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Gamecity Hamburg brings five start-ups to the Indie Arena Booth at gamescom 2024
gamescom, the world’s largest trade fair for video games, is returning to Cologne from August 21 to 25. Through the “Road to gamescom” program, Gamecity Hamburg enables five indie studios from Hamburg to participate in the Indie Arena Booth, the largest joint booth of game developers worldwide. The start-ups will present their games to numerous gamescom visitors as well as potential business partners and the press. Other companies from Hamburg will be at gamescom to showcase projects and hold business meetings.
“With our ‘Road to’ program, we bring indie studios to relevant games events and prepare them to meet publishers, make contacts, and present their games to consumers. Our joint stand at the Indie Arena Booth enables us to achieve all these goals at gamescom”, says Dennis Schoubye, Head of Gamecity Hamburg. The joint booth of Gamecity Hamburg will present five promising projects from Hamburg at the Indie Arena Booth in Hall 10.2, F010g – E019.
These five studios will present their games at the Indie Arena Booth:
Godcomplex Games – Stack ‘Em Up
Godcomplex Games completed the Games Lift Incubator 2022 and received prototype funding for their game in 2023. Stack ‘Em Up is an exciting online and offline multiplayer player party game for up to four players. They absorb slimes with unique abilities, which they can creatively combine and stack to collect points and eliminate opponents in fast-paced battles.
Markus Koepke – Journey Beyond the Edge of the World
Journey Beyond is an immersive first-person adventure set on an abandoned fishing trawler in the middle of the North Sea. Players explore the ship and its mysterious history, which is revealed through puzzles, radio recordings, and atmospheric music. Markus Koepke has successfully completed the Gamecity Hamburg Games Lift Incubator 2023.
Pipapo Games – Map Map – A Game About Maps
Pipapo Games completed the HAW Games Master, further developed their game in the Games Lift Incubator 2023 and received Gamecity Hamburg prototype funding in 2024. In the cozy exploration game Map Map – A Game About Maps, players slip into the role of adventure-hungry cartographers who explore and map the surroundings on unknown islands full of secrets and thus get closer to the trail of a buried treasure.
Slime King Games – Under the Island
Under the Island delivers fantastic graphics and presents a profound adventure story in the RPG genre. After moving to Seashell Island, the protagonist, Nia, must save her home from sinking, together with new friends. Solve puzzles, fight monsters, explore the map: Under the Island offers well-made old-school RPG classics and combines them with renewed ideas and a great soundtrack by Miyoko Takaoka (Sonic, Terranigma and others).
Sven Ahlgrimm & Mathilde Hoffmann – ODDADA
ODDADA is a music construction kit game. Players create their own musical landscapes: machines and buildings become instruments that play new compositions at different levels. The developer duo Ahlgrimm and Hoffmann are from Berlin/Hamburg. Hamburg native Mathilde Hoffmann has been a successful sound designer and composer for games for many years (including Unrailed, Deep Space Gardening, Closer the Distance, and many more), while Sven Ahlgrimm is an experienced programmer, artist, and game creator.
Three of the five projects presented received funding from Gamecity Hamburg, including participation in the Games Lift Incubator and the receipt of prototype funding.
Companies from Hamburg at gamescom 2024
Other companies from the Hamburg games industry will be on-site at gamescom 2024 to present their new games or to initiate new business partnerships. Some examples:
Osmotic Studios will be showing their narrative slice-of-life adventure game Closer the Distance, which will be released on August 2, 2024, for PC, Playstation 5, and Xbox Series X|S. A demo will be playable at the Indie Arena Booth.
Mooneye Studios will be represented as part of the Home of Indies in Hall 10.2 with the games Smushi Come Home, Farewell North, and Lost Ember.
InnoGames GmbH will be available for press and business contacts for individual appointments.
Bigpoint GmbH will be available in the B2B area for business contacts and press appointments.
Daedalic Entertainment will be available for talks in the B2B area, and they will be presenting the cozy puzzle game Woodo in the indie area in the B2C area.
In addition, the Hamburg gaming internet channel Rocket Beans TV will accompany gamescom with numerous live broadcasts.
Gamecity Hamburg supports the Hamburg games industry and the diversity in the industry
In addition to programs such as “Road to gamescom”, the Gamecity Hamburg initiative, which is financed by the Free and Hanseatic City of Hamburg, supports the regional games industry with other tailor-made funding programs: In the Games Lift Incubator, game developers and founders receive one year of intensive coaching and mentoring from international industry experts in addition to financial support. With prototype funding, Gamecity Hamburg also supports the development of game prototypes in Hamburg with up to 80,000 euros per project. In 2024, Gamecity Hamburg introduced a mandatory diversity checklist for all applicants of the funding programs, which actively contributes to more diversity in teams and projects.
The post Gamecity Hamburg brings five start-ups to the Indie Arena Booth at gamescom 2024 appeared first on European Gaming Industry News.
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Meridianbet Doubles Down on Belgium: New Casino License Unlocks €455m Market Segment
Editor’s Take
Why this matters: This is a classic “Cross-Sell” play. Meridianbet has already spent seven years building a sports betting database in Belgium. By securing this B+ license, they can now monetize those same users with higher-margin casino products (slots, table games) without needing to acquire new traffic from scratch. With the Belgian casino sector growing at 20% year-over-year, this is a significant revenue unlock for the GMGI portfolio.
The Full Story
Meridianbet, the sports betting and gaming operator owned by Golden Matrix Group Inc. (NASDAQ: GMGI), has successfully expanded its regulatory footprint in Europe by securing a B+ online gaming license in Belgium.
The new license (B+ 4016) authorizes the company to launch a comprehensive online casino platform—featuring slots, table games, and automated live games—starting in January 2026. This move significantly broadens the operator’s capabilities in the country, complementing its existing sports betting operations which have been active in the Belgian market for seven years.
Targeting the Largest Market Segment The strategic rationale behind the license is clear: Casino is now the dominant force in Belgian gambling. According to the Belgian Gaming Commission, the online casino vertical generated €455 million in Gross Gaming Revenue (GGR) in 2023, representing a 20.2% year-over-year increase.
By entering this vertical, Meridianbet gains access to the largest and fastest-growing segment of a market that generated a total of €944.6 million last year.
Tech-First Entry Meridianbet plans to deploy its proprietary AI Casino Recommender technology for the Belgian launch. This system analyzes player behavior and preferences in real-time to deliver personalized game suggestions, a crucial differentiator in a highly concentrated market where just ten operators account for 94% of all online wagers.
Regulatory Context Belgium is known for having one of Europe’s strictest regulatory frameworks, characterized by rigorous compliance standards and player protection protocols. Securing this license validates Meridianbet’s operational standards and deepens its foothold in a “mature” market that is notoriously difficult for new entrants to penetrate.
The post Meridianbet Doubles Down on Belgium: New Casino License Unlocks €455m Market Segment appeared first on Gaming and Gambling Industry Newsroom.
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LinkDataMedia Drops ‘Startup’ Look with Major 5th Anniversary Rebrand
Editor’s Take
Why this matters: In the iGaming affiliate space, the five-year mark is a critical survival threshold. Many media startups fade away before reaching it. LinkDataMedia’s decision to rebrand now is a classic “graduation” signal. By shedding their startup skin for a more corporate, “blue-chip” aesthetic (the stability-focused blue triangle), they are telling operators and partners that they are no longer just an affiliate project, but a stable infrastructure partner ready for larger commercial deals.
The Full Story
LinkDataMedia, the parent company behind the popular affiliate portal Gamblers Connect, has announced a comprehensive corporate rebrand to coincide with its fifth anniversary.
The overhaul includes a completely refreshed brand identity, a redesigned logo, and a fully revamped website, all of which are now live. The move is described by the company not as a mere cosmetic update, but as a strategic pivot designed to distance the business from its “startup roots” and reflect its current status as an established player in the competitive iGaming media landscape.
Visualizing Maturity The new visual language features a modernized blue triangular logo, a shape chosen to represent “stability and forward momentum.” The digital user experience has also been streamlined, offering partners a cleaner interface that aligns better with the company’s matured operational capabilities.
Management Commentary Gjorgje Ristikj, Founder and CEO of LinkDataMedia, commented on the significance of hitting the half-decade milestone in such a volatile industry:
“Surviving the first five years in business takes more than luck. It takes belief, resilience, and the right people around you. This milestone, and the rebrand, reflect exactly that.”
Implementation The new branding has already been deployed across the main corporate website and is currently being rolled out across LinkDataMedia’s social media channels and internal communication platforms. As the company enters its sixth year, the refreshed identity aims to set the stage for a new phase of expansion and innovation.
The post LinkDataMedia Drops ‘Startup’ Look with Major 5th Anniversary Rebrand appeared first on Gaming and Gambling Industry Newsroom.
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Win Systems to Debut New ‘Gold Club Colors’ and WIGOS Upgrades at ICE Barcelona
Editor’s Take
Why this matters: As ICE makes its historic move to Barcelona, established tech providers like Win Systems are under pressure to bring their “A-game” to the larger venue. The focus here isn’t just on cabinets; it’s the ecosystem. By highlighting WIGOS (their CMS) alongside WIN PAY, Win Systems is positioning itself as an infrastructure partner, not just a hardware supplier. The debut of the Gold Club Colors roulette specifically targets the growing demand for visually customizable electronic table games (ETGs).
The Full Story
Win Systems, the global provider of technology for the gaming and entertainment industry, has confirmed its product roadmap for ICE Barcelona 2026, the sector’s most significant international event taking place from January 19 to 21.
Exhibiting at Stand 3M30 at the Fira Barcelona Gran Via, the company will leverage the new venue to showcase a broad portfolio designed to cover the entire casino floor—from management systems to the gaming floor itself.
Systems and Fintech At the core of the showcase is WIGOS, the company’s flagship Casino Management System (CMS). WIGOS is widely recognized for connecting thousands of machines across multiple countries, and the Barcelona display will focus on advanced tools that streamline daily operations and optimize player retention.
Complementing the CMS, Win Systems will present WIN PAY, its secure transaction platform. As cashless and seamless payment solutions become standard requirements for operators, WIN PAY offers the necessary efficiency and security controls for modern gaming environments.
Hardware: Roulette and Slots On the hardware side, Win Systems is refreshing its electronic table game offering with the new Gold Club Colors electronic roulette. The Gold Club line has long been a staple in the company’s portfolio, known for its compact footprint and reliability; the “Colors” iteration promises to maximize visual impact on the floor.
Alongside the roulette, the company will display its latest slot hardware, including the Sublime and Rhapsody cabinets. These units are designed to house the company’s extensive game library, which has been adapted to suit diverse market profiles from Europe to Latin America.
Strategic Goals Win Systems aims to use the three-day event to reinforce its 30-year legacy in the industry. The company described its participation as a commitment to “continuous innovation,” inviting operators and regulators to explore how their integrated solutions can improve in-room performance.
The post Win Systems to Debut New ‘Gold Club Colors’ and WIGOS Upgrades at ICE Barcelona appeared first on Gaming and Gambling Industry Newsroom.
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