Goodgame Studios

Gamecity Hamburg Supports Five New Games with Prototype Funding

Gamecity Hamburg, an initiative of Hamburg Kreativ Gesellschaft, has awarded prototype funding to five local game development projects to support the creation of marketable digital games.

• Gamecity Hamburg is providing non-repayable prototype funding of up to 80,000 euros each to five Hamburg-based game development projects.
• The five selected projects are Manor Cartographer (papo Games), Odem (Odd Zeroes), Welken (Studio Gutheil), Ungradable (Chasmic Drop Studio), and The Wrong Horse (Bird Outside Studio).
• A second round of prototype funding for 2026 is scheduled, with the application phase opening in September 2026.

Stillfront Q1 2018 Interim Report

Stillfront Group’s Q1 2018 interim report outlines the company’s position as a market leader in free-to-play browser and mobile strategy games.

• Stillfront Group reported Q1 2018 net revenues of 315 million SEK, marking an 11% quarter-over-quarter growth.
• The company achieved an adjusted EBITDA margin of 34% and an adjusted EBIT margin of 24% for the first quarter of 2018.
• User acquisition costs totaled 85 million SEK, representing 27% of net revenue, with a business model designed to reach breakeven on marketing spend within six months.

Stillfront Year-End Report 2017

Stillfront Group’s 2017 year-end report outlines the company’s position as a market leader in free-to-play browser and mobile strategy games.

Year End Report: January–December 2017

Stillfront Group achieved substantial financial and operational growth throughout 2017, characterized by a 75 percent increase in net revenues to 166.0 million SEK and a 53 percent rise in EBITDA to 52.3 million SEK.

• Stillfront Group achieved significant financial growth in 2017, reporting a 75% increase in net revenues to 166.0 million SEK and a 53% rise in EBITDA to 52.3 million SEK.
• The acquisition of Altigi GmbH (Goodgame Studios) was finalized as a reverse acquisition, a pivotal move expected to fundamentally alter the group’s future financial reporting structure.
• The company expanded its portfolio through the integration of eRepublik Labs and maintained a stable leverage ratio of 1.30 throughout the year.

Stillfront and Goodgame Studios: Investor Presentation

Stillfront Group operates as a diversified gaming conglomerate focused on the acquisition and integration of independent, profitable studios to drive long-term value.

How Goodgame Studios bought Empire: Four Kingdoms to China

Goodgame Studios, a German developer, has pursued a strategic expansion into the Chinese mobile gaming market to leverage its global success in the free-to-play strategy genre.

• Goodgame Studios entered the Chinese market with a low-risk, iterative strategy for 'Empire: Four Kingdoms,' beginning with a localized iOS launch in October 2014 to test viability before committing to infrastructure changes.
• The studio identified the fragmented Chinese Android ecosystem as a primary challenge, noting that low-end device prevalence complicates monetization compared to the iOS segment.
• To scale distribution, the company is actively collaborating with local publishers and third-party Android app stores, specifically targeting platforms like 360, Xiaomi, and 91.

South Park's demonisation of F2P: let's blame Dungeon Keeper

The mobile gaming industry in late 2014 remains characterized by a persistent, polarized debate regarding the ethics and quality of free-to-play (F2P) monetization models.

• The mobile gaming industry is undergoing a structural shift toward service-oriented, co-development partnerships, exemplified by Scopely’s $35 million funding round.
• German developers are successfully transitioning from browser and PC markets to mobile, with Goodgame Studios scaling its workforce to 1,000 employees.
• Public perception of free-to-play (F2P) monetization remains polarized, with the 2014 mobile iteration of Dungeon Keeper serving as the primary symbol for criticisms regarding aggressive timers and exploitative mechanics.

Prototype Funding: Second Funding Round 2026

Gamecity Hamburg has announced the second funding round for its 2026 Prototype Funding program, aimed at supporting the development of innovative game projects.

• Gamecity Hamburg is offering non-repayable grants of up to 80,000 euros per project for the second 2026 Prototype Funding round.
• The total funding pool available for this specific round is 180,000 euros.
• Applications for the funding program will be accepted from September 4 to September 24, 2026.

Großer Erfolg für Goodgame Studios

Goodgame Studios, a prominent game developer based in Hamburg, achieved a significant commercial milestone in November 2017 with the launch of its mobile title, Big Farm: Mobile Harvest.

• Goodgame Studios' mobile title Big Farm: Mobile Harvest surpassed two million installations across 234 countries within its first three weeks of release in November 2017.
• Big Farm: Mobile Harvest recorded the strongest launch performance in the company's history, achieving record levels of player engagement and monetization.
• The game’s success was primarily driven by design elements that prioritize cooperative mechanics and community interaction.

Hey allihopa! THQ Nordic übernimmt Koch Media

In February 2018, the Swedish publisher THQ Nordic announced the acquisition of the German-Austrian distributor Koch Media for 121 million euros.

• In February 2018, the Swedish publisher THQ Nordic acquired the German-Austrian distributor Koch Media for 121 million euros.
• The acquisition integrated Koch Media’s diverse portfolio of games, film, and software into the THQ Nordic corporate structure while maintaining existing headquarters in Vienna and Planegg.
• Deep Silver Fishlabs, a prominent Hamburg-based studio known for the Galaxy on Fire series, became a subsidiary of THQ Nordic as part of the transaction.

Hamburg Prototype Funding: Presentation of the Awarding Committee

The Hamburg prototype funding initiative serves to bolster the local games industry by providing financial support for the development of early-stage game projects.

• The Hamburg prototype funding initiative provides financial support for early-stage game projects to drive innovation and regional industry growth.
• A five-member awarding committee evaluates applications, featuring experts from Studio Fizbin, Rockfish Games, Goodgame Studios, the Ministry of Culture and Media, and Gamecity Hamburg.
• Funding decisions are based on four primary criteria: promotion of young talent, project feasibility, market potential, and impact on the Hamburg games ecosystem.

Recap: Gamecity Forecast: Is Work Still a Place?

The working session "Gamecity Forecast: Is work still a place?" addressed the evolving nature of professional environments within the German games industry.

• There is no universal solution for modern workspace management; companies must adopt an iterative approach to refining work culture and office design.
• Physical office spaces must now serve a clear functional or emotional purpose, acting as hubs for inspiration and interaction rather than administrative locations.
• The German games industry will not return to pre-pandemic office norms, necessitating a balance between individual employee needs and collective organizational goals.