In-Depth

Gamescom 2026 landed at an odd moment for the industry; money is starting to move again, and the industry's biggest bet in years is about to decide who benefits from it. Behind the demos, the market itself was quietly changing shape.

By Olga Taranova, online tech lead at Thrylox On August 18, 2026, the small Korean studio ALIVE released Vapor World: Over the Mind in Early Access, a 2D Soulslike platformer that had accumulated more than 100,000 wishlists before launch. After release, the discussion quickly shifted from the game itself to …

A survey of more than 2,000 G2A.COM marketplace users found that preferences around major AAA releases are highly diverse. Asked how they would prefer to purchase a major release such as Grand Theft Auto VI (GTA VI), 38% selected a digital download and 37% a physical disc, while the remaining 25% expressed no preference or said they did not plan to buy the title.

Following an initial run of sold-out concerts across France and Europe (Seine Musicale, Eventim Apollo…), met with an enthusiastic response from audiences, Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 “A Painted Symphony” is entering an exciting new chapter. Led by composer Lorien Testard, vocalist Alice Duport-Percier and Orchestre Curieux, the official concert dedicated to the game’s original soundtrack will tour France, Europe and the United States in 2027.

By Paresh Sagar - Co-Founder & CEO of Excellent Webworld

The full list of finalists for the Women In Games Awards 2026 has been released, with the prestigious event just weeks away. They are: Educational Impact Sally Sheppard, University of West London Anna Limpens, University of Pourtsmouth Kelkoul Houria, Ibn Tofail University Morocco Ruth Falconer, Abertay University Journalism Impact Laura …

ZBD, the money layer for games, today introduces a full platform of embedded financial infrastructure that powers the money lifecycle in games: money in, money through, and money out. The pioneering technology enables money to flow into games, move through them as users earn and transact, and be paid out to players and creators in exchange for the value they create, equipping ZBD to cater fully to PC and console titles following its extensive success in mobile games. 

New independent research commissioned by Rokky, the PC game distribution platform delivering publisher-approved keys to global markets, reveals that 80% of Western game developers are targeting a China release by 2028. However, regulatory concerns and limited knowledge of local publishing methods remain major roadblocks, according to the independent study conducted among 300 senior game developers across the US and the UK.

Electric Square has been announced as the sponsor of the Outstanding Achievement Award category at the Women in Games Awards 2026. Charlotte Pook, Talent Acquisition Manager at Electric Square, said: “Electric Square is proud to sponsor the MCV Women in Games Awards in celebration of the incredible women who have …

Screen Burn Interactive has been announced as the sponsor of the Development Impact Award at the forthcoming Women in Games Awards.