The surreal hand-drawn arcade puzzle challenge is available today on PC. Download now, watch the launch trailer and put your reflexes to the ultimate test.
Bologna, Italy – August 4, 2026. Indie developer IV Productions, in collaboration with Power Up Publishing, is delighted to announce that Spinning Scarecrow is available now for PC via Steam for £6.29 / $6.99 / €6.99, with a limited-time 15% launch discount.
To celebrate today’s launch, players can also watch the brand-new launch trailer, offering a fresh look at the game’s fast-paced arcade action, surreal world and relentless spinning challenge.
Inspired by the classic Game Boy Advance title Kuru Kuru Kururin, Spinning Scarecrow blends precision arcade gameplay with a twisted horror aesthetic. Players take control of a scarecrow cursed to spin endlessly, navigating increasingly dangerous hand-drawn environments where every movement matters and every mistake has consequences.
Watch the Spinning Scarecrow launch trailer below.
Deadly traps, rotating hazards, grotesque enemies, bizarre minigames and game-changing power-ups constantly reshape each challenge, demanding quick thinking, precise timing and complete control as players battle their way through an increasingly unforgiving world.
Easy to learn but relentlessly difficult to master, Spinning Scarecrow rewards persistence, encouraging players to chase faster completion times, higher scores and the perfect run while uncovering the strange horrors hidden within its dark comic-inspired universe.
Key Features
A unique arcade puzzle experience built around a constantly spinning protagonist.
Precision gameplay packed with deadly traps, rotating hazards and unforgiving level design.
Grotesque enemies, bizarre minigames and unexpected twists throughout every run.
Powerful abilities and game-changing power-ups that transform the way you play.
Beautifully crafted hand-drawn visuals inspired by dark comics and surreal horror.
Highly replayable gameplay with escalating challenge and score-chasing appeal.
Whether you’re chasing the perfect run, hunting for every secret or simply trying to survive one more spinning gauntlet, Spinning Scarecrow offers a fresh take on precision arcade gameplay that’s as rewarding as it is relentlessly unforgiving.
Spinning Scarecrow is available now on Steam for £6.29 / $6.99 / €6.99, with a limited-time 15% launch discount. Download today and discover whether you have the precision, patience and perseverance to survive its endlessly spinning nightmare.
Winning creations will be officially added to PUBG: Playgrounds, KRAFTON’s upcoming in-game home for community-created experiences
EL SEGUNDO, CALIF. – AUGUST 4, 2026 – KRAFTON, Inc. is preparing to introduce PUBG: Playgrounds, an upcoming in-game hub within PUBG: BATTLEGROUNDS where players will be able to discover and play community-created experiences. Accessible through the PUBG Play menu, PUBG: Playgrounds is designed to give player-created mods an official in-game home and expand the ways players can experience PUBG.
In celebration of the upcoming launch of PUBG: Playgrounds, KRAFTON and CurseForge, one of the world’s largest platforms for mods and add-ons operated by Overwolf, today announced the PUBG: BATTLEGROUNDS UGC Contest, a global creator competition featuring a $95,000 prize pool.
Beginning August 12, players and modders can submit original experiences across three categories: Combat, Survival and Creative. Submissions can range from familiar competitive modes to cooperative PvE missions, racing, parkour, party games and other new ways to play. Thirty winning modes are planned to be released through PUBG: Playgrounds, giving creators an official in-game platform to showcase their work while making it easier for players to discover and play community-created experiences.
Each category features a $25,000 prize pool, including a $10,000 first-place award, with prizes for the top 10 entries. Ten additional creators will receive $500 Mid-Contest Prizes, while six Community Favorites selected through public voting will receive $2,500 each.
“Since Early Access, PUBG has always been shaped by our players, whose feedback and ideas have influenced its evolution,” said Taehyun Kim, Director of PUBG: BATTLEGROUNDS. “With PUBG: Playgrounds, players will be able to take that creativity a step further by building their own modes and experiences directly. Through this contest with CurseForge, creators will have an opportunity to help shape the first wave of experiences players discover when PUBG: Playgrounds launches.”
“The in-game creator community continuously proves that the best ideas come from the players most passionate about the gameplay experience. Partnering with KRAFTON to bring that creativity directly into PUBG: BATTLEGROUNDS, and to feature it where the whole community can play, is exactly what CurseForge exists to do,” said Overwolf CEO and Co-Founder, Uri Marchand.
Submissions will be accepted from August 12 through September 2, followed by community voting from September 6 through September 9. Winners will be announced on September 14.
The Legend of Khiimori’s biggest update to date adds corrupted land, expanded survival gameplay, draft horses, and more!
Amstelveen, Netherlands / Munich, Germany – August 4, 2026 – Publisher Mindscape and developer Aesir Interactive announced the release of the Corruption Update for The Legend of Khiimori,available now in Early Access on Steam and the Epic GamesStore.
Set in the vast landscapes of 13th-century Mongolia, The Legend of Khiimori is an openworld survival adventure where players take on the role of a courier rider. Build an unbreakable bond with your horse, breed unique bloodlines with specialized abilities, and journey across sprawling steppes, frozen mountains, and scorching deserts inspired by Mongolian history and mythology.
The Corruption Update marks the game’s biggest Early Access expansion to date. A mysterious force called “Savdag-un khor” (poison of the earth spirit) now spreads across the land, corrupting wildlife, twisting the environment, and spreads dangerous rifts throughout the world. Players must craft new tools, push deeper into the corruption and fight to restore balance while managing expanded survival mechanics and exploring new frontiers. Fighting alongside the player is the new Breton, the strongest and most sturdy horse breed in The Legend of Khiimori. With plenty of new items to craft, players can explore the unforgiving world of 13th-century Mongolia and tackle courier missions with renewed strength.
New Features
Savdag-un khor/Corruption System – Corruption spreads across the world, creating corrupted rifts, and wildlife such as Knots and Gnarls.
Fight Against the Root of Corruption: Defeat and cleanse Gnarls, which constantly attack the player. It appears along the strands and adds additional action gameplay.
Cleanse Corruption – Fight back and cleanse corrupted areas using new tools like Cleansing Arrows and Warding Totems.
Character Survival – Balance hunger and thirst survival mechanics, along with new consumable recipes and items for both the player and horse.
New Draft Horse – Tame and ride the Breton, our largest and strongest horse breed to date.
The update also brings numerous gameplay improvements and fixes. You can find the complete list of patch notes in our Steam post.
Early Access is only the beginning as we strive to shape the game together with our passionate community.
Buy The Legend of Khiimori on Steam, Epic Games Store and wishlist on Xboxand PlayStation Store.
About Mindscape
Mindscape has been at the forefront of developing and publishing video games for over 30 years. Capturing the minds and imagination of millions of gamers around the world with beloved games like: Myst, Riven, The Legend of Khiimori, Dog Man: Mission Impawsible, Games Advent Calendar and distributing famous brands such as: Minecraft, Rollercoaster Tycoon, Disney, Bluey and Nickelodeon. For more information, visit www.Mindscape.com
About Aesir Interactive Aesir is an ambitious development team with 115 dedicated professionals and a proven track record of driving both internal and external IPs from inception through to LiveOps. Aesir Interactive strongly believes in the power of team spirit and individual excellence. This commitment empowers Aesir to conquer any challenge and deliver extraordinary games, visit: https://aesir–interactive.com/
Players can experience the captivating universe and original soundtrack of SANABI at a discounted price for a limited time, with additional savings on the SANABI and Nine Sols bundle
SOUTH KOREA– August 4, 2026 – NEOWIZ is offering extra savings for SANABI to complement its presence in the Steam Cyberpunk Fest 2026. Published by NEOWIZ and developed by Wonder Potion, the stylish action-platformer will also be available in a special new bundle on Steam with RedCandleGames’s hand-drawn action-platformer, Nine Sols.
From Tuesday, Aug. 4, through Tuesday, Aug. 11, players can purchase the SANABI base game with a 35% discount and the OST with a 10% discount. Alongside these promotions, an additional 10% discount is available on the SANABI and Nine Sols bundle. Visit the SANABI Steam page for more details on the upcoming deals.
“We launched this promotional discount for the Steam Cyberpunk Game Festival to give more players the opportunity to dive into the unique world and action of SANABI,” said a NEOWIZ representative. “We hope players take this chance to enjoy the distinctive 2D action fun both SANABI and Nine Sols have to offer.”
Infused with a lore-rich narrative and beautifully hand-drawn 2D graphics, Nine Sols is an action-platformer featuring a Sekiro-inspired deflection-focused combat system. The game is set in an Eastern fantasy realm and follows a vengeful hero’s quest for revenge against the 9 Sols, the formidable rulers who dominate an abandoned world that was once home to a thriving ancient alien race.
SANABI has received widespread acclaim from players globally for its stylish world, compelling narrative and striking 2D visuals. Its quality has also been recognized both domestically and internationally through major awards, including the Indie Game Award at the 2022 Korea Game Awards and the Best Action-Adventure Game at the 2024 ChinaJoy Indie Game Development Awards. In addition to the Steam discounts, new players can also enjoy SANABI: A Haunted Day, a free prequel DLC that follows Major Song during her time serving in Uigeumbu No. 12.
NEOWIZ also released a series of short animated clips to expand fan engagement for SANABI across its official social media channels, including YouTube, Instagram and X. The four videos have collectively garnered more than 1.5 million views between YouTube and Instagram.
The SANABI franchise is part of NEOWIZ’s publishing initiative, which includes indie titles such as Shape of Dreams, Goodbye Seoul and more. NEOWIZ is committed to working with developers to publish a diverse catalog of games across console, PC and mobile. To learn more about NEOWIZ’s publishing initiatives, please visit the NEOWIZ website.
About NEOWIZ Established in 1997, NEOWIZ is a global leader in gaming, renowned for blending remarkable storytelling with exceptional gameplay mechanics. With a legacy spanning over two decades, NEOWIZ has solidified its position as one of Korea’s foremost game companies, captivating audiences worldwide with diverse PC, consoles and mobile titles. Recent successes include Lies of P, DJMAX RESPECT, SANABI, Shape of Dreams and Cats & Soup, all emblematic of NEOWIZ’s commitment to excellence and gamers worldwide. Welcome to NEOWIZ, where legends come to life.
About WONDER POTION WONDER POTION is a team of five passionate video-game enthusiasts with a shared goal of creating “wondrous” experiences through video games. The team created the studio while they were still in college, and their passion and drive for video game development are unrivaled. SANABI was the team’s first project.
August 4, 2026 | Triomatica Games, the award-winning Ukrainian studio behind Boxville, is excited to announce I Want to Play the Villain!, a theatre-themed logic puzzle game coming to PC, PlayStation, Xbox, Nintendo Switch, iOS, and Android. A free demo launches on Steam August 17th.
To create the perfect show, you must match actors to their roles. But every actor has their own ambitions, fears, and wishes. Rearrange the cast, change the story, and use your logic to make everyone happy.
About the Game
A Story You Rearrange
I Want to Play the Villain! is a theatre-themed logic puzzle game where every character on stage has their own personality, and it’s up to you to arrange the cast so the show actually works.
Give Every Actor Their Perfect Role
Every actor has their own wishes, ambitions, fears, and favorite roles. Rearrange the cast, switch costumes, and change the story to make everyone happy on stage. Give an actor their dream role, pair them with the right partner, or keep them away from situations they fear.
Every Chapter, a New Puzzle
Explore unique chapters, each with its own setting, characters, mechanics, and story. A single change can transform the entire performance.
Key Features
Solve clever theatre-themed logic puzzles
Explore unique chapters, each with its own setting, characters, mechanics, and story
Change modular stories to create different performances and outcomes
Learn each actor’s personality, preferences, ambitions, and fears to solve increasingly challenging puzzles
Every performance is different. Can you create the perfect show?
About Triomatica Triomatica Games is a young but ambitious Ukrainian independent game development studio, founded in 2020 by artists and developers. The studio handles the full stack of development and publishing in-house, and is best known for Boxville, winner of the GDWC 2023 Mobile Award and PGA’23 Best Indie International Game.
Crowbar Collective’s up-to-four-player shooter fully launches on PC, with a new map, a mini-armoury of new weapons and cosmetics, a fire-throwing end-game boss, and mod support.
4th August, 2026 – Crowbar Collective and team17 have today released four-player co-op shooter Rogue Point out of Steam Early Access. Rogue Point delivers a tense multiplayer experience, setting players the deadly task of overcoming evolving missions where strong teamwork is essential for success – and survival.
The game’s v1.0 launch brings a host of new content for operatives to utilise, including a fifth map in the form of the Clinic (filled with confining corridors and spaces), three new weapons (the Mule small shotgun, KT50 semi-automatic carbine, and the A1M semi-automatic marksman rifle), plus new cosmetics (chainmail armor, security guard uniform, and lab worker).
It isn’t just a slew of rewards waiting for players: Rogue Point now features a brand-new MERX boss, the Oil Rig. This pyro-happy, flame-throwing adversary will keep the Rogues hot footing it as they sweep the map.
In a nod to the studio’s origins, Crowbar Collective is also handing the power of Rogue Point to the community with the launch of mod support, giving players the opportunity to create their own maps or modify the original locations, and add seamless custom campaigns. New, community-created maps can be easily uploaded to the Steam Workshop within Unreal Editor, which are then automatically downloaded by players joining the host.
Rogue PointKey Features:
Fight and maneuver your way through missions spread across five diverse locations: The Airport, the Mall, the Office, the Oil Rig, and new for v1.0: the Clinic. Each map is reshaped by the game’s Parametric Design System, offering new strategies and challenges with every match.
Each MERX enemy class has their own playstyle that packs a unique punch: Whether they’re rushing you, throwing flashbangs, or keeping you pinned down from long range, the MERX will keep you and your Squad on your toes throughout the campaign.
Co-op Teamplay Work together to battle against the MERX threat: Rogue Point is purpose-built to reinforce teamplay. Heal and revive your teammates, share gear and weapons, and execute your joint plan of attack.
Weapons and Customisation: Earn money to buy weapons and gear. Buy the exact loadout you want, or put your cash on the line for a chance of rare items only available through the Dead Drop system.
About Crowbar Collective
Crowbar Collective is an independent game studio with developers all around the world. Crowbar started as the all-volunteer team that made Black Mesa, a re-imagining of Valve’s classic FPS Half-Life. The team loves Half-Life, loves game design, and is committed to creating high-quality content. Rogue Point is their first original IP title as a full-time studio.
About team17
Founded in 1990, team17 is part of Everplay Group plc, and a passionate and creative developer and publisher dedicated to its pioneering indie developer partners and games. team17 has an extensive portfolio of over 150 titles that players around the world love for a lifetime, including DREDGE, Date Everything, and Overcooked!, together with multi-award-winning and award-nominated in-house brands such as Hell Let Loose, Golf With Your Friends, The Escapists, and the iconic Worms franchise. Visit www.team17.com for more information.
Cambridge, UK – 4 August 2026 – Frontier Developments plc (AIM: FDEV), in collaboration with Universal Products & Experiences, are excited to announce the next DLC for Jurassic World Evolution 3. Crocodilia Coast launches on PC, PlayStation®5, and Xbox Series X|S on August 11, 2026, and introduces the franchise’s first crocodile, the fearsome Deinosuchus.
Thrill guests with five prehistoric species complete as family units and featuring unique interactions, alongside the franchise’s first-ever crocodile Deinosuchus and Juvenile Styxosaurus, featuring a breath-taking bioluminescent skin. As a semi-aquatic predator, the Deinosuchus awaits its prey, lurking in the deep. This species ambushes its victims with a fierce deathroll attack. The crocodilian theme continues with the introduction of Postosuchus and Desmatosuchus, whilst lagoons will also welcome the huge ichthyosaur Shonisaurus as a full family unit.
What’s more, Crocodilia Coast has everything you need to quickly build a stunning waterside area for your guests to relax. With hundreds of new scenery pieces, including a full wall kit, lights, and signage, Park Managers can build their own coastal themed locations and expand their waterside operations with detailed scenery, signage, props, and Blueprints for park guests to enjoy.
Watch the Crocodilia Coast Pack Announcement Video
Key Features:
Introducing five new prehistoric species: the Deinosuchus, Postosuchus, Desmatosuchus, Styxosaurus, and Shonisaurus!
Deinosuchus – This giant prehistoric crocodilian lurks in the water to ambush prey with a fierce deathroll attack.
Postosuchus – A distant relative of modern-day crocodiles, the Postosuchus shares many common physical traits, including armoured skin and a deadly jaw of dagger-like teeth.
Desmatosuchus – Also related to the modern-day crocodile, this herbivorous dinosaur features a unique shovel shaped face and is stacked with defensive adaptations.
Styxosaurus – Named after the mythical River Styx, this long-necked plesiosaur full family unit introduces the first-ever bioluminescent skin for a juvenile species in Jurassic World Evolution 3.
Shonisaurus – This huge ichthyosaur from the Late Triassic period weighs in at over 30,000 kg and is the perfect full family unit to add to a lagoon.
Waterside Scenery – From boardwalk blueprints to coastal huts, the Crocodilia Coast Pack includes hundreds of scenery, including a full wall kit, props, lights and signage to create a custom windswept area around your new species enclosures and lagoons!
Launching alongside Jurassic World Evolution 3: Crocodilia Coast is Update 1.4.1, a free update for all players, which update introduces a new square Hawaii Sandbox map, workshop collections, the Elasmosaurus as a family unit, and more!
Jurassic World Evolution 3: Crocodilia Coast will be available starting August 11 on PC, PlayStation®5, and Xbox Series X|S for a suggested retail price of £11.99/$14.99/€14.99. Jurassic World Evolution 3 is required to play and is available for a suggested retail price of £49.99/$59.99/€59.99 for the standard edition, and £64.99/$74.99/€74.99 for the Deluxe Edition.
Visit the Jurassic World Evolution 3 website or follow us on socials for more information:
Frontier Developments plc is a leading independent developer and publisher of videogames, specialising in Creative Management Simulation (CMS) experiences. Headquartered in Cambridge, Frontier builds and supports globally successful CMS franchises such as Planet Coaster, Planet Zoo, and Jurassic World Evolution, using its proprietary COBRA technology. CMS games form the core of Frontier’s strategy and continue to drive long‑term growth through strong player engagement, robust back‑catalogue performance, and a focused pipeline of new simulation titles.
About the Jurassic World Franchise
From Universal Pictures and Amblin Entertainment, Jurassic World immerses audiences of all ages in a new era of wonder and thrills where dinosaurs and humankind must learn to coexist. In summer 2025, three years after the Jurassic World trilogy concluded with each film surpassing $1 billion at the global box office, the enduring Jurassic series evolved in an ingenious new direction with Jurassic World Rebirth, featuring a new generation of characters.
About Universal Products & Experiences
Universal Products & Experiences (UP&E) globally drives the expansion and elevation of NBCUniversal’s iconic collection of brands, intellectual properties, characters, and stories based on the company’s extensive portfolio of properties created by Universal Pictures, Illumination, DreamWorks Animation and NBCUniversal Television and Streaming. The division executes this through innovative physical and digital products, as well as engaging retail and product experiences across our expansive global theme park destinations (for both owned and third-party IP), location-based venues, e-commerce product platforms, and retailers around the world. Along with global brand strategy and creative, UP&E’s lines of business include Consumer Products and Games, along with Theme Parks Products & Retail. UP&E is a division of Universal Destinations & Experiences, part of NBCUniversal, a subsidiary of Comcast Corporation. More information is available at universalproductsexperiences.com.
New miniquests now available alongside a new trailer, with the game 20% off during the event
Issaquah, WA, USA – August 4th, 2026 – Seismic Squirrel today released a new content update for Aether & Iron, adding new miniquests across the game’s Baronies and introducing additional world-building content. To celebrate Steam Cyberpunk Fest, Aether & Iron is available at 20% off on Steam for the duration of the event.
The new content update expands the world of Aether & Iron with new miniquests in each Barony. These include smuggling jobs, combat encounters, and other story-driven events that further explore the people and places of the game’s alternate 1930s New York.
The update also includes a new achievement for players who enjoy exploring every corner of the city. Keep an eye out – you never know what you might discover.
Steam Cyberpunk Fest runs from August 3rd at 10:00 AM PDT through August 10th at 10:00 AM PDT, during which Aether & Iron is available at a 20% discount.
Aether & Iron is now available on Steam for Windows and MacOS, featuring full English voice acting and text localization support for English, Spanish (Spain & Latin America), French, German, Polish, Russian, Brazilian Portuguese, and Simplified Chinese – Players can purchase Aether & Iron and try the demo today on Steam!
About Aether & Iron: Set in an alternate 1930s New York transformed into a vertical city by the discovery of “aether”, a key component to newfound anti-gravitational technology, Aether & Iron follows Gia, a smuggler navigating crime syndicates, political conspiracies, and fragile alliances. Players shape Gia’s story through meaningful decisions, with every choice influencing relationships, outcomes and the fate of the city itself. The game features writing talent with credits on Mass Effect, Far Cry, and Sovereign Syndicate, with an original score composed by two-time Grammy Award winner Christopher Tin and Grammy nominee Alex Williamson, best known for their work on the Civilization series.
About Seismic Squirrel Seismic Squirrel is a talented and passionate team of both industry veterans and enthusiastic newcomers. We share a strong desire to tell fascinating stories supporting engaging gameplay mechanics.
Available now on consoles and Nintendo Switch following over 10 major game updates
Guildford, UK – 4 August 2026 – PixelCount Studios has today announced that its acclaimed life sim sandbox RPG, Kynseed is now available on PlayStation 4/5, Xbox Series X|S, Xbox One and Nintendo Switch.
Developed by Fable veterans, Kynseed invites players to explore the enchanting hand-crafted world of Quill where they will live through a story spanning generations. They’ll raise a family, farm the land, run a business and befriend many of Quill’s colourful NPCs. When a character dies, control passes to their children and the adventure continues.
Kynseed on console launches with fully optimised gameplay for each device, plus every major content update released since the game’s PC debut in December 2022, bringing years of community-driven improvements, new features and expanded content to players from day one.
Since Kynseed’s PC launch, the PixelCount team has delivered more than 10 major game updates based on community feedback. Players can now run their own tavern and create a bustling social hub for NPCs, customise both the exterior and interior of their farm, enjoy a deeper story experience with an all-new region and tasks, alongside numerous quality of life updates and much more. A full list of updates can be found here.
Kynseed Key Features:
A generation-spanning story: Embark upon an epic adventure filled with joy, sorrow, comedy, and tragedy, where choices matter and decisions echo through the generations.
Build a Business Empire: Forge tools as a blacksmith, run a store, mix potions as an apothecary, or serve food and drink in a bustling tavern of your very own.
A world of exploration: The land of Quill is filled with characters, secrets, danger, and dark faery tale creatures to battle.
Farm the land: Grow ingredients for food and potions, work the soil, and set up home for your family in your own fully customisable farm.
Develop Relationships: Quill is full of a vibrant cast of NPCs who will remember your deeds, actions, and pranks.
Find proverbs: Unlock the lore and secrets of this mysterious dark faery tale world.
Gather materials: Forage and farm to craft items, cook recipes or mix cures for a range of bizarre maladies.
“With Kynseed, we wanted to carry across that Lionhead creativity and humour and create a game with the spirit of the Fable games we worked on and loved for so many years,” said Charlie Edwards, Co-founder and Design Director at PixelCount Studios. “The team has been working hard to extend this ethos through to the console launch, and we’re excited to bring more players into the world of Kynseed and the many adventures to be had there.”
Kynseed is available to purchase now on PlayStation 4/5, Xbox Series X|S/Xbox One and Nintendo Switch for £19.99/$24.99/€24.99.
ABOUT PIXELCOUNT STUDIOS PixelCount Studios is an independent developer founded by Fable veterans Charlie Edwards and Neal Whitehead. Chaired by Sir Ian Livingstone (co-founder of Games Workshop and Founder & General Partner of Hiro Capital), the studio is dedicated to creating original RPGs inspired by the charm, eccentricity, and humour of classic British game design.
– Executive forum creates space for candid leadership conversations –
Cologne, Germany, 04.08.2026 – As games industry leaders continue to navigate market uncertainty, the rapid evolution of AI, and increasingly complex business decisions, gamescom dev will once again host its exclusive leadership summit as part of this year’s conference. Taking place on Monday afternoon, August 24, the forum is reserved for invited guests and holders of the gamescom dev VIP Pass. This intimate executive forum is bringing together founders, studio heads, executives, and decision-makers for an afternoon of candid discussions, strategic perspectives, and peer exchange in a trusted setting designed to encourage open conversations about the industry’s challenges.
Part of the year-round gamescom dev leadership events series, the summit is designed around a simple principle: conversations that shape the industry often happen away from the spotlight.
Hosted by Lars Janssen, CEO of DECK 13 and Chairman of the Board of game – The German Games Industry Association, the afternoon combines keynote presentations, sessions, executive discussions, interactive formats, and dedicated networking opportunities in a deliberately intimate setting, encouraging honest conversations among industry leaders.
“The most valuable leadership conversations rarely happen in front of hundreds of people,” says Lars Janssen. They happen when leaders are able to speak openly with peers about the difficult decisions, uncertainties, and responsibilities that come with leading studios and teams.
Amir Satvat, Business Development Director, Tencent Games and founder of ASGC, opens the program with his keynote “Where Does This End?”,exploring the current state of the games industry following several years of restructuring, studio closures and rapid transformation.
In the fireside chat “The Bets You Can’t Take Back,” Luis Villegas, CTO of Sony Interactive Entertainment, joins Lars Janssen to discuss how technology decisions are made across PlayStation Studios, examining the long-term impact of choices around AI, game engines, live-service infrastructure and studio strategy.
A leadership panel featuring additional industry executives will examine how studios are managing organizational change, shifting business priorities and the growing impact of AI while continuing to support teams through uncertainty. The afternoon concludes with an interactive “Fishbowl” session, allowing every participant to contribute directly to the discussion.
The gamescom dev leadership summit is part of the gamescom dev leadership events series, a year-round program of summits and executive dinners designed specifically for senior leaders across the games industry. Participation is available by invitation and for holders of a gamescom dev VIP Pass, making the summit one of the exclusive executive experiences included with the conference’s VIP offering.
Further speakers, program updates, and networking events for gamescom dev 2026 will be announced in the coming weeks.
About gamescom dev:
gamescom dev is Europe’s leading game developer event, the official developer conference of gamescom, and one of the most important global platforms for developers, publishers, and industry professionals. Throughout the year, gamescom dev provides a space for meaningful exchange, knowledge sharing, and collaboration — always guided by the values of diversity, inclusion, and sustainability. gamescom dev and all its branded formats are developed and organized by game events GmbH, a subsidiary of game – the German Games Industry Association.
About gamescom:
gamescom is the world’s biggest leading event for the entire gaming community and industry. gamescom 2026 will take place from August 26 to 30. The event will kick off on August 25, 2026 with gamescom Opening Night Live. In addition, gamescom latam in São Paulo and the gamescom asia x Thailand Game Show in Bangkok will take place over the course of the year. gamescom is jointly organized by Koelnmesse and game – the German Games Industry Association.
