Five teams will join the Games Lift Incubator 2026 on September 7, 2026. In addition to receiving funding of 15,000 euros, they will participate in a one-year program featuring individual coaching, workshops, and mentoring from experienced industry experts. In addition, participants will benefit from a wide range of networking opportunities, access to a network of experts, and targeted support in establishing sustainable business structures and developing market-oriented games.

The five projects and teams in the Games Lift Incubator 2026:

• Neon Nest by Friederike Fröhlich 
• Snap Shut Worlds by Leanna Geideck and Stephan zu Münster 
• Sunderhold by Rainpiper Games 
• Time Travel Train by EdelErde 
• Witch Artisan by Shellsprout 

Neon Nest is a cozy cyberpunk management adventure with an isometric style, in which players care for city pigeons, build shelters, gather resources, and expand their own base in a futuristic yet run-down metropolis.  

Snap Shut Worlds is a 3D miniature puzzle game in which players open fictional Compact Toys from the ’90s and creatively reimagine their miniature play scenes, figures, and objects after the toy worlds have been turned upside down. 

Sunderhold is a minimalist base-defense game in which players defend fragments of a dark fantasy world against attacking monsters with small squads in handcrafted levels. 

Time Travel Train is a PS1-style roguelite incremental game in which players steer an armed locomotive through time and battle ever-growing armies and enemies from different eras. They gradually upgrade the train with improved weapons to get it to its destination. 

Witch Artisan is a 2D life simulation game in which players design, craft, and sell their own magical pottery while building a community of like-minded artisans.

Further information on all funded projects can be found here: https://gamecity-hamburg.de/incubator/funded-projects/.

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