Gaming
Gamecity Hamburg funds three games prototypes with € 159,000 in second funding round 2021
																								
												
												
											
In the second funding round in 2021, Gamecity Hamburg supports three promising games projects with a total of 159,000 euros through its Prototype Funding program. The non-repayable grant enables companies and developers based in Hamburg to develop prototypes of their games for the growing global games market. Together with the six projects selected by the awarding committee in the first funding round, Gamecity Hamburg funds nine prototypes with a total of 411,000 euros this year.
Starting March 4, 2022, right after the Hamburg Games Conference, companies and developers can apply again for the next funding round of Gamecity Hamburg’s Prototype Funding. The application phase for the second funding round will start directly after gamescom 2022.
“Both 2021 funding rounds have impressively shown us that there is a great deal of dynamics in the games industry in Hamburg. We were impressed by how diverse the funding applications were – in addition to games of all genres and for all platforms, a serious game, and a home training app convinced the awarding committee with their market potential for the first time in this funding round,” says Dennis Schoubye, Head of Gamecity Hamburg and member of the awarding committee for prototype funding.
The funded projects of the second funding round 2021
- Castle Town by Sviper – 80,000 euros
 - CR4NKUP by CR4NKUP – 40,000 euros
 - Mambio by neurodactics – 39,273 euros
 
In the mobile game Castle Town by Sviper, players can build towns in a medieval setting and optimize supply chains for all the goods they need on a grand scale. Sviper is an indie studio from Hamburg and was able to celebrate its first successes with the debut “Super Spell Heroes”. With Castle Town, Sviper wants to take off further.
CR4NKUP by CR4NKUP is an indoor training game that combines real bike training with a virtual world filled with a large number of fellow players. Through gamification elements such as multiplayer and online tournaments, the free-to-play app is designed to motivate professional athletes and amateur cyclists alike.
Mambio by neurodactics is the first serious game supported by the Hamburg prototype funding. Mambio is an inclusive learning game for elementary school-aged children that playfully promotes the fun of math and aims to make learning arithmetic easier for children with disabilities as well.
A total of eleven start-ups, games companies and solo developers applied for funding in the second funding round 2021 from August 30 to October 16. After an online pitch, the projects were selected by an awarding committee, consisting of Hamburg industry experts Nina Müller (Head of Publishing, Goodgame Studios), Michael Schade (Co-Founder and CEO, ROCKFISH Games), Valentina Birke (Project Manager, 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).
In addition to a convincing presentation of the project and the team members, the experts evaluated the submitted projects according to further criteria such as promotion of young talent, team, market potential and location effect for Hamburg.
Prototype funding from Gamecity Hamburg
In 2020, the funding program already supported the development of seven prototypes with a total of 430,000 euros.
All information on prototype funding in Hamburg can be found at: www.gamecity-hamburg.de/funding/.
The next application phase for prototype funding 2022 will start directly after the Hamburg Games Conference on March 4, 2022. The application phase for the second funding round in 2022 will start directly after gamescom.
Those who would like to discuss prototype funding and other funding programs for the games industry more intensively are cordially invited to do so on the Gamecity Hamburg Discord server: https://discord.gg/gamecityhamburg.
Further funding opportunities through Gamecity Hamburg
With its support and funding program Games Lift Incubator, Gamecity Hamburg supports five teams per year with up to 15,000 euros and a three-month coaching and mentoring program by experienced, international experts from the games industry.
For the teams participating in the Games Lift Incubator in 2021, the intensive phase of their participation in the program will end on December 2 with the “Games Lift Graduation” event.
Guests can register to participate in the Graduation event via live stream or on-site. Free tickets are available on Eventbrite: https://games-lift-graduation-2021.eventbrite.de/
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Africa
South Africa’s Top Gamers Crowned at 2025 MTN SHIFT Gaming Grand Finals at Canal Walk
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Massive wins, standout talent and a showdown wrapped up five months of fierce competition across the country.
After months of qualifiers and regional heats at eight Hyprop malls across South Africa, the MTN SHIFT Gaming Experience reached its electrifying conclusion at Canal Walk Shopping Centre. With hundreds of spectators and players packing the gaming arena, the national finals brought the heat and crowned South Africa’s best in EAFC 25
, Beat Saber, Call of Duty and more.
In the EAFC National Final, Hamza Moosa (17) from Sandton, proved why he’s one of the country’s most exciting young talents. A professional esports player for Goliath Gaming, Moosa outplayed the competition to take top honours. A familiar name on the international stage, he recently represented South Africa at the Esports World Cup qualifier in Saudi Arabia. Hamza left the MTN SHIFT Gaming national finals with prize money of R25000.
Beat Saber fans saw a fast-paced, high-score battle won by Michael Prange (17) from Pretoria and Garsfontein High School. Ranked #2 nationally, Prange is also a two-time Beat Saber World Cup competitor and has helped shape South Africa’s competitive VR rhythm community through coaching, mentorship, and global participation. As the 2025 MTN SHIFT Gaming Beat Saber national champion, Michael won a Gaming PC valued at R50000.
In the schools division, Ridhaa April, 15, from Cape Town’s Southern Suburbs, took the EAFC title. A prodigious talent who’s been competing since the age of 12, Ridhaa plays professionally for Goliath Gaming and already holds multiple top finishes, including 1st place at the 2025 ASL.
In the Rocket League school tournament, Curro took top spot, followed by Edgemead High in second place.
Meanwhile, Call of Duty Mobile closed out the finals with serious intensity as returning champions Nixuh held onto their title. The dominant team of Magicz (Raees Ismail), Adnaan (Adnaan Bhamjee), Raz (Rahil Bux) and Enigma (Jameen Essa) walked away with a R30 000 cash prize.
“The atmosphere at this year’s finals was absolutely electric,” said Vanessa Herbst, Marketing Manager at Canal Walk Shopping Centre. “The level of skill on display was unreal, and the crowd brought their energy every day. The bar has been set very high for the 2026 edition.”
The MTN SHIFT Gaming Experience is South Africa’s biggest mall-based gaming tournament, played over five months across Gauteng and the Western Cape. Regional heats were hosted at Rosebank Mall, Clearwater Mall, The Glen, Woodlands, Table Bay Mall, Somerset Mall and Capegate Shopping Centre, with the final week of competition culminating at Canal Walk. The tournament drew thousands of players across all skill levels, offering more than R250 000 in prizes and a platform to compete in front of live audiences.
“The SHIFT Gaming Experience is about bringing high-level competition into public spaces and giving players of all ages the opportunity to compete, connect and grow,” said Christie Stanbridge, Brand and Campaigns Marketing Manager at Hyprop. “From pros representing South Africa on global stages to young players discovering their potential, far more than being entertaining, this year highlighted gaming as a space for learning, discipline and community.”
With the 2025 tournament wrapped, planning is already underway for an even bigger return in 2026.
The post South Africa’s Top Gamers Crowned at 2025 MTN SHIFT Gaming Grand Finals at Canal Walk appeared first on European Gaming Industry News.
Bonus Bag feature
TaDa Gaming Delivers Highway Thrills in Chicken Dash
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Award-winning TaDa has taken a favourite joke and transformed it into an immersive and humorous crash release. Simple mechanics, personalised risk management controls and a max win of 20,659.1x are enhanced with slick graphics and a fearless chicken.
And with an expanding bonus bag that fell off the back of a lorry, it’s easy to see why this chicken is so determined to get to the other side.
Players begin by setting their preferred gameplay parameters. Three levels of Easy, Normal and Hard will dictate the level length or number of tiles the bird has to cross and the level max multiplier value.
Strong clear colours and polished visuals set the scene for the determined chicken to make it across the motorway. Beginning on the grass verge, players click to send the bird across the lanes one multiplier tile at a time against the oncoming traffic.
Each safe step will see a safety barrier land to protect the chicken but one false move and it’s game over and back to the grass verge.
Keeping players on high alert, the Chicken Dash feature can randomly trigger multiple times in a game. The appearance and squawking of the rooster starts the bonus feature which protects the chicken from traffic throughout and allows it to pass over two or three tiles in one go.
A Bonus Bag feature can also randomly trigger. Players must land the chicken on the tile where the bag dropped to collect the prize. And the higher the risk level, the higher the prize.
A clear UI and straightforward gameplay mean players can focus on getting the chicken across the road in one piece – and hopefully with the bonus prize – while enjoying Chicken Dash’s crisp graphics and sly details in this high volatility and amusing game.
Sean Liu, Director of Product Management at TaDa Gaming, said: “Chicken Dash is a hugely entertaining crash game that will have players laughing out loud. The cartoon graphics add to the experiential play and we promise no chickens were hurt in making of this game.”
The post TaDa Gaming Delivers Highway Thrills in Chicken Dash appeared first on European Gaming Industry News.
Cash Rain Event
TaDa Gaming Releases Cash Stack
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TaDa Gaming, a leading provider of innovative casino content, is redefining fast-play entertainment with the release of Cash Stack, an adrenaline-pumping crash game that puts timing, control and strategy directly in the player’s hands. With a max multiplier of 100x, Cash Stack delivers rapid gameplay, instant decisions and nonstop engagement.
Built for players who love simplicity and control, Cash Stack starts at a 1.01x multiplier, with the tension rising as players manually tap DROP to increase their payout potential. Every decision carries risk — one mistimed move and the round ends instantly. For those who dare, the game can soar up to 100x before the stack collapses.
The twist comes with the Cash Rain Event, a random in-game boost that can multiply winnings by 0.1x to 10x. Players must hit CASH OUT before the round ends to claim the bonus value, adding a thrilling layer of timing and anticipation. The result is a fast, skill-driven experience that rewards quick reactions and nerve.
Cash Stack embodies TaDa Gaming’s next step in the evolution of crash games — sleek visuals, simple mechanics and an emphasis on player control over automatic outcomes.
Sean Liu, Director of Product Management at TaDa Gaming, said: “Cash Stack takes the essence of crash gameplay and turns it into a true test of timing and instinct. Every round is a balance between greed and precision — do you cash out early or chase the big win? We’ve designed it to be fast, flexible, and highly engaging for players who want to feel in control.”
The post TaDa Gaming Releases Cash Stack appeared first on European Gaming Industry News.
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