Gaming

Gamecity Hamburg funds six prototypes of digital games with 398,000 euros

Published

4 years ago

May 18, 2022

Reading Time: 3 minutes

In its funding round for 2022, the location initiative Gamecity Hamburg supports six promising games projects from Hamburg with a total sum of 398,000 euros through its Prototype Funding program. The Gamecity Hamburg Prototype Funding is awarded as a non-repayable grant. The program enables Hamburg-based developers, studios and start-ups to develop convincing prototypes of digital games for the competitive international games market.

Because of the high quality of the projects submitted, the awarding committee decided to fully use the available budget of 400,000 euros for this year’s Prototype Funding program. The application phase for the next funding round will start in spring 2023. The diversity and quality of the applications demonstrate a positive development of Hamburg’s games industry and a successful promotion of young talent at the location.

Dennis Schoubye, Head of Gamecity Hamburg, explains: “We see a positive dynamic in the quality of the applications for the Prototype Funding. We also see positive effects from other support programs like our Games Lift Incubator and our new event format ‘Pitch Level Up’. Three of the funded projects are from teams and developers who have previously completed our Games Lift Incubator. In addition, there is a good mix among the funding recipients ranging from start-ups to game studios that are already firmly anchored in Hamburg.”

The funded projects in 2022:

Hexagone by Tiny Roar – €80,000
Super Party Verse by Super Crowd Entertainment – €80,000
Dein Skat by Bestjack Entertainment – €70,000
Alchymia by Pseudoscience Interactive – €70,000
Prospector by Symmetry Break Studio – €70,000
Monstersongs VR by Denise Koch – €28,000

Hexagone by Tiny Roar is a relaxing strategy-adventure game in which players create and explore different worlds. As adventurers, players individually uncover their game world and its secrets by laying cards on a mysterious world map full of treasures, expeditions, and hidden ruins.

Players can experience a fun multiplayer party in the mobile app Super Party Verse from Super Crowd Entertainment. In a colorful hub world, players can create mini-game events in a growing community, join existing parties and actively fill the world with life by designing their own rooms and avatars. New content will also find its way into the Super Party Verse through brand partners.

Dein Skat by Bestjack Entertainment takes the traditional German card game Skat to a new level as a single-player experience through a sophisticated AI, an entertaining story mode, motivating quests, and numerous challenges for beginners and advanced players in a lovely designed look.

In the construction and management game Alchymia by Pseudoscience Interactive, players must save their city from a horde of undead creatures with the help of alchemical equipment and various potions. In the turn-based game, players make tactical decisions that influence the course of the game. Julia Reberg, the creative mind behind Pseudoscience Interactive and Alchymia, is an alumna of the first round of the Games Lift Incubator in 2020.

Prospector by Symmetry Break Studio is a narrative 2D-adventure game with an intriguing story and an innovative dialogue system. Players experience their adventure in a metropolis on the edge of a crater doused in toxic fog and can only survive using mysterious masks. Symmetry Break Studio are alumni of the Games Lift Incubator 2021.

In the virtual rock musical game Monstersongs VR by Denise Koch, players experience stories and songs of numerous monsters in an abandoned theater, solve tricky puzzles and face their own feelings. Monstersongs VR bridges the gap between musical shows and gaming. With the concept for the game Denise Koch participated in the Games Lift Incubator 2021.

From March 4 to April 11, a total of 18 solo developers, start-ups, and companies from Hamburg applied for this round of the Gamecity Hamburg Prototype Funding.

The selection was made by an awarding committee consisting of Hamburg-based games industry experts Nina Müller (Head of Publishing, Goodgame Studios), Jonas Hüsges (Publishing Director, Daedalic Entertainment), Valentina Birke (Head of Project, Indie Arena Booth), Jens Unrau (Head of Department Media and Digital Economy, Ministry of Culture and Media Hamburg) and Dennis Schoubye (Head of Gamecity Hamburg).

The successful applicants not only convinced the committee with their project presentations but also with the potential of their projects in other criteria, like the market potential, their team structure, and the promotion of young talent.

About the Gamecity Hamburg Prototype Funding

The Gamecity Hamburg Prototype Funding in its current form was launched in 2020. Including the most recent funding round, the program has so far supported the development of 22 prototypes with a total funding amount of 1,240,000 euros.

Arena Racing Company

Arena Racing Company awarded United Arab Emirates Gaming-Related Vendor License

Published

3 days ago

December 20, 2025

Wladimir P.

arena-racing-company-awarded-united-arab-emirates-gaming-related-vendor-license

Arena Racing Company (ARC) has been granted a Gaming-Related Vendor license from the United Arab Emirates’ General Commercial Gaming Authority (GCGRA), an independent entity of the UAE Federal Government with exclusive jurisdiction to regulate, license, and supervise all commercial gaming activities.

The license, operational with immediate effect, affords ARC the opportunity to provide its products and services to licensed operators in the region. Notably, the Racing1 Markets service, an all-in-one horse and greyhound racing solution delivered in conjunction with Racing1 alliance media rights partners at 1/ST CONTENT, Racecourse Media Group (RMG), and Tabcorp, alongside technical partner Pythia Sports. ARC has been added to the list of licensed vendors as per the GCGRA website.

Jack Whitaker, Commercial Manager at ARC, said: “Obtaining this license is a great achievement for ARC and its Racing1 partners. The emerging regulated UAE market is incredibly exciting, and we look forward to showcasing our innovative products and services in the region.”

The post Arena Racing Company awarded United Arab Emirates Gaming-Related Vendor License appeared first on Gaming and Gambling Industry Newsroom.

Battle of the Tribes

POLYTOPIA WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP 2025 BREAKS RECORD PARTICIPATION AS FINALS DRAW CLOSER

Published

3 weeks ago

December 3, 2025

Wladimir P.

polytopia-world-championship-2025-breaks-record-participation-as-finals-draw-closer

Reading Time: 2 minutes

Celebrated strategy game The Battle of Polytopia confirms its first ever World Championships has exceeded expectations with over 10,000 sign-ups in its qualifying rounds. While no stranger to tournaments, previously hosting smaller scale, local tournaments called ‘Polysseums’, developer Midjiwan’s first step into global esports has been met with extreme success. The inclusive esports event has a $10,000 prize pool and will conclude on 6 December 2025, 14:00-21:00.

The finals will take place in front of a live-studio audience, with expert commentary and a chance to peek behind the scenes at Midjiwan itself. First place will receive $4,000, the runner-up will take away $2,000, the third and fourth place finishers will get $1,500, and the fifth and sixth place $500.

The Polytopia World Championship 2025 is being hosted by eSports platform, Challengermode, who Midjiwan has relied on for its monthly local tournaments since 2022. Midjiwan also partnered with Black Molly Entertainment to help organise and manage the event. Black Molly Entertainment have years of experience managing eSports tournaments, with notable events including the Geoguesser World Cup and CS:GO Pinnacle Cup Championship.

Midjiwan has worked closely with its community to ensure engagement is high with each round, building a bespoke ‘Spectator Mode’ into the game so fans can watch each game live through the game itself. In the spectator mode the viewer has visibility of all players simultaneously, with stats on how many cities, technologies, kills and more available for quick access.

Christian Lovstedt, CEO of Midjiwan commented:
“Polytopia has always been about welcoming all kinds of players into the world of 4X strategy. That’s why our championship is open to everyone – not just pros with sponsors. We’ve been thrilled at the amount of interest this tournament received from our community, reaching participation numbers way beyond our expectations. We’re excited to bring the finalists to Stockholm and can’t wait to see the strategies that emerge.”

The Polytopia World Championship 2025 kicked off in September, with its ‘Battle of the Tribes’ qualifying round – weekly battles where players competed to be the best in each of the game’s 12 tribes. After an exciting six weeks, the top player from each tribe faced-off, reducing the qualifiers to six finalists. These six winners are listed down below.

Tribe	Qualifying Player
IMPERIUS	ArthurL248
BARDUR	slimmingboy
OUMAJI	Dreamlander3000
HOODRICK	Theetat
XIN-Xi	LeLiberateur
LUXIDOOR	Meisterlampe

Recaps of each round of the tournament prior to the finals can be watched on the official Battle of Polytopia YouTube channel.

Part 1: Polytopia World Championship 1st Qualifiers Wrap-Up – BARDUR, IMPERIUS, KICKOO, ZEBASI
Part 2: Qualifiers Wrap-Up – Oumaji Hoodrick Yadakk & Quetzali – World Champoinship 2025
Part 3: Final Qualifiers Wrap-Up – Xin-Xi, Luxidoor, Ai-Mo & Vengir – World Championship 2025
Face-off stream: https://youtube.com/live/GnU6mWPoJiY?feature=share

To watch the finals live on December 6,visit here: https://polytopia.io/stream/

To stay up to date on the Polytopia World Championship 2025, or purchase one of the limited tickets for the live event, visit the official website or join the Official Polytopia Discord.

The post POLYTOPIA WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP 2025 BREAKS RECORD PARTICIPATION AS FINALS DRAW CLOSER appeared first on European Gaming Industry News.

Betiator

Delasport Unveils a Crash Game for Sports Betting

Published

3 weeks ago

December 3, 2025

George Miller

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Reading Time: 2 minutes

Leading iGaming supplier Delasport teases a one-of-a-kind sports betting crash game called Betiator – a new in-play experience that merges live sports with the tension and excitement of crash games.

Inspired by the groundbreaking casino genre, the company once again pushes the whole industry to a new phase in evolution by allowing sports bettors to play in the same easy and fun way as fellow casino players. Crash games are booming in the casino world, showing that players crave more emotional, fast, and visually engaging formats – and Betiator brings that same adrenaline-charged energy to the sportsbook.

It changes the scene by introducing a truly innovative way to bet on sports, keeping players at the edge of their seats during the game. Designed to excite both sports bettors and casino players, it marks a defining moment for innovation.

This product comes as a logical next step in the evolution of live betting and the company’s goal to disrupt the iGaming industry. It demonstrates Delasport’s successful commitment to unique innovation: a strategy they call “Going Beyond Content” –building on the success of products and features like SuperPot, My Sportsbook, My Combo, Double My Winnings, and many more.

“Sports bettors deserve the same level of innovation and excitement that casino players get all the time,” Delasport’s CEO Oren Cohen Shwartz says. “At Delasport we’re taking the whole game to a new playing field with Betiator. Live betting won’t feel outdated anymore as we’re bringing in the thrill of the casino to sports betting.”

While details about Betiator remain under wraps for now, Delasport promises a completely new way to experience live sports. Operators and partners eager to see it in action can schedule exclusive demos and discover more at ICE Barcelona 2026, taking place January 19–21, where Betiator will make its official debut.

The post Delasport Unveils a Crash Game for Sports Betting appeared first on European Gaming Industry News.