adminGamecity Hamburg funding will provide non-repayable grants to five digital game projects, helping Hamburg-based studios and developers develop market-ready prototypes. Each selected project will receive up to €80,000, with individual awards ranging from €40,000 to €80,000.
Image credit: Bird Outside Studio
Gamecity Hamburg funding: selected games and grants
The latest Prototype Funding Round supports projects across several genres, including horror, adventure, strategy and survival. The five selected games and their awards are:
- Manor Cartographer by Pipapo Games — a horror puzzle adventure receiving €80,000.
- Odem by Odd Zeroes — a roguelike deck-builder receiving €80,000.
- Welken by Studio Gutheil — a narrative survival horror game receiving €60,000.
- Ungradable: Twisted Card Grading by Chasmic Drop Studio — a horror simulation receiving €48,000.
- Wrong Horse by Bird Outside Studio — a murder mystery adventure receiving €40,000.
The grants are non-repayable and are intended to help teams advance their projects toward market-ready prototypes. For developers planning a funding application, it is useful to have a clear prototype scope, production plan and explanation of how the grant will support development.
Previous Games Lift participation
Pipapo Games, Chasmic Drop Studio and Bird Outside Studio have previously taken part in Gamecity Hamburg’s Games Lift Incubator. The program supports five teams, developers and startups as they develop games and prepare for a potential market launch.
Participants receive €15,000 in funding, alongside coaching, mentorship, workshops and individual support. Applications for the Games Lift Incubator are open until June 1, 2026. Developers interested in the program should check the application requirements and schedule before preparing their materials.
Selection committee and next funding round
A committee selected the five projects for the Prototype Funding Round. Its members were:
- Nina Müller, VP of Publishing & Development Services at Goodgame Studios
- Jonas Hüsges, COO of 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
- Dennis Schoubye, Head of Gamecity Hamburg
Schoubye said the committee received many very good applications, including several outstanding ones. He also said a second funding round was expected in the fall, with further details to be announced through Gamecity’s channels. Applications for that round are scheduled to open in September 2026.
What the grants mean for participating studios
The awards give each selected team financial support to develop its prototype, while the range of grant amounts reflects the individual projects’ funding allocations. The five projects span different formats and genres, so the round offers a snapshot of the variety of games being developed by Hamburg-based creators.
For studios following Gamecity Hamburg funding opportunities, the next step is to monitor announcements for application dates and eligibility details. The Prototype Funding Round and the Games Lift Incubator are separate programs, each with its own application process and support package.
