Games Lift 2025: The New Five Teams

Gamecity Hamburg announced on July 28, 2025 the five teams selected for the sixth Games Lift Incubator round, a Hamburg-based program supporting early-stage game developers. The announcement presents the winning projects and outlines what the program offers, positioning Games Lift as a talent-development pipeline for the local and German indie scene.

The round drew 43 applications from teams and solo developers, more than double the volume of previous years, which signals growing interest in the program. Five teams were chosen by the awarding committee. Each receives 15,000 euros in financial support, a one-year workshop and mentoring program, and input from international industry experts. More than 30 experts from the Games Lift Network provide professional guidance, and the teams travel to an international industry event to gain early exposure to the global market. The program begins on September 8, 2025.

The selected projects span a range of genres. The Wrong Horse, by Sharon Sacks and Vincent Will, is a colorful murder mystery adventure set at a racetrack. Encaged and Ungraded, by Leif Gutowski, blends anomaly horror with job simulation around card grading. Fading Skies, by Distant Blue, merges PS2 and GameCube-style 3D platforming with action RPG elements. Phasmopass, by Curio Compass, is a turn-based roguelite built around a ghostly volleyball reality show. Project: Slimepot, by Calluna Games, combines dungeon crawling, cooking, and tavern management.

Related news listings indicate the program continues: applications for the 2026 round ran from April 27 to June 1, again offering five teams 15,000 euros, a 1,000 euro coaching budget, a three-month workshop phase, individual mentoring, and travel to an international event by August 2027.