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gamescom 2023: Gamecity Hamburg presents five games at the Indie Arena Booth
Hamburg, August 10: From August 23 to 27, gamescom, the world’s largest trade fair for video games, throws open its doors in Cologne. Through its Road to gamescom program, the location initiative Gamecity Hamburg enables five indie studios from Hamburg to participate in the Indie Arena Booth, the largest collaborative developer booth worldwide. The teams will present their games to gamescom visitors, potential business partners and the press. Numerous other companies from Hamburg will also be present at gamescom to showcase their projects, make contacts and benefit from the trade fair’s unique network of professionals for the further marketing of their game.
“With our “Road to gamescom” program we take five studios to gamescom in order to present their games to publishers, partners and consumers. All games were or are part of our funding programs: the Gamecity Hamburg Prototype Funding and our Games Lift Incubator,” states Dennis Schoubye, Head of Gamecity Hamburg”, says Dennis Schoubye, Head of Gamecity Hamburg. Gamecity Hamburg will feature some of the most promising game projects from Hamburg at its dedicated booth at the Indie Arena Booth in Hall 10.2 in the area F010g – E011g.
Gamecity Hamburg presents these six studios and games at the Indie Arena Booth:
- About Cannons + Sparrows with “About Cannons & Sparrows”: In this physics-based sidescroller with puzzle elements, players take on the role of a small cannon hatched from an egg that rolls through a forest with different platforms and branches, glides on wind streams or catapults itself forward with targeted shots.
- Crumbling Games with “Crumbling”: In this virtual reality game, the controller itself becomes an action figure in the player’s own hands, fighting against a wide variety of toy monsters in lovingly crafted dioramas.
- DrownTown with “Light of Atlantis”: This 2D puzzle metroidvania received the young talent award “Best Prototype” at the Deutscher Computerspielpreis 2023 (German Computer Game Award 2023) and impressed the jury with its clever interpretation of a jump ‘n’ run that embraces the element water. The water influences the movement of your robot as well as the behavior of the enemies, changes the environment and is the dynamic core mechanic of the game. Only by controlling the water to solve puzzles can players discover the secrets of Atlantis.
- Radioactive Dreams with “Turbo Shell”: This fast-paced 2D platformer doesn’t require jumping! Instead, players use a unique movement tool to navigate a brave egg through various levels full of obstacles and traps. By pushing and pulling the egg within a certain radius, a dynamic gameplay experience is achieved in which you should never touch the ground.
- Symmetry Break Studio with Misgiven: In this narrative 2D adventure with science fiction elements, players explore a city shrouded in toxic fog. We all know this situation: Speaking out about some things can be really hard. In this game’s unique dialog system, certain emotional states open up different ways of reacting. Since all the inhabitants wear masks, communication is even more difficult, but it is the key to unraveling this hostile environment.
All projects received funding from Gamecity Hamburg. About Cannons & Sparrows received fundings from the Games Lift Incubator, while Light of Atlantis and Turbo Shell were part of the Prototype Funding. The games Crumbling and Misgiven were able to secure funding from both the Games Lift Incubator and Prototype Funding at various stages of development.
More information and visuals on the games:
Companies from Hamburg showcase at gamescom 2023
Other companies from Hamburg’s games industry will also be at gamescom 2023 to present new releases or take the opportunity to initiate new business partnerships. For example, Daedalic Entertainment will be available for press and business contacts in the B2B area at the “game” booth, and they will present the couch co-op game “Wild Woods” by Octofox Games in the B2C area at the Indie Arena Booth (Wild Woods already received prototype funding from Gamecity Hamburg in 2020).
Even more Hamburg studios will be part of the Indie Arena Booth: Osmotic Studios will be showing the latest version of their game “Closer the Distance”, while Mooneye Studios will be exhibiting “Smushi Come Home”, “Farewell North” and “Lost Ember”. In addition, the Hamburg gaming internet station Rocket Beans TV will accompany gamescom with numerous live broadcasts from its booth in Hall 6.
Gamecity Hamburg: Diverse support programs for Hamburg’s games industry
In addition to programs such as “Road to gamescom 2023”, Gamecity Hamburg, financed by the Free and Hanseatic City of Hamburg, boosts the local games industry with other tailor-made support programs: In the Games Lift Incubator, game developers and founders receive intensive coaching and mentoring from international industry experts in addition to financial support. With the Prototype Funding, Gamecity Hamburg supports the development of game prototypes in Hamburg with up to 120,000 euros per project.
Detailed background information on Hamburg as a games location and on the Gamecity Hamburg location initiative:
All information about Gamecity Hamburg and our activities can also be found on our website https://www.gamecity-hamburg.de/.
While most gaming brands lean into February with predictable romance-themed campaigns, WinSpirit has taken a different path. Instead of hearts, roses, and sentimental messaging, the brand’s new UnValentine’s Day campaign embraces humor, honesty, and emotional relatability — offering players a refreshing alternative to seasonal clichés.
Reframing the Valentine’s Narrative
Valentine’s promotions in the gaming industry often follow the same script: romantic visuals, love-driven bonuses, and polished messaging designed to evoke idealized relationships. But WinSpirit identified a quieter audience segment — players who feel disconnected from the seasonal hype or simply tired of it.
UnValentine’s Day flips the script. Rather than amplifying traditional romance, the campaign creates space for lighthearted honesty. It invites players to laugh at overused Valentine’s tropes and engage with the brand in a way that feels authentic and current.
This isn’t anti-Valentine’s — it’s anti-generic.
A Simple Yet Strategic Engagement Mechanic
At the center of the campaign is a playful interactive poll hosted on a dedicated landing page. Users are asked to vote for the Valentine’s cliché they find most annoying, turning a simple click into a meaningful re-engagement touchpoint.
There’s no heavy gamification or aggressive conversion push. No complicated mechanics. Just:
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A quick interaction
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A sense of being heard
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A shared cultural moment
By lowering the barrier to participation, WinSpirit prioritizes emotional connection over transactional incentives — a subtle but powerful shift in campaign strategy.
Differentiation Through Empathy
What sets UnValentine’s Day apart is the strategic intent behind it. WinSpirit isn’t dismissing Valentine’s Day — it’s broadening the conversation. The campaign acknowledges that seasonal experiences aren’t universal and that humor can be one of the strongest tools for connection.
This empathy-driven positioning reflects a larger evolution in gaming marketing:
moving away from pressure-based promotions and toward relevance, personality, and genuine audience alignment.
UnValentine’s Day serves as a case study in how online casinos can stand out — not by shouting louder, but by listening better.
Built for Modern Player Expectations
Today’s players expect more than bonuses wrapped in holiday graphics. They value:
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Transparency
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Relatability
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Entertainment that respects individuality
WinSpirit’s approach demonstrates that engagement doesn’t need to be complex to be effective. It just needs emotional intelligence.
The campaign succeeds because it:
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Respects short attention spans
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Builds alignment without forced sentimentality
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Encourages organic conversation
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Reinforces the brand’s fresh, responsive identity
A Micro-Campaign with Macro Impact
In a market where seasonal messaging often feels interchangeable, UnValentine’s Day stands out by doing something simple — acknowledging reality.
It proves that thoughtfully designed micro-campaigns can:
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Strengthen brand voice
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Increase meaningful user touchpoints
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Drive engagement without relying on traditional promotional pressure
Now live on the WinSpirit platform, UnValentine’s Day invites players to engage differently this February — and signals a broader shift in how gaming brands can approach seasonal marketing.
For operators and marketers observing the evolution of player engagement strategies, it’s a campaign worth watching
The post WinSpirit’s UnValentine’s Day: A New Take on February Engagement appeared first on Eastern European Gaming | Global iGaming & Tech Intelligence Hub.
Vegangster has unveiled a fully integrated lootbox system as a native feature within its iGaming platform, offering operators a powerful new tool to increase player engagement and unlock additional revenue streams. Early adopters report that lootboxes are already contributing between 5% and 7% of total Gross Gaming Revenue (GGR) within the first month of launch.
Unlike third-party game integrations, Vegangster’s lootboxes are built directly into the core platform. This native integration gives operators complete control over configuration, performance mechanics, and lobby placement. In addition, the revenue share model is significantly more favorable compared to external game providers, improving overall margins.
“Brands already using lootboxes are generating between 5 and 7 per cent of their total GGR from lootboxes within the first month,” said Michael Oziransky, CPO at Vegangster.
A Familiar, High-Engagement Mechanic
The lootbox model draws inspiration from popular video game mechanics. Players purchase a lootbox at a fixed price and receive a reward determined by predefined probability settings. Depending on configuration and chance, rewards can exceed the original purchase value, adding excitement and replay potential.
Operators maintain full control over both technical and commercial settings. Prize categories, win probabilities, and RTP logic are configured directly within the Vegangster platform. This flexibility allows operators to tailor lootboxes to different player segments, campaigns, and strategic objectives.
Available rewards can include:
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Cash prizes
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Digital assets
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NFTs
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Physical merchandise
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Custom operator-defined rewards
Once a player receives a reward, they can choose to keep it or sell it back for cash. This streamlined process keeps gameplay transparent while offering operators multiple payout and value-structuring options.
A Versatile Tool for Acquisition and Retention
Lootboxes can also be deployed as part of promotional campaigns. Operators may offer lootbox-based free spins to players, affiliates, or marketing partners. Different configurations can be aligned with specific goals, whether driving new player acquisition, increasing engagement, or improving retention metrics.
Part of a Broader Platform Roadmap
Lootboxes represent the first release in Vegangster’s roadmap of platform-native mini-games planned through 2026. Upcoming additions will include fast, session-based mechanics inspired by crash-style games, along with enhanced social engagement features designed to further boost player interaction.
About Vegangster
Vegangster delivers a full-stack iGaming platform engineered for speed, scalability, and operational control. Its turnkey, white-label, and sweepstakes solutions combine casino and sportsbook content, payments, CRM, compliance tools, and social features into a unified, mobile-first ecosystem. The platform enables operators to launch quickly and scale confidently in competitive markets.
Press Contact
Romans Kozlovskis
[email protected]
The post Vegangster Launches Fully Integrated Lootboxes as a Native Platform Feature appeared first on Eastern European Gaming | Global iGaming & Tech Intelligence Hub.
While most gaming brands flood February with romantic visuals and heart-shaped incentives, WinSpirit has chosen to challenge tradition with an unexpected twist. The brand’s new seasonal campaign, UnValentine’s Day, moves away from idealized love stories and toward something many players crave more—relatable honesty and lighthearted fun.
Reframing the Valentine’s Narrative
Traditional Valentine’s campaigns often follow a familiar formula: roses, candlelit dinners, and generic love messaging. But WinSpirit saw an overlooked segment — those who feel disconnected from the seasonal hype, or even fatigued by it.
With UnValentine’s Day, WinSpirit offers something different: a moment of comic relief, emotional resonance, and brand interaction. Instead of pretending every player is in the mood for romance, the brand invites them to speak their truth — and laugh about the clichés that usually go unspoken.
A Simple Yet Strategic Mechanic
The core of the campaign centers around a playful, interactive poll hosted on a dedicated landing page. Users are encouraged to vote for the Valentine’s cliché that annoys them the most — with the act of voting becoming a low-barrier touchpoint for re-engagement.
There’s no gamification overload or pressure to convert. Just one click, a sense of being heard, and a chance to take part in a conversation that feels current and real.
Brand Differentiation Through Empathy
What makes this campaign noteworthy isn’t just its originality — it’s the strategic mindset behind it. WinSpirit isn’t mocking Valentine’s Day; it’s expanding the dialogue around it. The brand acknowledges that not everyone experiences the season the same way and that humor can be a powerful connector.
This kind of empathy-driven positioning reflects a broader shift in how brands build engagement — moving away from promotional pressure and toward emotional relevance and genuine user alignment. UnValentine’s Day stands as a strong case study in how casinos can apply this approach in a meaningful, scalable way.
Built for Today’s Players
WinSpirit’s approach reflects a broader evolution in user expectations. Today’s audiences value transparency, relatability, and entertainment that respects their individuality. Campaigns like UnValentine’s Day show that engagement doesn’t have to be elaborate — just emotionally intelligent.
It’s an activation that:
- Respects user attention spans
- Builds emotional alignment without sentimentality
- Generates conversation organically (without incentives as the main driver)
- Reinforces brand identity as fresh, responsive, and non-generic
The Bigger Picture
As seasonal messaging becomes increasingly homogenized across the gaming sector, WinSpirit’s UnValentine’s Day stands out by simply listening. It proves that thoughtful micro-campaigns can both elevate brand voice and increase user touchpoints — without relying on traditional promotional pressure.
UnValentine’s Day is now live on the brand’s platform and serves as an open invitation to engage differently this February. For operators and marketers watching the evolution of seasonal gaming engagement, it’s a campaign worth noting.
The post WinSpirit’s UnValentine’s Day: A New Take on February Engagement appeared first on Americas iGaming & Sports Betting News.
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