Counter-Strike, Blizzard was the perfect choice for us, and has already shown his capabilities in the past year with us.
In his new role as our Chief Operating Officer, Blizzard will play an important part in shaping the organization in the coming years and realizing our vision. He will be in charge of many important processes and projects at BIG, and work with the executive team on a day to day basis to ensure the smooth running of our business operations.
It’s time for some Blizzness!

Statement Christian Chmiel, COO of BIG

After winning the German championship in 2009, I ended my lengthy career as a professional player and focused on my studies in economic engineering at the Technical University of Berlin. After nearly 10 years of professional experience as a quality engineer in development, I am delighted to have found my way back into Esports. Things that belong together are now coming together again! I am especially looking forward to working with old companions and esports pioneers at BIG again and to face many exciting challenges in my position as COO, and significantly contributing to the development and strategic direction of BIG. I would like to thank Daniel and Yilmaz from the bottom of my heart for the great trust they have placed in me by appointing me to this responsible position, and I can’t wait to make 2022 our best year yet with all of BIG’s employees and supporters! #GOBIG

Statement Daniel Finkler, CEO of BIG

After the introduction of Roman “Roman R.” Reinhardt earlier this week, I am very pleased to officially welcome Christian “Blizzard” Chmiel, one of Germany’s greatest esports legends, to BIG. After Christian Chmiel has already been able to successfully lead important projects within the organization for a longer time, including the establishment of the #GoBIG League and other partner projects, I am convinced that he will be able to take on new responsibilities with his outstanding skills. From now on, Christian “Blizzard” Chmiel will therefore be responsible for making many important decisions within the organization at the C-level as Chief Operating Officer / COO and for advancing important business initiatives that will have a significant impact on the development of BIG in the years to come.

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Current Games Activates the Nitro on Neon-Soaked Arcade Combat Racer: Cyber Clutch: Hot Import Nights

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Current Games, a new name in indie publishing, based in the Netherlands, announced that it has assumed publishing rights for Cyber Clutch: Hot Import Nights, a heart-stopping, breakneck combat racing game, soaked in a neon lit future where speed and survival are the only routes to success!

A thrilling arcade style experience, Cyber Clutch: Hot Import Nights was first launched in Early Access on Steam in 2024, building a loyal community of dedicated fans passionate in seeing the game succeed. Current Games have heard the call and have spent a considerable amount of time diligently working under the hood, implementing a host of game-changing upgrades, delivering a fully revamped, nitro-powered experience, worthy of the Hot Import Nights (HIN) brand.

With the major update due to go live on July 24th 2025, speed demons are in for the ride of their lives as Cyber Clutch: Hot Import Nights power-ups on Steam, as well as launching on PlayStation®5, Xbox Series X|S and Epic Games® Store!

Make no mistake, this is no mere tweak, from July 24th, a whole host of surprises await fans of the game and newcomers alike. Some of the changes include:

  • An all-new sprawling racing track to discover and master
  • More cars mean more fun! Discover your favourite vehicles and race like your life depends on it!
  • Major balancing changes based on extensive community feedback
  • A new single player career mode with championship races
  • Overall improvements to the game’s experience and stability

In taking over publishing for Cyber Clutch: Hot Import Nights Current Games is keen to emphasise their commitment to engaging with and supporting the community. Planned initiatives arriving soon include the reactivation of the games’ Reddit account, a new Discord server and a planned playtest scheduled for pre-launch.

In Cyber Clutch: Hot Import Nights, street legends are built after dark, as gamers brave enough to face the neon-soaked streets of the future, race, fight, and ultimately conquer with up to eight players competing head-to-head in a fight to survive and pass the winning line alive.

Each chariot in Cyber Clutch: Hot Import Nights is equipped with an arsenal of outlandish offensive and defensive weapons, enabling players to outmanoeuvre and outgun their opponents as they speed towards victory. Choose from a diverse range of customizable vehicles across three weight classes, each with distinct advantages. Lightweight vehicles boast speed but sacrifice defence, while heavyweight vehicles offer greater protection at the cost of agility. Weapons can be charged through pickups or by executing perfect drifts, adding a strategic layer to the high-speed action.

Accessible yet challenging, easy to play, impossible to put down, ruthlessly hard to master and never anything less than exhilarating, Cyber Clutch: Hot Import Nights is racing like you’ve never experienced before!

Roderick Roode, CEO of Current Games commented on the major upgrade and console release of Cyber Clutch: Hot Import Nights, “We are honoured to assume publishing rights for Cyber Clutch and determined to give this high-impact combat racing experience the love, attention and polish it deserves. Cyber Clutch has attracted a loyal audience in the year since launch, but we know the game is destined for even bigger things, and we’re thrilled to finally deliver a fully levelled-up experience, which we’re convinced will delight combat racing fans. In addition, we’re excited to bring the full Cyber Clutch experience to more gamers than ever, releasing on PlayStation, Xbox and the Epic Game Store, and cannot wait to see players assume their position on the starting grid later this month.”

The post Current Games Activates the Nitro on Neon-Soaked Arcade Combat Racer: Cyber Clutch: Hot Import Nights appeared first on European Gaming Industry News.

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German Federal Research Minister Dorothee Bär to open gamescom 2025

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Federal Research Minister Dorothee Bär will take part in the official opening of gamescom on 20 August. This was announced today by Koelnmesse and game – The German Games Industry Association. The minister responsible for computer and video games in the German government will give a welcoming address at the opening of the world’s largest games event. Hendrik Wüst, Minister President of North Rhine-Westphalia, has also already been confirmed for the opening. During a tour of gamescom, they and other political guests of honour will gain an impression of the latest developments and trends in the games industry.

gamescom is the world’s largest and leading event for computer and video games. It brings together the international gaming community and entire games industry in a unique way, both in person in Cologne and digitally. gamescom 2025 will take place from August 20 to 24. The event will kick off on August 19, 2025 with gamescom Opening Night Live. gamescom is jointly organized by Koelnmesse and game – The German Games Industry Association.

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Global release of Trophy Hunter – test your skills in the next evolution of hunting games

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On July 3, 2025, Trophy Hunter – the latest game developed by the Ten Square Games team – launched globally across major markets. With this title, the company expands its presence in the fast-growing hunting game segment, where it already has solid experience. Trophy Hunter is the third Ten Square Games project in this genre – this time designed as a skill-based game, offering an accessible yet competitive experience for a broad player base.

“- Ten Square Games was one of the pioneers in the mobile hunting games segment. Since the release of Hunting Clash, the market has grown significantly, and players’ expectations have evolved. Trophy Hunter is our response to those changes – a skill based game that emphasizes fast-paced gameplay, reflexes, and strategic decision-making. We’re building on a world we know well, but offering a new style of play that opens up fresh growth opportunities,” says Jakub Noganowicz, Product Owner of Hunting Clash and Trophy Hunter.

About Trophy Hunter

Trophy Hunter is a hunting game designed for players who enjoy quick, dynamic gameplay and competitive PvP action. Its core mode features three-round duels where precision, reaction time, and decision-making under pressure matter most – rather than exploration or resource management. Players can upgrade their personal base (Hunter’s Lodge), customize weapons, and compete in a structured league system.

“- The launch of Trophy Hunter is a test for both an alternative gameplay model and a more hybrid approach to monetization. We see this moment as the conclusion of the game’s first development phase. Now begins the most important stage – one driven by player feedback. The success of the project will depend not only on how the game is received but also on our ability to scale the title and consistently grow its player base,” says Andrzej Ilczuk, CEO of Ten Square Games.

Trophy Hunter follows a free-to-play model with microtransactions that let players upgrade weapons and ammo. It also features rewarded video ads**, allowing revenue generation from non-paying users. Thanks to hybrid monetization and a lower entry threshold, Trophy Hunter is aimed at a broader audience. Its lower cost per acquisition offsets the lower ARPU* compared to other Ten Square Games titles. The hybrid business model allows room for scalable growth and expanding the game’s reach.

From prototype to global release

Development on Trophy Hunter began in Q1 2024. In the final production phase, the core development team included 10 directly involved contributors.

In late June 2025, as part of pre-launch preparations, Ten Square Games removed the test version of the app from Google Play and the App Store, replacing it with the final version and opening preregistration. Over 500,000 players only on Google platform used the opportunity to ensure the fastest possible access to the game on global launch day. Those who preregistered received an exclusive in-game reward – a replica of the Beretta BRX1 rifle and 10 rounds of special ammunition. This was made possible thanks to Ten Square Games’ collaboration with the globally recognized Beretta brand, originally established for Hunting Clash.

What’s next

At launch, the game includes 9 playable arenas. The release marks the beginning of a new development chapter for Trophy Hunter. The roadmap includes progressive content expansion and ongoing testing of the game’s global scalability. If this proves successful, future updates will bring more arenas, new gameplay modes, a LiveOps system, Battle Pass, and additional features to boost player engagement and expand challenge variety.

* ARPU – average revenue per user
** Rewarded video – an ad format where players voluntarily watch a video ad in exchange for an in-game reward.

The post Global release of Trophy Hunter – test your skills in the next evolution of hunting games appeared first on European Gaming Industry News.

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