Gaming

Flow Made Announces its Mental Health Platform for Game Developers

Published

3 years ago

October 10, 2022

Reading Time: 2 minutes

Marking World Mental Health Day (10th October 2022) Flow Made today announced the launch of its online mental health platform for European-based video game developers.

Designed to provide science-based, well-being coaching for both individuals and developer teams, Flow Made offers solutions to two of the main challenges that workers in the industry encounter – mental well-being and productivity.

Flow Made founder and CEO, Kevin Scheepers, has combined his expertise as a business coach with his understanding of the challenge of game developer “crunch” to build an online, modular therapy course. It will also be supported by individual, face-to-face (remote) coaching sessions and is designed specifically to help people cope with the stresses of working in the gaming industry.

European Gaming Congress 2024 (Warsaw, Poland)

At the heart of Flow Made are two concepts. First, that flow state, where you become fully immersed in your task (‘get in the zone’), can bring you clarity and heightened well-being, allowing you to work better and be happier doing it. And second, by using positive psychology and focusing on strengths instead of weaknesses, people can improve their quality of life and happiness levels.

Flow Made aims to gamify the counselling experience to ensure that it is engaging, informative and unique for its clients. It has been designed on a gamelike platform, with dedicated’ quests’ for clients to follow.

Kevin Scheepers explains, “By coaching individuals and teams on achieving and maximising flow states, we position the mind to perform deep and high-value work, decreasing the likelihood of burnout and protecting productivity. It’s long been known that getting into the zone benefits performance. I have been inspired by McKinsey & Co research that indicates reaching flow states has the potential to increase productivity by 500%. We have trialled Flow Made with a number of development companies to get the platform right, and now I’m excited to be able to offer our services and therapy to a wider audience”.

One of Flow Made’s first clients is Dream Reality Interactive (DRI), an AR and VR immersive developer based in London. Richard Bates, co-founder and CTO at DRI, says of Flow Made’s expertise and understanding of gaming; “The great thing about Flow Made is that it’s been designed from the bottom up for developers. At all touchpoints, it shows that it understands the tensions we face in the industry. Most of us will, at sometime, forget good time management or communication practices around our colleagues, and Flow Made has helped our teams focus on breaking clear of these habits and bringing about better productivity and a calmer, happier working environment.”

Flow Made is available on three levels: individual, small studio, and whole company/large studio. Each plan is bespoke to the individual or company and tackles the main problem area(s), be that nutrition, working practices or other areas of concern identified by your coach in the initial exploratory stage.

The cost for individual access is $475 for a course that provides access to the ‘main quest’ counselling modules. Small studio and Large Studio bespoke plan pricing is available on enquiry to Flow Made.

Gaming

German Games Market Grows in the First Half of 2025

Published

3 days ago

August 14, 2025

Niji Narayan

german-games-market-grows-in-the-first-half-of-2025

Reading Time: 2 minutes

The German games market has returned to growth: following a year in which revenue from games, games hardware and online gaming services declined for the first time after many years of growth, the first six months of 2025 have once again seen an increase in sales revenue. 4.6 billion euros in revenue was generated, which equates to an increase of 4% compared to the same period in the previous year.

This was announced by game – The German Games Industry Association at a press conference in advance of the opening of gamescom next week. The sources of this data are the market research firm YouGov and data.ai (a Sensor Tower company). Games hardware enjoyed the biggest increase during the first half of 2025. Propelled among other things by the launch of the Nintendo Switch 2, revenues in this area grew by 17%. The online gaming services market segment also increased, by 4%. Games, on the other hand, experienced a small decline of 2%, to 2.7 billion euros.

“The German games market’s growth in the first six months of 2025 sends a powerful signal for the start of gamescom. This year’s event has also set a new record for the number of exhibitors. Combined with the increase in exhibition space and the many top companies expected to attend this year’s event, gamescom is set to drive even more growth in the German and international games market. This year’s theme – ‘Games – perfect entertainment’ – is fully in keeping with this boost, as 44 million Germans view games as the entertainment of our age. And not just for themselves: the vast majority of video game players believe that games are particularly good for bringing people of all ages together. It is yet another way that gamescom will be the perfect place to be,” said Felix Falk, Managing Director of game – The German Games Industry Association, which is a co-organiser of gamescom.

The theme of gamescom 2025 – “Games – perfect entertainment” – reflects the reality in Germany, as was underscored by the findings of a representative survey conducted by the market research company YouGov: some two thirds of Germans consider video games to be the entertainment of our age. This equates to around 44 million people. It is a finding that is also supported by the experiences of the people playing video games. Nearly all of them say that they enjoy playing games (94%), find them entertaining (93%), and see them as a good way to relax (91%). In fact, 86% of video game players say that games put them in a good mood, and 8 in 10 players spend less time thinking about crises or worries thanks to games.

The average age of video game players in Germany is now nearly 40 – and it is continuing to rise. This is because the largest increases in the number of players are in the older age groups. Games have long since established themselves as a medium for all generations. The video game players think so, too: 85% of them say that games offer something for every age group, while 88% enjoy playing with other family members. 79% of players in Germany believe that games can help to bring younger and older people together, and three quarters of players think that playing games together as a family can help people to gain a better understanding of digital media.

The post German Games Market Grows in the First Half of 2025 appeared first on European Gaming Industry News.

Anton Umnov

Avalanche and Helika Launch New Gaming Accelerator – Applications Now Open

Published

4 days ago

August 13, 2025

GamingAmericas.com

avalanche-and-helika-launch-new-gaming-accelerator-–-applications-now-open

The Avalanche Foundation and Helika, a leading provider of technical and creative solutions for the video games industry, have officially launched their joint video game accelerator program and opened applications for the first cohort.

The newly announced strategic partnership is designed to engage both Web3-native studios and traditional game developers exploring blockchain integration. The accelerator aims to identify and support the next generation of studios building at the frontier of blockchain-based gaming.

The program is focused on product interaction and is designed to discover, support, and fast-track promising studios and projects building on the Avalanche blockchain. It will provide selected projects with unparalleled access to resources, mentorship from industry leaders, technical support, activations, and funding opportunities for qualifying or top-performing teams.

The accelerator is open to seasoned teams building high-quality, engaging experiences across platforms, from mobile to desktop and everything in between. Projects with prior traction or cross-platform aspirations are especially encouraged to apply.

The program will run for 3 months, with virtual onboarding and IRL showcases planned across major gaming and blockchain events.

What selected teams get:

Funding & Resources: $25,000 in initial support and up to $125,000 in additional funding for qualifying or top-performing teams.

Expert Guidance: Mentorship from game veterans, blockchain experts, and industry leaders through group sessions and 1:1 consultations.

Analytics Support: Comprehensive analytics solutions to track performance, improve retention, and optimize monetization strategies.

Blockchain Integration: Dedicated assistance for integrating with the Avalanche blockchain and optimizing technical performance.

Community & Growth: Activations with partner communities and platforms and support in player acquisition, community building, go-to-market strategies.

Helika Advisory Access: Access to specialized experts from Helika’s network for tailored support.

Ecosystem Access: Direct connection to a vibrant network of developers, investors, publishers, and Web3 enthusiasts.

Showcase Opportunities: A final Demo Day event to present games to investors, publishers, and ecosystem partners.

“We are excited to partner with the Avalanche Foundation to create a world-class accelerator for Web3 gaming. Avalanche’s robust and scalable infrastructure makes it an ideal environment for innovative game development. Studios need tools that work, data that matter, and real support from people who understand what it means to build in this space — this accelerator provides all of that, plus a direct line into a powerful Web3 ecosystem,” said Anton Umnov, Founder and CEO of Helika.

“Avalanche is focused on the long game. There’s no shortage of flashy ideas. What’s missing is the support that helps studios turn those ideas into real, playable, scalable games. Avalanche has long been the go-to chain for speed and innovation, and now we’re channeling that energy into the future of gaming, supporting teams who understand the nuance of player experience, community building, and long-term value creation,” said Parker Heath, Ava Labs Gaming Partnerships Lead.

Avalanche plays host to a vibrant lineup of video games, including Off The Grid and Maple Story Universe, all pushing the boundaries of what’s possible in blockchain-powered play. Thanks to its customizable Avalanche L1s, lightning-fast transaction speeds and low fees, developers can tailor unique environments for their games without compromising on user experience.

Helika has become a cornerstone for modern game studios, equipping developers with real-time insights into player behavior, on-chain economies, and engagement metrics. From Proof of Play and Parallel to Nexon, Ubisoft, and Com2Us, Helika’s platform is shaping how developers build, balance, and scale their games in real-time. This accelerator takes that impact further by embedding support into the earliest stages of development when it matters most.

The post Avalanche and Helika Launch New Gaming Accelerator – Applications Now Open appeared first on Gaming and Gambling Industry in the Americas.

Gaming

Unlocking games revenue: player behavior and payment trends in the west | Newzoo x Tebex Whitepaper

Published

4 days ago

August 13, 2025

GamingAmericas.com

unlocking-games-revenue:-player-behavior-and-payment-trends-in-the-west-|-newzoo-x-tebex-whitepaper

Tebex, the leading payments solution for gaming, reaching $1Bn in processed payments and powering over 30,000 web stores, is launching the first industry-wide look at payment trends in EU and NA with Newzoo on Tuesday, August 12 at 09:00 AM CEST.

Why This Data Matters

In a maturing Western games market with slowing payer growth (North America: +1.1% CAGR, Europe: +3.1% CAGR, 2023-2027), studios must shift from acquiring new players to maximizing value from existing ones. The data reveals critical insights into player motivations, spending patterns, and payment preferences, enabling developers to craft targeted monetization strategies that boost revenue, enhance retention, and align with player expectations.

Global Market Snapshot (2025)

Market Size: $188.9B (+3.4% YoY), with North America ($52.7B, 28%) and Europe ($33.1B, 18%) driving 46% of global spend despite housing only 20% of players (3.54B total).
Payer Spending Power: North America leads with $324.9 avg. annual spend per payer; Europe averages $125.4 ($170.0 Western, $51.6 Eastern).
Value: High per-payer spend in Western markets highlights the opportunity to deepen monetization through tailored strategies.

Spending Motivations Drive Strategy

North America: 34% of payers spend to unlock exclusive content, 29% for personalization (character customization), reflecting a desire for self-expression. Studios can capitalize by offering unique cosmetics and content packs to drive engagement.
Europe: 28% prioritize deals/offers, 21% value ad-free experiences, showing value-driven behavior. Discounted bundles and subscription models can increase conversion in this region.
Value: Understanding regional motivations allows studios to align offerings with player priorities, enhancing loyalty and spend.

Diversified Spending Patterns

North America: 27% of payers invest in content packs, power-ups, and in-game currencies, with subscriptions (24%) and battle passes (23%) also strong.
Europe: In-game currencies and content packs lead (21% each), followed by subscriptions (20%) and gear/time-savers (18% each).
Value: Diverse spending across virtual goods underscores the need for varied monetization options to capture a broad range of player preferences, boosting average transaction value (ATV).

Payment Methods Unlock Higher Spend

ATV Trends (2025): Overall, ATV rose from $30 (2024) to $40. BNPL (North America: $85.0, Europe: $72.0) and crypto (North America: $94.8, Europe: $111.6) outperform cards (North America: $52.2, Europe: $42.7).
Dual-Method Impact: Players using cards + BNPL/crypto maintain transaction frequency while spending more.
Value: Offering alternative payment methods like BNPL and crypto can significantly increase ATV, especially in Western markets, without sacrificing transaction volume.

Revenue by Platform and Genre

Microtransactions (MTX): Drive 49% of PC and 52% of console revenue in North America; 42% (PC) and 51% (console) in Europe. Mobile is near 100% in-game revenue.
Top Genres: North America favors shooters, Europe prioritizes sports, with RPGs and puzzles strong in both.
Value: High MTX revenue and genre preferences guide studios to focus on live services and region-specific content to maximize engagement.

Strategic Takeaways

Deepen Monetization: With modest payer growth, studios must focus on existing players by offering personalized content and value-driven deals.
Diversify Payment Options: Cards and wallet still dominate in volume, but integrating BNPL and crypto can unlock higher ATV, especially in Western markets.
Align with Player Values: Transparency, fairness, and seamless payment experiences reduce churn and build loyalty in a competitive market.
Understand the why and how players spend: NA players are more likely to spend for personalization and self-expression, while EU players are more value-conscious, prioritizing deals and an ad-free experience.

Quotes

Liam Wiltshire Head of Payments & Compliance at Tebex

“The future of gaming is about flexibility – meeting players where they are, with the methods they trust.”

This quote summarizes the importance of adapting to player-preferred payment methods like wallets, BNPL, and crypto to enhance accessibility and trust.

“Virtual currencies and microtransactions are no longer just revenue streams – they’re becoming strategic levers for retention and differentiation.”

This emphasizes the evolving role of microtransactions beyond revenue, focusing on engagement and player retention.

“Today’s players want to know what they’re paying for – and why. How you monetize matters more than ever.”

This highlights the need for transparency and fairness in monetization to build player trust and loyalty.

The post Unlocking games revenue: player behavior and payment trends in the west | Newzoo x Tebex Whitepaper appeared first on Gaming and Gambling Industry in the Americas.