Recap: Road to Polaris 2022

November 2, 2022

Recap: Road to Polaris 2022

The Polaris Convention, Hamburg's new community convention centered around gaming, e-sports, and Asian pop-culture, attracted around 10,000 visitors to the Hamburg exhibition halls for its first edition from October 28 to 30. Gamecity Hamburg participated with a joint booth, where we featured five indie developers from Hamburg though our Road to Polaris program, presenting their game projects to a broad audience.

Whether in the Cyberdome, the Sandbox, the Munchi Market, or in one of the many other themed worlds with around 150 different national and international exhibitors, numerous stage shows, competitions, and gameplay stations - there was no chance of boredom during this weekend at the first-ever Polaris Convention. Our five indie teams had a lot on their hands, presenting their games and exchanging feedback and user experiences with the visitors.

The five Hamburg indie studios at our joint booth

With our "Road to" programs, Gamecity Hamburg offers game developers and independent game companies from Hamburg access to national and international events where they can present their projects, make new business contacts, show their games to the visitors and close deals.

For the Polaris, Gamecity Hamburg brought these five Hamburg-based indies to the event, providing a free joint booth via the Road to Polaris support program:

Leif's Adventure: Netherworld Hero by OneManOnMars
Jonah Weingarten's Ninja Brigade by Impawsible Games
Soulitaire by Beardshaker Games
The Amusement by Curvature Games
Turbo Shell by Radioactive Dreams

Our teams had a great time at the Polaris Convention

Also, the PLAY Creative Gaming Festival, which started right after the Polaris Convention gave visitors a glimpse of the fun and experiences that await them during the festival with a small gaming installation on our booth.

First Mayor of Hamburg, Dr. Peter Tschentscher, visited the Gamecity Hamburg booth

And not only did visitors enjoy testing the games, even the First Mayor of Hamburg, Dr. Peter Tschentscher, paid a visit to the Gamecity Hamburg booth and discussed with our developers about their games and Hamburg as an important games location.

► Click here to see some impresions from the Polaris Convention in our photo gallery

In addition to playing games at the booth, visitors were able to demonstrate their drawing skills at our "Drawmerama" challenge, by drawing their favorite content creators as video game characters.

We are pleased about the positive feedback of the first Polaris Convention 2022 and are already looking forward to 2023!

If you already miss the convention feeling, we highly recommend you check out the PLAY Creative Gaming Festival, that celebrates gaming culture in uptown Hamburg from October 31 to November 6.

Gamecity Treff meets Polaris 2022

The Gamecity Treff at the Grüner Jäger music club

On Friday, October 28. from 6:00 pm to 11:00 pm we met up at the Grüner Jäger music club in Hamburg St. Pauli for a new edition of our traditional Gamecity Treff casual networking event for the whole games and gaming industry in Hamburg. More than 250 people attended to celebrate together with us the first day of the Polaris convention, but also to meet familiar faces and make new contacts from the Hamburg games industry over a snack and a drink. A big thank you to all attendees and the event's sponsor Bytro!

► Click here for some impressions of the evening in the Gamecity Treff photo gallery.

Do you want to know more about our "Road to" program that takes Hamburg developers to international game events? Then check out the program here and subscribe to our monthly newsletter to never miss a call for participation.

Gamecity Hamburg at Polaris Convention gallery

Dr. Peter Tschentscher with Curvature Games

Dr. Peter Tschentscher talking to Roman Fuhrer from OneManOnMars and Anke Günther from Beardshaker Games

Dr. Peter Tschentscher in conversation with Tim Angerer, Roman Fuhrer and Amanda Förtsch

Dr. Peter Tschentscher watches Roman Fuhrer and Anke Günther play Leif's Adventure

Dr. Peter Tschentscher in conversation with our teams

Impawsible Games' Ninja Brigade in action

Turbo Shell played by the Twitch-Streamers "Indie Strolche"

Photo: Jan-Marius Komorek / Hamburg Kreativ Gesellschaft

→

←

News

←

→

Hamburg Games Conference: Focusing on the topic “Invest in Games” on March 1-2, 2023

The Hamburg Games Conference will return as an on-site event in a new location in Hamburg. The conference theme "Invest in Games" will shed light on current and future developments in the international games industry.

Games Lift: Team Marty aim outside the box

The heroine may seem young and hot-headed, but there is an experienced team standing behind her: Babsi Bullet is an action-packed puzzle platformer for touchscreens. Team Marty are pouring their hearts into the game – and real craftsmanship.

Games Lift: Team ACAS get along with nuts and sledgehammers

Few games look as disarming from a distance: About Cannons & Sparrows is a metroidvania that starts with a small cannon hatching from an inconspicuous egg. The seasoned animation pros of Team ACAS may not have a finished game yet, but they do have a strong vision.

Three Questions to: Soapbox Interactive, working on "Rocket Science GONE WRONG"

Soapbox Interactive aim high: With support of the Gamecity Hamburg Prototype Funding, they have not only been working on a multiplayer first-person shooter with new game mechanics - they are even developing their very own game engine. Now, the team is celebrating its next funding success: They have been accepted into IFB Hamburg’s "InnoRampUp" program, aimed at particularly innovative start-ups from Hamburg.

From Prototype Funding to a Publishing Deal: Tiny Roar and Daedalic Entertainment partner up for Wanderful

A partnership forged in Hamburg: after receiving 80,000 € in prototype funding for their cozy worldbuilder (then called HEXAGONE) from Gamecity Hamburg, Tiny Roar just announced the game will now go by the name Wanderful and is being published by Daedalic Entertainment! An early build also premiered at the new Polaris convention on the last weekend of October. Here's all you need to know about this upcoming indie darling from Hamburg.

Games Lift: Elin Meinecke on sowing diversity

One person is behind farming sim RPG Evergreen Garden: Elin Meinecke is solely responsible for the art and game design of her project. She brings a degree in illustration to her work in the incubator – and inspiration from her garden.

Three Questions to: rose-engine - Makers of the Sci-Fi Horror Hit SIGNALIS

Yuri Stern and Barbara Wittmann have been creating games together for 8 years now, on October 27 their Hamburg-based studio rose-engine is releasing their latest game SIGNALIS. Published by Humble Games, this dark Sci-Fi horror game with its retro optic has already stirred up quite a buzz in the international gaming press. We took this opportunity to ask them about collaborating for so many years and how the match with their publisher came to be.

Games Lift: Team Metacore is up for a challenge

Their hands are full. Their goals are big. But that is no reason to fret for Team Metacore. During our conversation, finding good answers comes to them as easily as sharing a laugh. The mood might make it into their project.

Games Lift: People make the Incubator

The Games Lift Incubator can only exist because many experts support it, teach and coach in it, and keep networking in it. Over 35 veterans from all areas of the games industry are with us. We have asked them why they are doing it and what keeps them coming back.

Road to Polaris - five Hamburg indies at the convention

Polaris Convention is approaching - 3 days with numerous key players and artists from gaming, e-sports, cosplay, and content creation from October 28 -30. Through our Road to Polaris program, we present five indie developer teams and their games at our joint Gamecity Hamburg Booth and enable them to be part of the Polaris.

Games Lift: Team Godcomplex have thought this through

Would you have guessed that Team Godcomplex are already working on their third game? The four young professionals found each other at the university and have worked together ever since. With their party action game Stack’em up, they want to show what they have learned.

Games Lift: Quick Start in Year 3

Wait – the third iteration of the Games Lift Incubator is already well underway. How is it going? Like clockwork. Bolstered by two years of experience, the program has had an intensive start. Fortunately, this time there also is a break coming up.

More News