Central Europe
Gamecity Hamburg Funds 6 Digital Game Prototypes with 410,000 Euros in its 20th Anniversary Year
In the 2023 funding round, Gamecity Hamburg is supporting six game projects with a total of 410,000 euros as part of the Prototype Funding programme. This funding for companies and start-ups based in Hamburg enables the development of prototypes of digital games with high market potential. Among the funding recipients are three start-ups that have previously successfully graduated from Gamecity Hamburg’s Games Lift Incubator. The application phase for the incubator programme runs until June 20.
Once again, the awarding committee was impressed by the high quality of the submitted projects and decided to fully utilise the funding budget available for the 2023 Prototype Funding. The application phase for the next funding round will therefore start in spring 2024. Including this fifth funding round since 2020, the Prototype Funding supported the development of a total of 27 prototypes with 1,536,000 euros.
“The applications submitted show the positive effects of our further funding programs and offers for professionalization. Three teams of the projects funded in this round have already successfully completed our Games Lift incubator program. In addition to newly founded companies, experienced studios are also among the funding recipients. This once again shows the versatility and potential of Hamburg as a games location,” Dennis Schoubye, Head of Gamecity Hamburg, said.
The funded projects 2023
METACORE by Amberdive Interactive – € 80,000
Project Renaissance by Tiny Roar – € 80,000
Reddie – ReRun of Reality by Curvature Games – € 80,000
Light of Atlantis by DrownTown – € 70.000
Stack ‘Em Up by Godcomplex Games – € 70.000
How to Find Friends by Beardshaker Games – € 30.000
METACORE – Amberdive Interactive
Amberdive Interactive has further refined its co-op shooter METACORE in the Games Lift Incubator 2022. In teams of up to four, players fight their way through ruins on an alien planet and defend themselves against machine guards. Outstanding as a game mechanic are the multi-purpose cores – small high-tech spheres into which the players can transform themselves and which open many possibilities for team play.
Project Renaissance – Tiny Roar
In this point-and-click adventure game from established indie studio Tiny Roar (Wanderlust, XEL, Bomb Bots Arena, among others), players take on the role of Joy, who embarks on a path of self-knowledge after a baby literally falls into her hut. With Project Renaissance, Tiny Roar plans to appeal to genre fans as well as those who have avoided adventure games in the past.
Reddie – ReRun of Reality – Curvature Games
Curvature Games lets players conduct and immersively experience various experiments as the character “Reddie” in this innovative mixed-reality adventure. They switch dimensions and realities again and again to find the solution. By using mixed reality, the players also interact with the actual environment.
Light of Atlantis – DrownTown
In this 2D puzzle Metroidvania game with jump ‘n’ run elements, players do not control the lovingly drawn robot character in the underwater world of Atlantis, but the element “water” to solve puzzles and pass levels.
Stack ‘Em Up – Godcomplex Games
Up to four players compete in this crazy multiplayer party game. The players suck up cute “slime packets” just like their fellow players. This is how the so-called “stacks” are created, which leads to involuntary teamwork. Godcomplex Games used the Games Lift Incubator 2022 to fine-tune the game idea.
How to Find Friends – Beardshaker Games
How to Find Friends is a cozy hidden object game in which players must find extraordinary creatures in large-scale patterns. The protagonists Witch & Owl help and narrate the enchanting background stories of the wondrous creatures to the players along the way.
From March 3 to April 5, a total of 24 developers, startups, and companies from Hamburg applied for Gamecity Hamburg’s Prototype Funding. The awarding committee, consisting of Hamburg industry experts Nina Müller (Head of Publishing, Goodgame Studios), Jonas Hüsges (Publishing Director, Daedalic Entertainment), Valentina Birke (Head of Project, Indie Arena Booth/ Super Crowd Entertainment), Jens Unrau (Head of Department Media and Digital Economy of the Ministry of Culture and Media in Hamburg) and Dennis Schoubye (Head of Gamecity Hamburg) decided on the selection.
In addition to Prototype Funding, Gamecity Hamburg organises the annual Games Lift Incubator programme for all developers, teams, and start-ups from Hamburg’s games industry, regardless of the status of their games project. Each year, the Games Lift Incubator supports five teams with 15,000 euros and a comprehensive coaching, mentoring, and workshop programme by experienced international experts from the games industry. The teams also receive one-year support in the form of individual mentoring to work on their games and project ideas and develop them further.
Teams and developers can currently apply for the Games Lift Incubator until June 20.
Central Europe
Evoplay enters Czech market with exclusive Fortuna collaboration
Evoplay, the award-winning game development studio, has made its debut in the Czech Republic through an exclusive collaboration with leading operator Fortuna.
As part of the agreement, 39 of Evoplay’s top-performing games, including popular titles like Penalty Shoot-out and The Greatest Catch, are now available to Fortuna customers in the Central European country.
The collaboration not only introduces Evoplay’s diverse portfolio to the Czech market but also solidifies the company’s commitment to expanding in key territories.
Fortuna, a Fortuna Entertainment Group (FEG) brand, is a prominent online casino operator in the Czech market, and the partnership offers Evoplay a solid platform to reach more local players, supporting both companies’ growth objectives.
The strategic move marks a significant milestone for Evoplay, as it becomes the studio’s inaugural partnership in the market with plans for further expansion.
Ihor Zarechnyi, CBDO at Evoplay, said: “Breaking into the Czech market with an exclusive partner like Fortuna underscores our strategic vision for regulated markets. We’re thrilled to bring our diverse content offering to Czech players and are confident this collaboration will yield outstanding results.”
Myke Foster, Group Head of Commercial Gaming Operations at FEG, said: “This partnership reflects our commitment to delivering best-in-class entertainment and exceptional gaming experiences to all FEG customers, with Evoplay providing a broad content portfolio proven with players around the globe.”
“We are thrilled to be the first operator to take Evoplay’s titles live in the Czech market, and we anticipate a new level of engagement among our local audience.”
The post Evoplay enters Czech market with exclusive Fortuna collaboration appeared first on European Gaming Industry News.
Central Europe
Amusnet Partners with Kajot Intacto
Amusnet proudly announces its strategic partnership with Kajot Intacto, a prominent Central and Eastern European gaming market operator. This collaboration aims to enhance players’ gaming experience by combining Amusnet’s cutting-edge offerings and diverse game portfolio with Kajot Intacto’s established market presence and expertise.
“At Amusnet, our focus is on enhancing player engagement and satisfaction, and our partnership with Kajot Intacto exemplifies this dedication. By utilizing the operator’s established market presence, we can effectively introduce our diverse portfolio of games to a wider audience in Slovakia. As we begin this collaborative journey, we are committed to evolving our offerings and remaining at the forefront of market trends, ensuring we meet the needs of players now and into the future,” said Irina Rusimova, Chief Commercial Officer at Amusnet.
“We are pleased to announce the addition of Amusnet as a valued game provider for our players. Renowned for its classic games enhanced with innovative features, Amusnet aligns perfectly with our commitment to delivering quality gaming experiences. Notably, the most popular game at Kajot Intacto is 100 Burning Hot, which exemplifies Amusnet’s signature style and underscores our dedication to offering engaging content to our player base,” said André Kruf, Sales Director at Kajot Intacto.
On Kajot Intacto’s platform, Slovak players can find some of Amusnet’s top-performing games, such as Hot Deco, 20 Golden Coins, Great 27, 100 Power Hot, Extra Crown, 100 Super Hot, 100 Burning Hot, Aztec Forest, Fruits & Gold, 20 Hot Blast and other top-notch titles like Secrets of Sherwood, Candy Palace, and Drops of Water.
The post Amusnet Partners with Kajot Intacto appeared first on European Gaming Industry News.
Central Europe
SOFTSWISS Steps In to Assist Southern Poland After Severe Flooding
SOFTSWISS, a global tech supplier of software for the iGaming industry, along with its employees, has actively aided communities affected by the recent flooding in Southern Poland.
In September, Storm Boris brought devastating floods to Central and Eastern Europe, causing widespread damage. Torrential rains left thousands of homes submerged, severely impacting numerous cities in Poland, the Czech Republic, and Romania. In Poland, the southern regions were hit the hardest, with dozens of towns requiring urgent evacuations and support for affected communities.
To provide immediate relief, SOFTSWISS made a financial donation to the Wielka Orkiestra Świątecznej Pomocy, a well-known Polish charity organisation. SOFTSWISS has two development offices in Poland, allowing employees to quickly join the relief efforts and offer their assistance during the flood.
Under the company’s coordination, Polish employees packed boxes of over 100 kilograms of essential items, including food, hygiene products, and necessities such as matches, candles, and batteries. SOFTSWISS handed these supplies to Caritas Polska, a charitable organisation spearheading relief efforts for the affected areas.
Earlier this year, SOFTSWISS also organised a large-scale charity and awareness campaign to support flood-hit regions in Brazil.
“Unfortunately, natural disasters happen, and we don’t want to stand idly by. We strive to help in any way we can. This aligns with one of our core values, We See People, which applies not only to our employees. We always see the people beyond the business, and I believe our ESG initiatives reflect this,” said Natalia Perkowska, Deputy Chief HR Officer at SOFTSWISS.
The aid campaigns in Poland and Brazil are part of SOFTSWISS’ broader global strategy focused on social responsibility and sustainable development (ESG). The company also dedicates to long-term social and environmental projects, with notable initiatives such as participation in World Environment Day, Pink October, Movember, and various environmental protection efforts.
Recently, SOFTSWISS was recognised as The Best Employer of 2024 at the SBC Awards.
About SOFTSWISS
SOFTSWISS is an international technology company with over 15 years of experience in developing innovative solutions for the iGaming industry. SOFTSWISS holds a number of gaming licences and provides comprehensive software for managing iGaming projects. The company’s product portfolio includes the Online Casino Platform, the Game Aggregator with over 23,500 casino games, the Affilka Affiliate Platform, the Sportsbook Software and the Jackpot Aggregator. In 2013, SOFTSWISS revolutionised the industry by introducing the world’s first Bitcoin-optimised online casino solution. The expert team, based in Malta, Poland, and Georgia, counts over 2,000 employees.
The post SOFTSWISS Steps In to Assist Southern Poland After Severe Flooding appeared first on European Gaming Industry News.
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