Central Europe
Millions of Germans Tune in to Esports

When the epic showdown in Seoul on November 19 decides the new “League of Legends” world champion, millions of Germans will have tuned in to witness one of the most electrifying esports tournaments in the world. The global phenomenon of esports has become an integral part of the media consumption for many Germans, as revealed in the latest survey conducted by game – The German Games Industry Association in collaboration with the market research company YouGov. Nearly a quarter (23%) of Germans have already caught an esports tournament or match – that’s around 16 million people. The number of esports viewers in Germany has shot up by over 4 million since 2020. Interest is particularly strong among the younger generation, with almost half (48%) of the 16-24-year-olds and 45% of the 25-34-year-olds having indulged in esports broadcasts. Around 27% of the viewers even have their favourite esports teams, whose successes they passionately follow. In total, almost 8 out of 10 Germans (77%) know what esports are or have at least heard of them – a significant boost from the 71% in 2020.
But it’s not just about spectating; approximately a quarter of all gamers (23%) in Germany, roughly 10 million people, have thrown themselves into esports competitions, be it LAN parties or online leagues. Among the 25-34-year-old gamers, more than 4 out of 10 (42%) have jumped into the esports action. In 2020, the percentage of German gamers actively participating in esports was only 18%.
“When thinking of top esports teams worldwide, names like BIG, G2 esports, or SK Gaming increasingly come to mind, and these successful esports organizations are from Germany. It’s become a global phenomenon with millions tuning in for top tournaments and leagues, both here in Germany and around the world. Esports events have become genuine crowd-pullers right here in our country. This phenomenon is being recognized and harnessed in several federal states. For instance, Schleswig-Holstein has official state championships and a funded esports regional center, while North Rhine-Westphalia backs its own talent team through the esports player foundation and Munich is hosting the 2024 League of Legends EMEA Championship, a tournament that Bayern actively vied for. This kind of political support is essential and is helping to make Germany more enticing for gamers and millions of fans,” Felix Falk, Managing Director of game – The German Games Industry Association, said.
Central Europe
CT Interactive’s Content Goes Live with Fortuna Slovakia

CT Interactive’s games are now live with Fortuna Slovakia. Clients of Fortuna Slovakia will have the opportunity to enjoy the top-quality games of CT Interactive.
“We have a long-termed establish partnership with Fortuna and we are happy to deepen our relation-ship. By integrating our content with Fortuna Slovakia, we gain valuable access to a broader player base and enhances its visibility in the Slovakian market,” Milena Tsankarska, Head of Business De-velopment EMEA at CT Interactive, said.
The games that the players of Fortuna Slovakia include Lucky Clover, HOT 7’s X 2, Chilli Fruits, Coffee Magic, Big Joker, Pick The Pig, Cherry Crown and others.
“The partnership with Fortuna Slovakia shows our commitment to expanding our reach across various jurisdictions. We aim to deliver an exceptional gaming experience to players in Slovakia through its collaboration with Fortuna,” Smilena Ilieva, CRM at CT Interactive, said.
“Players accessing Fortuna Slovakia’s platform can now enjoy a wide range of CT Interactive’s pop-ular titles. This integration enriches our gaming library, and we are happy to provide interesting new games to our clients,” Babic Josip, Group Gaming Product Manager of Fortuna Slovakia, said.
Central Europe
PRAGMATIC PLAY EXPANDS SLOVAKIAN PRESENCE WITH NIKÉ

Pragmatic Play, a leading content provider to the iGaming industry, will begin supplying its Slots to the prominent Slovak operator Niké in its latest partnership.
Niké’s players will now gain access to Pragmatic Play’s impressive lineup of award-winning player-favourite titles, from iconic hits like Wolf Gold and Big Bass Bonanza to the popular Sugar Rush and Gates of Olympus.
As one of Slovakia’s market leaders, partnering with Niké will catalyse further growth across the country for Pragmatic Play and introduce more players to its content for the first time.
The agreement is the latest in a string of major partnerships for Pragmatic Play in Europe, following deals with Napoleon in Belgium and GAMRFIRST in Switzerland, as it continues to solidify its presence in the region and globally.
Irina Cornides, Chief Operating Officer at Pragmatic Play, said: “Pragmatic Play continues to expand in regulated markets, and partnering with major operators like Niké in Slovakia provides a great opportunity for us to deliver our rich portfolio of games to even more players. We look forward to a great partnership with Niké as it continues to strengthen its offering as a top operator in the market.”
Robert Vizvari, Chief Revenue Officer at Niké, said: “Adding Pragmatic Play games to our game lobby is a significant step forward for us. It has gained an enviable reputation for delivering some of the industry’s most entertaining experiences and opening those opportunities up to our player base heralds the beginning of a fantastic collaboration.”
Central Europe
HGC 2024 Sets Strong Business Focus with Top International Speakers Under the Key Topic ‘Invest in Games’

The Hamburg Games Conference (HGC) 2024 will bring the international games industry together on March 5 and 6 under the key topic of ‘Invest in Games’. While the games industry is in troubled waters, the HGC provides practical impulses for companies and founders to position themselves successfully on the market. Confirmed as the first speakers are Brjann Sigurgeirsson (co-founder Thunderful Group), Sophie Vo (founder Rise and Play), James Batchelor (Editor-in-Chief Gamesindustry.biz), Timm Geyer (founder Geyer Media Consult) and Are Mack Growen (Partner at London Venture Partners). The main focus is on obtaining financing and identifying new business opportunities.
An advisory board consisting of the companies Sunday, Bigpoint, The Sandbox, InnoGames and 1SP Agency Holding supports the organizers Gamecity Hamburg, GRAEF Rechtsanwalte and Super Crowd Entertainment in the planning and implementation of the HGC program. Tickets for companies and start-ups are available at https:// HGC2024.EventBrite.de.
HGC 2023 welcomed more than 500 conference guests from 26 countries. On March 5 and 6, 2024, the Altonaer Museum will once again offer an attractive setting with a maritime atmosphere for exclusive keynotes, panels, roundtables, networking and matchmaking over two conference days.
Renowned games experts and experts
Speakers will present current investment topics and insights on two stages. Already confirmed: Brjann Sigurgeirsson (co-founder Thunderful Group) on ‘Creating and sustaining a successful gaming brand’, Sophie Vo (founder Rise and Play) on ‘Cultural due diligence in M&A’, James Batchelor (Editor-in-Chief GamesIndustry.biz) on ‘What’s definitely not the future of games development?’, Timm Geyer (founder Geyer Media Consult) on ‘Options in challenging situations for game studios and Are Mack Growen (Partner at London Venture Partners) on ‘Raising venture capital – How to approach a VC’. In addition, the call for speakers for HGC 2024 is running until December 4: https:// GamesConference .com/Call-For-Speakers.
Exclusive program on-site
The program of the HGC 2024 offers exclusive talks and panels as a unique live experience in the unique atmosphere of the Altonaer Museum. Participants will gain practical insights into current investment topics and the best conditions for B2B matchmaking and business meetings on-site. With the support of Hamburg’s games companies, the HGC is the hub for intensive networking and matchmaking. Companies and game studios will present their products and games in the expanded expo area in the Altonaer Museum and will be available for talks and meetings. In addition to the companies on the advisory board, the HGC is supported by the sponsors 4Players, Bytro, Photon, Photon, Playa Games, Threaks and Tiny Roar.
Business and start-up tickets are now available
The business ticket for 349 Euros provides guests with access to the two-day conference program as well as the opportunity to arrange meetings with other conference guests and make valuable new contacts. Start-up tickets are also available for newly-founded companies. They allow participation in the entire conference program as well as matchmaking at a discounted price of 199 euros. Tickets for the HGC 2024 are available at https:// HGC2024.EventBrite.de. All current information on the Hamburg Games Conference 2024 is available at www. GamesConference .com.
The first German Creative Economy Summit on March 6 and 7, 2024, in Hamburg
Adjacent to the Hamburg Games Conference, visitors can also attend the German Creative Economy Summit in Hamburg on March 7, organized by the Hamburg Kreativ Gesellschaft with a diverse program of keynotes, panels and workshops from the nationwide creative industries. All information is available at https:// German-Creative-Economy-Summit.de. Anyone who purchases a ticket for the Hamburg Games Conference can secure a 20% discount on a ticket for the German Creative Economy Summit to attend the summit after the HGC on March 7. If required, visitors can register at HGC@ Super-Crowd .com.
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