More than 30 Croatian studios are heading to the world's largest video game fair – Gamescom in Cologne, from August 20 to 24. Among them are the games SHROT from the studio ANIQ and BURA: The Way the Wind Blows from Tiny Meow Studio, both developed within the Entrepreneurial Incubator PISMO powered by A1 from Novska. While competition among companies is often emphasized in business, the Croatian gaming scene shows a different approach: collaboration and community become the natural choice, especially since more than 90% of domestic games target the global market.
Under the unique brand Games Croatia, a project of the Croatian Audiovisual Centre (HAVC), the Croatian video game industry is participating in its largest assembly at Gamescom to date. This year, more than 30 game developers, entrepreneurs, and organizations from both the private and public sectors will represent Croatia, clearly confirming that Croatian gaming is becoming a recognizable player on the global scene.
Gamescom Spotlight: Croatian Pride
Four Croatian games included in the prestigious Gamescom Spotlight, titles with particularly highlighted visibility at the fair, hold a special place:
- SHROT – the game of the first accelerated startup ANIQ from Novska
- The Last Monarchy – Crane51, a studio from Rijeka, led by Vedran Vivod
- Escape Simulator 2 – Pine Studio from Samobor, known for the first Escape Simulator which sold over 2 million copies
- The Lord of the Rings: Return to Moria and Oddworld: Soulstorm – ProtoPixel, a studio from Zagreb with a long tradition of working on major titles
The presence of these titles in the Spotlight confirms that Croatian developers stand shoulder to shoulder with global giants.
Other Croatian Games at Gamescom
Alongside the Spotlight titles, new projects that are already generating interest are also being presented:
- Bura: The Way the Wind Blows – Tiny Meow Studio (Novska, Entrepreneurial Incubator PISMO powered by A1)
- Pompeii: The Legacy – Siscia Games (Sisak)
- All Living Things – MOXO (Zagreb)
- Atre: Dominance Wars – Ironward (Samobor)
- Dark Queen of Samobor – Downtown Game Studio (Osijek)
These titles further confirm the strength of the unity of the Croatian gaming industry.
Who brings together Croatian developers?
The project Games Croatia, an initiative of HAVC, brings together key players in the domestic video game industry. Partners and supporters include Croatian Game Development Alliance (CGDA), Reboot, Entrepreneurial Incubator PISMO and CeSF (Croatian eSports Federation).
“Although there is often talk of competition among companies in the market, the situation in the gaming industry is different. Croatian video game producers come together with a common goal – to promote Croatia and achieve global success. Our joint presence at Gamescom under HAVC's national brand Games Croatia is a testament to the strength of our industry and the willingness to present ourselves alongside the best in the world”, emphasized Benjamin Noah Maričak.
Games Croatia – a project of the Croatian Audiovisual Centre (HAVC) – was launched with the aim of promoting and developing the Croatian video game industry at the national, European, and global levels.
