Games Lift Returns: Hamburg

Gamecity Hamburg's June 2021 announcement promotes the return of its Games Lift Incubator and uses the 2020 cohort's experiences to encourage applications. Five more teams will be selected for a September to December 2021 program, with applications open from June 21 to July 26. The program targets anyone looking to enter the games industry, from design students to established studio founders.

Each participating team receives up to 15,000 euros in funding over a three-month period, along with mentoring from industry professionals. Selection is made by an awarding committee, which weighs how teams present themselves as personalities, whether Hamburg can grow through their game, and whether the cohort spans a range of genres. Committee member and mentor Anne Beuttenmüller, Director of Marketing at Niantic overseeing the European market for Pokémon GO, notes that many participants asked for marketing guidance. She also hopes the program can draw more women into a field where only about a quarter of developers are female, though gender is not a selection criterion.

Three alumni illustrate the program's impact. Roman Fuhrer, a veteran developer who had worked on Leif's Adventure for nearly four years while freelancing as a graphic designer, joined to gain contacts and business knowledge outside his art specialty; the game is slated for September release, and he hopes revenue will fund a new prototype with a small team. Ole Jürgensen credits mentoring with shaping his VR game Crumbling, including the idea of presenting heroes as action figures, and says the program made the project possible; it has since advanced via Gamecity Prototype Funding. Game design student Julia Reberg joined with only a concept for Alchymia and won over the committee.

The central argument is that coaching and networking may matter even more than the money, and that Hamburg's supportive developer environment helps indie creators overcome challenges they would otherwise face alone. Sidebar news items show the program continuing through 2026, with the same 15,000 euro grant, an added 1,000 euro coaching budget, and an international industry event trip.