More initiatives of the Hamburg Kreativ Gesellschaft
De
More initiatives of the Hamburg Kreativ Gesellschaft

Games Lift 2022: These are the five teams

​​​​​​​Five teams have convinced the Games Lift awarding committee of the promising potential of their games projects with their pitch. They will start on September 12 with a three-month workshop and mentoring program with international industry experts, 15,000 euros in financial support and places in a Hamburg co-working space. Congratulation to all teams, and we are very much looking forward to seeing your projects evolve!

A total of 21 teams and solo developers applied for the third Games Lift Incubator. The decision on the five participating teams was made by the awarding committee, who had a very tough decision to make.

Mareike Ottrand on the awarding committee‘s decision: "This year, both the number and the quality of the applications received were particularly high. We are impressed by the passion and quality of the pitches. Hamburg has a large pool of up-and-coming games start-ups and graduates. In the incubator, the five selected teams can now show what they've got and continue to hone their games projects with the help of mentors."

The five projects and teams in the Games Lift Incubator 2022

  • About Cannons + Sparrows by ACAS
  • Babsi Bullet byTeam Marty
  • Evergreen Garden by Elin Meinecke
  • METACORE by Team Metacore
  • Stack'em up by Team Godcomplex

About Cannons + Sparrows by ACAS is a physics-based puzzle platformer with story-driven genre twists and an ever-evolving character in the form of a miniature cannon.

Babsi Bullet by Team Marty is a tap-and-shoot game designed for touchscreens, where players* move Babsi "half teenager, half pistol bullet" Bullet forward shooting as an insane projectile.

Evergreen Garden by Elin Meinecke is a charming farming simulation role-playing game with puzzle elements and a strong focus on nature-based gardening.

METACORE by Team Metacore is a co-op action first-person shooter for 1-4 players* with a focus on teamwork and synergy effects that can be created through an arsenal of unique weapons and gadgets.

Stack'em up by Team Godcomplex is a party game (online or local) where 2-6 players battle through crazy maps round by round, trying not to get swallowed up by their opponents in the chaos.

Find out more about the teams on our Games Lift page.

The incubator program is tailored to the individual needs of the developers with extensive workshops, mentoring, and coaching content. The schedule includes workshops and mentoring sessions on project management, marketing, establishing a business and, for the first time, a workshop on game art.

After three months of the program, the final public pitch in December 2022, in which the teams present their progress to a broad audience, will not conclude the program. For another 12 months, the teams will receive support through individual coaching sessions and a PR agency specializing in indie games.

These experts of the Games Lift Incubator are among others involved this year: André Bernhard (IndieAdvisor), Christiane Gehrke (FACTORY-C), Christopher Wulf (Business Development Consultant), Christopher Kellner (astragon entertainment), Daniel Marx (Osmotic Studios), Heather Chandler (Heather Makes Games), Irene Preuss (Happy Broccoli Games), Jörg Luibl (Spielvertiefung. de), Stephan Beier (Deep Silver Fishlabs), Steffen Rühl (Rühl Gameconsult).

News

Applications for Games Germany Steam Sale 2026 now open

Developers, studios, and publishers based in Germany can now apply to participate in the Steam Sale and a Showcase until March 31, 2026.

Experts and Speaker for Pitch Level Up 2026

Recap: Pitch Level Up 2026

On February 17, our event "Pitch Level Up" once again brought together over 80 developers, founders, students, and further participants at SPACE Hamburg to hone a core skill in the games industry: a good game pitch. 

Application Start for Prototype Funding 2026

Teams, Developers and Studios can apply for the Protoype Funding 2026 from February 23 until March 30.

Star Trek: Voyager – Across the Unknown Launches: Developed and Published in Hamburg

Star Trek: Voyager – Across the Unknown launches on February 18. The strategy title comes directly from Hamburg, developed by Hamburg studio gameXcite and published by Hamburg-based Daedalic Entertainment.

Senator's Roundtable 2026 at City Hall

Games at City Hall – the Gamecity Hamburg Senator's Roundtable. At the beginning of 2026, Senator for Culture and Media Dr. Carsten Brosda, representatives from game companies, and Gamecity Hamburg discussed the current state of the games industry in Hamburg.

Hamburg-based Overhype Studios release MENACE in Early Access

On February 5, Hamburg-based Overhype Studios release their new game MENACE into Early Access, published by Hooded Horse. 

Portside Game Assembly 2026 - Tickets now available for Networking Brunch and Games Industry Party

Portside Game Assembly is back in Hamburg on June 25–26, 2026 — with international indie studios, new mentoring opportunities for up‑and‑coming developers, and a “Games Made in Hamburg” showcase. Tickets for the Networking Brunch and Games Industry Party are now on sale.

Games Lift: Curio Compass Points to New Ideas

The trio behind Curio Compass shows a knack for original ideas with “Limbo City AfterLIVE”. And in the Games Lift Incubator, they don’t shy away from making big changes.

SalsaShark Studios release Super Chipflake Ü: Quest for the Uncooked Schnitzel

Super Chipflake Ü is the debut game from Hamburg-based SalsaShark Studios. The entertaining, colorful 3D platformer is coming to Switch and PC on January 19, 2026.

Pitch Level Up

Gamecity Hamburg Preview for 2026

For 2026, we have several topics, events, and programs planned and can already share some important dates and updates.

Games Lift: Lots of News at Graduation

Games Lift Graduation 2025 is in the books! At the final event of the year, all five teams lit up the stage with strong presentations and clear progress: new project titles, new characters, and a new sense of confidence were evident.

Recap 2025

What do you mean, it’s time for the recap? Has it really been a year already?

More News
Cookies are used to make this website work and to enhance your experience.

To learn more about the types of cookies this website uses, see our Cookie Policy. You can decide for yourself which categories you want to allow. Please note that based on your settings, not all functions of the website may be available.

Cookies are used to make this website work and to enhance your experience.

To learn more about the types of cookies this website uses, see our Cookie Policy. You can decide for yourself which categories you want to allow. Please note that based on your settings, not all functions of the website may be available.

Your cookie preferences have been saved.