Through its Gamecity Hamburg initiative, Hamburg Kreativ Gesellschaft is providing prototype funding to support five video games developed in Hamburg. Each project will receive up to 80,000 euros in the form of a non-repayable grant. The application period for a second round of funding in 2026 will open in September.
The funding enables startups in Hamburg and finances studios and developers in the creation of marketable prototypes. From a large number of applications, the selection panel chose the projects with the greatest market potential. The selection of the 2026 funding recipients was made by a panel comprising Hamburg-based industry experts Nina Müller (VP Publishing & Development Services, Goodgame Studios), Jonas Hüsges (COO, Daedalic Entertainment), Valentina Birke (Director of Indie Arena Booth / Super Crowd Entertainment), Karsten Schwaiger (Head of the Media and Digital Economy Department at the City of Hamburg’s Ministry of Culture and Media) and Dennis Schoubye (Head of Gamecity Hamburg).
Manor Cartographer by Pipapo Games – 80,000 euros
Odem by Odd Zeroes – 80,000 euros
Welken by Studio Gutheil – 60,000 euros
Ungradable: Twisted Card Grading by Chasmic Drop Studio – 48,000 euros
The Wrong Horse by Bird Outside Studio – 40,000 euros
Pipapo Games, Chasmic Drop Studio, and Bird Outside Studio have already completed Gamecity Hamburg’s Games Lift Incubator. Additionally, Pipapo Games will release their game “Map Map – A Game About Maps,” which received prototype funding, on May 28. You can learn more about the game concepts behind the new projects here.
