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This week news about The Finnish Game Industry is led by Film Tampere’s cooperation with India’s GDAI, alongside encouraging updates from Finland’s listed game companies. Inderes expects CONTROL Resonant to drive strong growth in Remedy’s Q3 report on 3 November, while Nitro Games reports an improved nine-month operating result, supported by a loan repayment waiver, and announces a new agreement with Team17. Rovio’s Angry Birds keep on flying: the official YouTube channel has passed ten million subscribers. Good vibes are also coming from Kotka, with Social First’s Pixel Worlds reportedly ranking ninth globally in AppMagic’s October sandbox revenue ranking. Finnish games are gaining traction on Steam, too: Finnish Games Week’s campaign featured 385 games and generated over 400,000 unique interactions with games, while Frostrail and Finnish-published Arctic Drive were among Steam Next Fest’s 50 most-played demos. And new Finnish releases keep coming. Since games also need funding, a final reminder: Get Funded takes place on 4 November. On-site places are almost sold out, but the free livestream has room for everyone.

Stay updated on what is happening in The Finnish Game Industry by following the Play Finland Facebook group and Neogames Finland on LinkedIn.

Subscribe to Neogames Weekly News directly by email.

💥 HIGHLIGHTS!

  • Film Tampere and the Game Developer Association of India have signed a cooperation agreement supporting international connections, knowledge exchange and business opportunities. Cooperation begins between the Tampere region and Bengaluru, with Tampere Game Hub as a regional partner. Read Business Tampere’s announcement.
  • Nitro Games reported January–September revenue of €3.9 million, down from €6.3 million a year earlier. Operating profit was €786,000, supported by a Business Finland loan repayment waiver and cost control. Read the interim report.
  • Remedy publishes its Q3 business review on Tuesday 3 November at 09:00 EET. Inderes analyst Atte Riikola’s preview examines how CONTROL Resonant’s launch could affect revenue and profitability, and what to watch for in the report. Read the analyst’s preview in Finnish.
  • Rovio’s official Angry Birds YouTube channel has passed 10 million subscribers. Launched 16 years ago, the channel brings together game content, animation and other material supporting the Angry Birds brand. Rovio’s announcement.

📣 Neogames Dones & News

  • Get Funded 2026 takes place on 4 November, 13:00–17:00 EET, in Helsinki and online. Neogames Finland and Xamk’s free English-language event covers funding and business decisions for early-stage game companies. On-site registration is required; the livestream is open to everyone. Programme, registration and livestream.
  • Neogames Finland and Novia organised MEP Anna-Maja Henriksson’s visit to Campus Allegro in Pietarsaari. Discussions with game educators and representatives from Neogames, EGDF and local industry covered EU regulation, game education and the development of The Finnish Game Industry. Read post.
  • Gamebadges’ European Game Educators’ Meeting runs online on 3 November, 16:00–17:30 EET. The programme covers competence recognition and graduate employment, with Sophie Vo’s leadership keynote and a discussion moderated by MiTale’s Natasha Skult. Programme and registration.

📰 Game Industry News, thoughts & discussions

  • Finnish Games Week’s Steam campaign featured 385 games and generated over 400,000 unique interactions with games, according to the organisers’ 28 October review. The recap also covers Leadership Day, Pocket Gamer Connects Nordics and W Love Games. Read the organisers’ review.
  • Long Play examines Finland’s independent game-development culture, exploring the creative practices and commercial realities behind a diverse range of games and studios. Read the feature in Finnish.
  • Humak’s FusionLabs highlights cross-sector collaboration through game technology. Expa’s Tuomas Roininen and Alistair Dunn explore Unreal Engine’s applications in audiovisual production, industry and education. Read the article and watch the recordings in Finnish.
  • Kajaani Game Catalyst applications are open until 22 November. Free GameLAB, Incubator and Accelerator routes combine online coaching with Kajaani meetups. Companies established through the Incubator, and companies participating in the Accelerator, must be registered in Kainuu. Programme details and application.
  • Green Game Jam 2027 registration closes on 22 November. Playing for the Planet invites studios with live games to create in-game content around Stories of Resilience. Participation details and registration.

🎮 News from and about Finnish Game Companies

  • Mikko Kähärä reports that Pixel Worlds reached ninth place globally in AppMagic’s October sandbox revenue ranking, seven months after its relaunch. His update discusses player retention, user acquisition and live operations. Read the update.
  • Nitro Games has signed a development and co-publishing agreement with Team17 for an unannounced mobile game. The approximately €0.7 million project uses a shared-cost, revenue-sharing model, with development expected to finish in 2027. Company announcement.
  • Supercell has completed its acquisition of Metacore, which is now wholly owned by the company. Metacore confirmed the completion on 19 October, with Merge Mansion joining Supercell’s game portfolio. Read Metacore’s announcement.
  • FakeFish’s Frostrail and Finnish publisher Bonus Stage Publishing’s Arctic Drive featured among October Steam Next Fest’s 50 most-played demos. PC Gamer’s review highlights both survival games in Valve’s results. Read the coverage.
  • Barotrauma’s Home & Harbor expansion launches on 2 December, adding player-owned outposts and the Descendants faction. Finnish developers FakeFish and Undertow Games will also release a free Companion Update on 26 November. Developer announcement.
  • Meteor Works has announced Guns & Goo, a 2D multiplayer shooter to be published by Finland’s Bonus Stage Publishing. The game combines destructible arenas, co-op and competitive play, and a community map editor. Announcement and trailer.
  • Finnish publisher Bonus Stage Publishing brings Sound System to Steam Early Access on 4 November. Developed by Echo Foundry Interactive, the rhythm game supports guitar controllers, keyboards and standard controllers, with local play for up to three. Publisher announcement.
  • Another Round Entertainment has announced RAHKO: Shadows Around Us, a survival-horror game for one to four players inspired by Finnish folklore. Its Steam page is now open for wishlisting. Developer announcement.
  • Horsefly Games has released a teaser trailer for The Polar Darkness, a Lovecraftian mystery set in 1980s northern Finland. The narrative game is planned for Q1 2027. Watch the trailer and view on Steam.
  • Murska Digital’s She Hunts has an open Steam playtest. The Finnish studio’s forthcoming fantasy exploration game is set in a folklore-inspired world; players can join the test through its store page. Game details and playtest access.

😍 NEW Finnish games released & upcoming releases

  • DragDrop Games’ Moon Sweepers launched on Steam on 23 October. The Windows PC game supports solo play and online co-op for up to 16 players, collecting lunar dust and upgrading cleaning equipment. View on Steam.
  • Leikkaus Team’s Leikkaus launched on Steam on 26 October for Windows, macOS and Linux. The Finnish satirical horror game follows a student collecting benefits from an abandoned university. View on Steam.
  • LTuomio’s Panic Files: Buried Sanity is available on Windows PC, following its 19 September Steam release. The first-person psychological horror game follows a miner trapped underground after a cave-in. View on Steam.
  • Volpe Software’s Clairvoyage: The Lighthouse launches on Steam on 4 November. Players restore a lighthouse to prevent a shipwreck in this time-loop horror puzzle game. View on Steam.
  • VRKiwi and JetDogs’ Sunstone of Time launches on 25 November for PS VR2, Meta Quest and Steam. The narrative VR escape-room adventure takes players to ancient Tenochtitlan. Release announcement and trailer.
  • Sheep Meadow Road Games’ Horse Racing Manager leaves Steam Early Access on 4 December. The Finnish studio’s management game lets players run a racing stable, breed and train horses, and manage staff and finances. View on Steam.

💰 Funding

  • EIT Culture & Creativity’s CPD course call closes on 30 October. Eligible training providers and education-led consortia can seek up to €75,000, covering 75% of costs, with a minimum target of 600 successful participants. Call details.
  • Creative Europe MEDIA: funding calls and application support
    • Video Games and Immersive Content Development — deadline 2 February 2027. Eligible narrative projects can receive up to €200,000, covering 60% of costs, through the first playable prototype. Call details.
    • Support for game-development applicants: an English-language info session on 10 December, 45-minute application reviews bookable from December, and a Finnish-language budget workshop in January. Info sessions and application support.
    • Innovative Tools and Business Models — deadline 14 January 2027. The call supports eligible audiovisual tools and business models. Media Desk Finland’s info session takes place on 2 December. Call details and info-session registration.

📝 Jobs & Recruitment

👉 Upcoming Events

See also: The Game Industry Events calendar and GamesIndustry.biz events.

Subscribe to Neogames Weekly News.

Neogames Weekly News is published weekly. Find previous editions.

News is gathered from industry sources and posts shared in the Play Finland Facebook group. Share your news from The Finnish Game Industry there for consideration in the weekly roundup.

Best regards,
Neogames Finland

This week news about The Finnish Game Industry is a whirlwind of activity around Finnish Games Week in Helsinki, from IGDA Finland’s Leadership Day and Pocket Gamer Connects Nordics to W Love Games rounding off the week. Supercell ranks ninth in PocketGamer.biz’s Top 50 Mobile Game Makers of 2026, while Housemarque has released the free SAROS: Zenith update. Beyond the in-person events, Finnish strategy, horror, puzzle, action and VR demos, including Skyward Entertainment’s Second Stone, are available during Steam Next Fest, which runs until 26 October. New Finnish games keep coming out, with Gloomsoft’s Moadra now on PC and Moon Sweepers launching next. Kajaani Game Catalyst will be open for applications from 26 October to 22 November. And if the topic of funding resonates with you, sign up for Get Funded, which brings funding advice and investor perspectives on 4 November.

Stay updated on what is happening in The Finnish Game Industry by following the Play Finland Facebook group and Neogames Finland on LinkedIn.

Subscribe to Neogames Weekly News directly by email.

📣 Neogames Dones & News

  • Get Funded 2026, organised by Neogames Finland and Xamk, runs on 4 November, 13:00–17:00 EET, in Helsinki and online. The free event for early-stage game teams includes funding advice and an investor panel with Supercell Investments, Nuard Ventures and Sisu Game Ventures. On-site registration required; livestream open to everyone. Programme, registration and livestream.
  • Gamebadges;
    • invites companies to join its Industry Endorsement List, supporting competence mapping and skills recognition. Endorsement does not commit companies to a particular level of adoption. Details and endorsement form.
    • Gamebadges’ European Game Educators’ Meeting runs online on 3 November, 16:00–17:30 EET, covering skills recognition and graduate employment, with an Arcada case study and Sophie Vo’s keynote. Programme and registration.

📰 Game Industry News, thoughts & discussions

  • PocketGamer.biz shares lessons from PGC Nordics, held in Helsinki on 20–21 October. Read the conference highlights.
  • W Love Games event ends the Finnish Games Week on 22–23 October, at Oodi and online. The free programme includes talks, workshops and IGDA Finland’s Mentor Café with portfolio and CV reviews; registration required. Programme and registration.
  • Kajaani Game Catalyst applications run from 26 October to 22 November. Free GameLAB, Incubator and Accelerator routes combine online coaching with Kajaani meetups. Companies formed in the Incubator and Accelerator companies must be registered in Kainuu. Programme details and application schedule.
  • SuomiGameHUB rounds up Finnish Steam Next Fest demos, spanning strategy, horror, puzzles, action and VR. The festival runs until 26 October. Explore the demo roundup in Finnish.
  • Green Game Jam 2027 registration closes on 22 November. Playing for the Planet invites studios with live games to create in-game content around Stories of Resilience. Participation details and registration.
  • Yle explores financing challenges for small Finnish game developers, featuring Paahtimo Games’ Mika Happonen and Finndie Forge’s support for finding investors and publishers. Read the article in Finnish.
  • Game Research Days takes place in Jyväskylä on 3–4 November. The free event features over 30 presentations and keynotes by Ulla Richardson and Annakaisa Kultima. See the programme.

🎮 News from and about Finnish Game Companies

  • Supercell ranks ninth in PocketGamer.biz’s Top 50 Mobile Game Makers of 2026, published on 21 October during PGC Nordics. The editorial list reviews performance and developments over the past year. See the list and Supercell’s entry.
  • Housemarque released SAROS: Zenith on 19 October. The free update adds the Overlord Rush boss challenge and leaderboards, a Slow Motion mode and motion controls. Developer announcement.
  • Channel37 released The Last Caretaker’s Update 6.0: The Jump on 19 October. The Early Access update adds North Bastion, Transfer Gates and cold-survival systems, and continues Anna’s story. Developer announcement.
  • Turku-based FakeFish’s Frostrail demo is playable until 26 October. Released on 19 October for Steam Next Fest, the survival FPS supports solo play and co-op for up to four players. Developer announcement and demo.
  • Skyward Entertainment released a Second Stone demo on 19 October. The Helsinki studio’s Headup-published action RPG combines combat, platforming and exploration across two parallel worlds. Play the free demo.
  • Grim Page Studio has announced Too Angry to Clean, a third-person co-op destruction game for 1–4 players. Playtest applications are open on Steam ahead of its planned Q1 2027 PC release. Game details and playtest sign-up and announcement trailer.
  • Finnish publisher Bonus Stage Publishing brings Sound System to Steam Early Access on 4 November. Developed by Echo Foundry Interactive, the rhythm game supports guitar controllers, keyboards and standard controllers, with local play for up to three. Publisher announcement.
  • Supercell reports unauthorised access to internal videos and video platform users’ names and email addresses. Its investigation has found no impact on player data; partners are warned about phishing and impersonation. Company statement.

😍 NEW Finnish games released & upcoming releases

  • Gloomsoft’s Moadra launched on Steam on 22 October. The Finnish sci-fi Metroidvania combines exploration, combat and evolving abilities on Windows PC. View on Steam.
  • DragDrop Games’ Moon Sweepers launches on Steam on 23 October. The Finnish lunar-cleaning game supports solo play and online co-op for up to 16 players. View on Steam and read Pelaaja’s coverage in Finnish.
  • Leikkaus Team’s Leikkaus launches on Steam on 26 October. The Finnish satirical horror game follows a student collecting benefits from an abandoned university. View on Steam.
  • Adventure Islands plans to release Copy Cats on PC and mobile on 29 October. Players manipulate cat clones that mimic their movements; a free Steam demo is available. Developer announcement, Steam demo and App Store pre-order.
  • Helsinki-based Volpe Software’s Clairvoyage: The Lighthouse launches on Steam on 4 November. Players restore a lighthouse to prevent a shipwreck in this time-loop horror puzzle game. A free demo is available. View on Steam.

💰 Funding

  • EIT Culture & Creativity’s CPD course call closes on 30 October. Eligible training providers and education-led consortia can seek up to €75,000 (75% of costs), targeting at least 600 successful participants. Call details.
  • Creative Europe MEDIA: funding calls and application support
    • Video Games and Immersive Content Development – deadline 2 February 2027. Eligible narrative projects can receive up to €200,000 (60% of costs) through the first playable prototype. Call details.
    • Support for game-development applicants: an English-language info session on 10 December, 45-minute application reviews bookable from December, and a Finnish-language budget workshop in January. Info sessions and application support.
    • Innovative Tools and Business Models – deadline 14 January 2027. Supports eligible audiovisual tools and business models, including games-related projects. Media Desk Finland’s info session takes place on 2 December. Call details and info-session registration.

📝 Jobs & Recruitment

👉 Upcoming Events

See also: The Game Industry Events calendar and GamesIndustry.biz events.

Subscribe to Neogames Weekly News.

Neogames Weekly News is published weekly. Find previous editions.

News is gathered from industry sources and posts shared in the Play Finland Facebook group. Share your news from The Finnish Game Industry there for consideration in the weekly roundup.

Best regards,
Neogames Finland

This week news about The Finnish Game Industry is marked by difficult developments, with Ubisoft proposing to close RedLynx and Fingersoft and Supercell announcing game shutdowns. Our thoughts are with the people affected, and we believe the expertise, connections and willingness to help within our ecosystem can support people in finding their next steps. As we say in Finland, we’re not throwing the axe into the well, there is also some very good news: Remedy’s CONTROL Resonant has sold over one million copies in just three weeks, becoming the fastest-selling game in the company’s history. October brings more Finnish releases, with ROLLA now available and several PC, console and mobile launches ahead. Next week, Finnish Games Week brings the industry together in Helsinki for Leadership Day, Pocket Gamer Connects Nordics and W Love Games.

Stay updated on what is happening in The Finnish Game Industry by following the Play Finland Facebook group and Neogames Finland on LinkedIn.

Subscribe to Neogames Weekly News directly by email.

💥 BIG NEWS!

  • Remedy Entertainment’s CONTROL Resonant has sold over 1 million copies worldwide in three weeks, becoming the fastest-selling game in the company’s 31-year history. The milestone follows its digital launch on 24 September and marks a strong start for Remedy’s first self-published release of this scale. Remedy’s announcement.
  • Ubisoft has proposed closing RedLynx, subject to Finland’s change-negotiation process. The proposal, announced on 14 October, could affect up to 52 positions at the Helsinki studio behind Trials. Read the report.

📣 Neogames Dones & News

  • Get Funded 2026’s programme is now available, and the event will also be livestreamed. Neogames Finland and Xamk’s free English-language event covers funding and commercial development for early-stage game companies and teams on 4 November, 13:00–17:00 EET, in Helsinki and online. On-site registration is required; the livestream is open to everyone. Programme, registration and livestream.
  • Neogames Finland team will speak at Pocket Gamer Connects Nordics on 20–21 October. Suvi Latva discusses early studio business choices; KooPee Hiltunen joins the “Beyond Roblox” panel; Elina Tyynelä presents Gamebadges and skills matching; Iida Laurila examines the EU Kids Act and Digital Fairness Act. View the programme.
  • Neogames has published its comments on the EU Kids Act, calling for PEGI-based co-regulation, proportionate age assurance and device- and platform-level safeguards. Its advocacy continues with EGDF as the proposal enters the legislative process. Read Neogames’ position.
  • Gamebadges invites game educators to an online European Game Educators’ Meeting on 3 November, 16:00–17:30 EET. The programme covers skills recognition and graduate employment, with keynote speaker Sophie Vo. Programme and registration.

📰 Game Industry News, thoughts & discussions

  • Finnish Game Incubator applications close on 18 October. The free remote programme supports Finland-based game teams. At least one team member must speak Finnish, and the required skills assessment must be submitted in Finnish. Programme details and application.
  • The Finnish Games Week Steam Event runs until 18 October, featuring more than 370 Finnish games, developer content and livestreams. Explore the campaign.
  • Game Research Days has announced its programme for 3–4 November in Jyväskylä. It features over 30 presentations from nine institutions, with keynotes by Ulla Richardson and Annakaisa Kultima. Participation is free; registration closes on 22 October. Programme and registration.

🎮 News from and about Finnish Game Companies

  • Remedy Entertainment’s CONTROL Resonant is the focus of two Helsinki events this week. IGDA Helsinki’s 13 October programme included a developer Q&A, while the 15 October Tripla event marks the physical release with developers, actor Sean Durrie and artist Vilma Jää. IGDA programme and Tripla event.
  • Fingersoft is ending development of the free-to-play LEGO Hill Climb Adventures. In-app purchases end on 23 October and store listings on 15 December; play continues into 2027. No employees will be let go, and the Apple Arcade version remains available. Company announcement and team update.
    • In other Fingersoft news, the company has opened a Hill Climb Racing lounge at Oulu Airport as part of its Oulu2026 partnership. Travellers can play QRcade on their own phones, and the lounge will remain open until the end of 2026. Read more.Supercell has confirmed Squad Busters will close on 14 December. The game will be removed from the App Store and Google Play on 1 December. Development ended last year; the new announcement confirms the final shutdown dates. Read Supercell’s update.
  • Rovio CEO Alexandre Pelletier-Normand discusses the company’s focus on Angry Birds, live games and carefully selected new projects. The interview also explores opportunities for Sonic on mobile. Read the interview.
  • FakeFish’s Frostrail demo will be available on 19–26 October for Steam Next Fest. The Turku studio’s co-op survival FPS is planned for Steam Early Access in Q4 2026. Developer announcements.
  • Korpi Games has released a gameplay trailer for Shifting Chambers, its PC and VR survival-horror game set in a mansion with shifting rooms. The developer is targeting early 2027, with solo play and online co-op for up to three players. Watch the trailer and view on Steam.
  • Finnish publisher Bonus Stage Publishing has released a free Arctic Drive demo on Steam. Developed by PlayTogether Studio and Pebbles Games, the vehicle-based survival game is scheduled to enter Early Access on 25 November. Publisher announcement.
  • Channel37 has opened a public beta for The Last Caretaker’s Update 6, The Jump. It adds a snowy region, a new quest chapter, cold-weather survival systems and transfer gates. The update is available through the beta branch. Developer’s beta thread.

😍 NEW Finnish games released & upcoming releases

  • Tyrmä Games’ ROLLA launched on Steam on 13 October, published by Pantaloon. The Finnish-developed horror arcade destruction game is available on Windows PC. View on Steam and watch the launch trailer.
  • Remedy Entertainment’s CONTROL Resonant physical editions are scheduled for release on 15 October on PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X|S. The digital versions launched on 24 September. Read Remedy’s announcement.
  • 2Agree Studios’ RaivoBull launches on 16 October on the App Store and Google Play. The Finnish-developed mobile brawler features 3v3 matches. Official game site.
  • Gloomsoft’s Moadra launches on 22 October for PC, Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X|S. The Finnish sci-fi Metroidvania combines exploration, combat and character evolution. View on Steam and release announcement.
  • DragDrop Games’ Moon Sweepers launches on Steam on 23 October. The Finnish-developed lunar-cleaning game supports solo play and online co-op for up to 16 players. View on Steam.
  • Groundpoint Games’ Type the World launches on Steam on 28 October. The Finnish-developed geography-based typing game has a free demo available. View on Steam.

💰 Funding

  • EIT Culture & Creativity’s CPD course call closes on 30 October. Eligible training providers and education-led consortia can seek up to €75,000, covering 75% of costs. Proposals must target at least 600 successful participants. Call details.
  • Creative Europe MEDIA’s 2027 Video Games and Immersive Content Development call closes on 2 February 2027. Eligible narrative projects can receive up to €200,000, covering 60% of costs, from concept to the first playable prototype. Call details.
  • Creative Europe MEDIA’s Innovative Tools and Business Models call closes on 14 January 2027. It supports tools and business models for the audiovisual sector, explicitly including games, rather than individual game production. Official call document.

📝 Jobs & Recruitment

  • Looking for work or talent in The Finnish Game Industry? Neogames maintains links to Finnish game company career pages, GamesJobs.fi and other relevant recruitment resources. Explore Finnish game-industry job resources.

👉 Upcoming Events

See also: The Game Industry Events calendar, Game Conference Guide and GamesIndustry.biz events.

Subscribe to Neogames Weekly News.

Neogames Weekly News is normally published every Friday afternoon. Find previous editions.

News is gathered from industry sources and posts shared in the Play Finland Facebook group. Share your news from The Finnish Game Industry there for consideration in the weekly roundup.

Best regards,
Neogames Finland

On 17 September, the European Commission published the EU Kids Act legislative package, which aims to improve the safety of children and young people on social media, online and in games.

The Commission has only published its proposal. The Council of the European Union, representing the EU Member States, and the European Parliament are now preparing their respective positions on the proposal. The Commission, Parliament and Council will then negotiate the final form of the legislative package. The process of turning the proposal into final legislation will take years. Neogames’ advocacy work has already started and will continue throughout the legislative process in cooperation with EGDF.

Which games would the regulation cover?

The Commission’s draft introduces new obligations for commercial games and game distribution platforms. Non-commercial games, games that are only available or sold as physical copies with no online connectivity, and educational games used in educational institutions would likely fall outside the scope of the regulation.

What changes does the Commission propose for games?

Parental control tools: Under the proposal, every game would be required to introduce parental control tools to help parents monitor their children’s gaming. It remains unclear whether it would be sufficient for these tools to be available at the device or platform level, or whether each game would need to provide its own tools. Access to games by children under the age of 13 would be permitted and managed exclusively through these tools. Minors would have to be notified when a guardian changes the settings. Guardians would also need to be able to report incidents related to games, such as issues involving accounts or game content. Furthermore, the draft would make PEGI age ratings binding, as app store providers would not be permitted to allow minors to use or purchase apps deemed unsuitable for their age under the applicable age rating system. The PEGI system is built on the principle that parents have the right to make independent decisions about whether, for example, a 15-and-a-half-year-old is mature enough to play PEGI 16-rated games.

Age assurance: By default, the draft regulation’s requirements would apply to all players and could be relaxed only once the service provider had verified that a player was an adult. A player’s self-declaration alone would not constitute sufficient age assurance. The draft would require operating system developers to provide game developers with an “age signal” based on device-level age assurance, provided that the player consents to this. It remains an open question to what extent game developers could rely on this signal and whether it would be provided free of charge.

Game features: Under the draft regulation, certain features would have to be disabled by default for minors. These include location tracking and other tracking functions, microphone and camera access, recommendations of other gaming accounts as in-game friends, and contact synchronisation. Games would also have to ensure that notifications are not sent during school hours or sleeping hours.

Game mechanics: According to the proposal, games must not be designed, developed or organised in ways that encourage minors to play “compulsively or excessively”. Features considered to fall into this category would include notifications or rewards aimed at encouraging minor players to return to a game. However, PEGI experts have assessed that a proportionate balance between protecting children and safeguarding their right to participate in cultural life could be achieved through age ratings. For example, games featuring daily challenges could receive a PEGI 7 rating, while mechanics that slow a player’s progress unless they play regularly could result in a PEGI 12 rating.

What changes does Neogames intend to propose?

The PEGI co-regulatory system should serve as the starting point

The objectives of protecting minors and supporting parents, guardians and educators are important and welcome. Over more than two decades, the European games industry has developed a functioning PEGI co-regulatory system to protect minors, addressing the concerns raised in the draft regulation.

PEGI includes age ratings and content descriptors that are available to children and their parents or guardians before they make a purchasing decision. It has also established industry-wide codes of conduct that guide game development. These codes include provisions for parental control tools on gaming platforms, for example.

In many respects, the EU Kids Act builds on PEGI and aims to establish long-standing tools and rules as the standard for games made available in the EU. Neogames believes that the role of co-regulation should be further strengthened and that it provides an adequate foundation for achieving these objectives.

Age assurance must be risk-based and is not justified in every context

Games are cultural products. Children’s fundamental right to protection must be balanced against their fundamental cultural rights. Article 31 of the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child requires States Parties to promote children’s right to participate freely in cultural and artistic life. We have reservations about broad age assurance requirements that apply to all games, as they are not proportionate to the level of risk in every context.

Neogames generally supports having certain features disabled by default, provided that this is done within the framework established by the PEGI co-regulatory system. Neogames believes that parents should be supported in their role so that they can grant their children access to games based on each child’s developmental stage and maturity. This approach balances the games industry’s responsibility to keep its services safe with parents’ role in assessing their child’s individual circumstances. At the same time, it respects the principles of protection, privacy and proportionality.

Age assurance and parental control tools must not be left to game developers alone; they should be implemented at the device and distribution platform levels

Neogames welcomes the Commission’s recognition that age assurance can take place at the device level and that age signals generated through such mechanisms should be available to all applications used on the device.

To ensure that the regulation does not further strengthen the position of operating system providers that already act as gatekeepers in digital markets, this obligation should: 1. Apply to distribution platforms as well. 2. Cover access to parental control tools. 3. Be made available to game developers free of charge.

These obligations must also apply to distribution platforms, as they are key alternative channels through which age assurance and parental control tools are made available to players.

The exemption for educational games should be expanded to include, for example, games created by hobbyists

It is welcome that educational games used in schools (edugames) are excluded from the scope of the regulation. This exemption should be expanded to cover games played in libraries, games used for medical purposes in patient care, and games available in museums. Similarly, non-commercial, not-for-profit games created by individuals as a hobby or as an artistic activity — including games developed at game jams, for example — should be excluded from the scope of the regulation.

Edit: Updated the information under the heading “Which games would the regulation cover?”

This (two)week news about the Finnish Game Industry is… led by a strong commercial debut for Remedy’s CONTROL Resonant, which reached the top sellers on Steam and PlayStation Store. Finnish developers have several releases approaching, including ROLLA, RaivoBull and Moadra, while 10tons has released a JYSTICE demo and Bonus Stage Publishing has announced two upcoming Early Access titles. Neogames has also been active in European discussions on in-game currencies and joined calls to simplify international recruitment in Finland. More than 350 Finnish games will feature in the upcoming Finnish Games Week Steam campaign, and with IGDA Leadership Day, Pocket Gamer Connects Nordics and W Love Games just around the corner, Finnish Games Week is approaching at full speed. Ready or not.

Stay updated on what is happening in The Finnish Game Industry by following the Play Finland Facebook group and Neogames Finland on LinkedIn.

Subscribe to Neogames Weekly News directly by email.

📣 Neogames Dones & News

  • Neogames Finland and Xamk are organising Get Funded 2026 on 4 November in Helsinki. The free event covers funding and commercial development for early-stage game companies and aspiring entrepreneurs. Event details and registration.
  • Neogames Finland participated in the EIT Culture & Creativity Strategic Topic Groups meeting in Aarhus. Elina Tyynelä represented Neogames, which leads the STG Games project, in discussions on cross-sector cooperation. Read about the Aarhus meeting.
  • Neogames Finland has highlighted European game-industry concerns over the CPC Network’s approach to in-game currencies. EGDF and Video Games Europe challenge their proposed legal classification while supporting greater pricing transparency. Read the joint industry response.
  • Neogames Finland’s Iida Laurila joined four other Finnish business organisations in calling for simpler international recruitment processes, including longer job-search protection periods and less bureaucracy. Read the Kauppalehti article (in Finnish).

📰 Game Industry News, thoughts & discussions

  • The European Commission presented the EU Kids Act a few weeks ago. Neogames has started meeting with officials to influence the next steps of the regulation. The initiative includes requirements affecting games. The Commission has opened a feedback box that is open until 26 November. Read the proposal’s scope and consultation details.
  • Finnish Game Incubator applications close on 18 October. The free remote programme supports Finland-based game teams. At least one team member must speak Finnish, and the skills assessment must be submitted in Finnish. Programme details and application.
  • Aalto EE’s Game Executive leadership programme begins on 27 January 2027. The English-language online programme supports game-industry professionals moving into leadership roles. Enrolment closes on 30 December. Programme details.
  • Finnish developer Jussi-Petteri Kemppainen is inviting beta testers for Clickwork, a point-and-click game engine featuring visual programming, Lua scripting and animation tools. Learn more and request beta access.
  • More than 350 Finnish games will feature in the Finnish Games Week Steam campaign on 12–18 October, alongside livestreams and developer content. Developers can still enquire about participation at contact@wlovegames.org. Campaign details.
  • Finnish Game Jam is organising Pocket Jam #9 on 20–21 October during Pocket Gamer Connects Nordics at Wanha Satama, Helsinki, combining collaborative game development and networking. Event details and registration.
  • The HIVE celebrates its 10th anniversary in Turku on 30 October, with an IGDA Turku meetup, Halloween party and a Demo Corner for developers. Event details and registration.

🎮 News from and about Finnish Game Companies

  • Remedy Entertainment’s CONTROL Resonant has shown a strong commercial start, according to Inderes’ 28 September analysis. It reported launch-weekend positions among Steam and PlayStation Store’s best sellers and more than 40,000 concurrent Steam players. Inderes raised its share price target to €23 following the launch. Read the analysis.
  • 10tons has released a free demo for JYSTICE, its upcoming cybernetic top-down shooter. The game is heading to Steam Early Access, and the demo will feature in October’s Steam Next Fest. Read the announcement.
  • Finnish publisher Bonus Stage Publishing will launch Sound System in Steam Early Access on 4 November. Developed by Echo Foundry Interactive, the rhythm game supports guitar controllers, keyboards and gamepads. Release announcement.
  • Bonus Stage Publishing has announced Arctic Drive’s Early Access launch on 25 November for Steam and Xbox. Developed by Pebbles Games and PlayTogether Studio, the cooperative driving-survival game features procedurally generated winter environments. Publisher announcement.
  • UnReal World’s The Survivor’s New Clothes update is due in October, expanding the Finnish survival game’s clothcrafting system with new garments, materials and trading changes. Developer announcement.

😍 NEW Finnish games released & upcoming releases

  • Finnish developer Metallibitti’s FluxWerks entered Steam Early Access on 23 September. The factory-building game is available on Windows PC. View on Steam.
  • Finnish studio This Time Around’s Lost Tactics is now available in beta on Android. The free-to-download tactical strategy game combines turn-based combat, deck-building and collectible heroes. Google Play.
  • Tyrmä Games’ ROLLA launches on Steam on 13 October. The Finnish-developed horror arcade destruction game has a free demo available. View on Steam.
  • 2Agree Studios’ RaivoBull launches on 16 October. The 3v3 mobile brawler is coming to the App Store and Google Play. Official game site.
  • Gloomsoft’s Moadra launches on 22 October for PC, Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X|S. The Finnish sci-fi Metroidvania combines exploration, combat and character evolution. View on Steam.
  • Groundpoint Games’ Type the World launches on Steam on 28 October. The Finnish-developed geography-based typing game has a free demo available. View on Steam.

💰 Funding

  • Creative Europe MEDIA’s 2027 Video Games and Immersive Content Development call closes on 2 February 2027. Funding is available for eligible game studios and immersive-content producers. Call details.
  • EIT Culture & Creativity’s Shape and Scale applications close on 12 October at 17:00 CEST. Eligible audiovisual creative-tech ventures can apply for up to €100,000 or €200,000 respectively. Games and XR companies should check eligibility and the mandatory 3% equity call option. Application details.
  • EIT Culture & Creativity’s professional-development course funding deadline has been extended to 30 October. Eligible education-led consortia can seek up to €75,000 for courses covering areas such as IP, AI and interactive storytelling. Call details.

📝 Jobs & Recruitment

  • Looking for work or talent in The Finnish Game Industry? Neogames maintains links to Finnish game company career pages, GamesJobs.fi and other relevant recruitment resources. Explore Finnish game-industry job resources.

👉 Upcoming Events

See also:

This issue covers developments from the past two weeks in The Finnish Game Industry. Neogames Weekly News is normally published every Friday afternoon. Find previous Weekly News editions.

News is gathered from various industry sources and posts shared in the Play Finland Facebook group. Post your news from The Finnish Game Industry in the group for a chance to be included in the weekly roundup!

Best regards,
Neogames Finland

Neogames Finland, together with South-Eastern Finland University of Applied Sciences (Xamk), is organising Get Funded 2026, a half-day event focusing on funding opportunities for game companies and aspiring game entrepreneurs.

📅 Wednesday, 4 November 2026 | 13:00–17:00
📍 University of Helsinki, Main Building, Pieni juhlasali, 4th floor, Fabianinkatu 33, Helsinki

The event is aimed particularly at early-stage game companies, first-time founders, aspiring game entrepreneurs and teams considering the commercial continuation of their game project. Get Funded will combine presentations from funding organisations and experts with practical experiences from game companies and entrepreneurs.

The event is free of charge and held in English. You can join us in Helsinki or follow the programme online.

🎟️ On-site participation: Advance registration is required due to limited venue capacity.

💻 Online participation: Watch the livestream via the University of Helsinki’s Unitube service. No registration is required, but you can register for a free online ticket to receive event updates and reminders.

👉 Register for Get Funded 2026 on Eventbrite

👉 Watch the livestream on Unitube (4 November, 13:00–17:00 EET)

What to expect

The programme will cover topics including early-stage company funding, public funding opportunities available in Finland, EU funding and practical considerations when preparing a company for funding.

The event will combine presentations from funding organisations and experts with practical perspectives from game companies and entrepreneurs.

The programme

The programme and speakers have been announced! See the latest programme and speaker information on Eventbrite.

Programme and timings are subject to minor changes.

Before the event – further resources

Considering starting a game company or already building an early-stage business? Neogames has compiled resources to help founders and teams consider some of the key questions around company formation, business models, teams, markets, production scope and funding.

👉 Starting a Game Company in Finland: a Neogames starting point for prospective founders and early-stage teams, including links to relevant official information on establishing and operating a business in Finland.

👉 Finnish Game Industry Entrepreneurship Paths: a Neogames study examining different entrepreneurship paths and the early decisions that can influence a game company’s growth, profitability and sustainability. The report and visualisation are currently available in Finnish only.

Get Funded 2026 is organised by Neogames Finland in cooperation with South-Eastern Finland University of Applied Sciences (Xamk) as part of the Creative Digital Growth Booster (CDG Booster) project.

The project is co-funded by the European Union through the Interreg Central Baltic Programme 2021–2027.

This week news about the Finnish Game Industry is led by the launch of Remedy Entertainment’s CONTROL Resonant, a supernatural action RPG set in the Control universe and one of the year’s major Finnish game releases. Nitro Games has also released Warhammer 40,000: Boltgun – Boom! on mobile, while Rovio and Supercell have been recognised in the 2026 Green Games Awards. Neogames has continued its policy work by highlighting how game education, libraries, youth work and basic arts education can support a clear path from enthusiast to top game developer. Several practical opportunities are also open, including Gamebadges testing, JAMK’s Game Track, Aurora Nordics nominations and applications for the Finndie Forge Demo Day Competition.

Stay updated on what’s happening in The Finnish Game Industry by following the Play Finland Facebook group, and help us stay informed by posting your news there! Follow Neogames Finland also on LinkedIn.

Subscribe to Neogames’ weekly newsletter directly to your email.

📣 Neogames Dones & News

  • Neogames Finland and Xamk are organising Get Funded 2026 in Helsinki on 4 November, 13:00–17:00. The free event focuses on funding and commercial development for early-stage game companies and teams. Event details and registration.
  • Neogames’ 2027 election objectives call for a clearer path from game-development hobbies to professional expertise through education, cultural activities and industry cooperation. Read the objectives in Finnish.
  • Neogames hosted a Mini Legal Summit covering pay transparency, AI and data protection, IP licensing and cybersecurity legislation.
  • Gamebadges is looking for studios to test its competence badges and nominate evaluators. Register a studio, register as an evaluator or explore the Competence Map.

📰 Game Industry News, thoughts & discussions

  • Applications for JAMK’s Game Track programme close on 30 September. The programme supports early-career developers, jobseekers and aspiring game entrepreneurs. Programme details and application.
  • Aurora Finalist Showcase nominations are open to Nordic-based women and non-binary professionals comfortable being recognised as part of a group of women. Submit a nomination.
  • Tampere Adult Education Centre’s Finnish-language online course Luo oma pelitarinasi: Opi videopelien tarinankerronnan perusteet starts in early October. The course introduces the basics of video game storytelling and creating your own game story. Read more and register.
  • The Finnish Literature Society (SKS) and its partners are collecting memories and experiences of games and play across different decades, from board and role-playing games to digital games. Contributions are open until 30 November 2026. Read more and take part.

🎮 News from and about Finnish Game Companies

  • Rovio Entertainment and Supercell were recognised in the 2026 Green Games Awards. Angry Birds Friends and Angry Birds Dream Blast received the Best Fundraising award, while Hay Day won the Player’s Choice category. See the Green Games Awards winners.

😍 NEW Finnish games released & upcoming releases

  • Remedy Entertainment’s CONTROL Resonant launched yesterday on PC, PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X|S. The Mac version is scheduled to follow later in 2026. View CONTROL Resonant on Steam and read Remedy’s launch announcement.
  • Nitro Games has released Warhammer 40,000: Boltgun – Boom! on the Apple App Store and Google Play in major markets. The premium retro FPS is a mobile adaptation of the Warhammer 40,000: Boltgun series originally developed by Auroch Digital. Read Nitro Games’ release announcement.
  • Finnish studio Tyrmä Games’ horror arcade destruction game ROLLA is now scheduled to launch on Steam on 13 October. A free demo is available now. View ROLLA on Steam.
  • Pori-based 2Agree Studios will launch its 3v3 mobile brawler RaivoBull on the App Store and Google Play on 9 October. Visit the official game site.

📝 Jobs & Recruitment

👉 Upcoming Events

See also the following calendars:

The Game Industry Events calendar – mostly relevant to The Finnish Game Industry

Game Conference Guide Calendar – international games-industry events

GamesIndustry.biz events calendar

This week’s roundup highlights news from the past week in The Finnish Game Industry. The bulletin is published every Friday afternoon. You can find past editions in the Weekly Roundup section.

News is gathered from various industry sources and posts shared in the Play Finland Facebook group. Post your news from The Finnish Game Industry in the group for a chance to be included in the weekly roundup!

Best regards,
Neogames Finland

This week news about the Finnish Game Industry is… Colossal Order has confirmed that it is developing a new PC simulation game, with funding already in place and both self-publishing and a new publishing partnership under consideration. Pocket Worlds has acquired Sulake-developed Hotel Hideaway, while Iceflake Studios has released its first original Cities: Skylines II content wave since taking over development. Finnish games are also reaching notable commercial milestones: Brass Rain has passed 150,000 Steam wishlists and Dice of Kalma one million downloads across PC and mobile. One of the year’s major Finnish game launches is now just days away, with Remedy’s CONTROL Resonant releasing on 24 September. For companies with projects in development, AVEK’s DigiDemo application window closes on 21 September at 16:00.

Stay updated on what’s happening in the Finnish game industry by following the Play Finland Facebook group, and help us stay informed by posting your Finnish game industry news there!  Follow Neogames Finland also on LinkedIn.

Subscribe to Neogames’ weekly newsletter directly to your email

📣 Neogames Dones & News

  • Gamebadges is holding an open Futures Workshop on 30 September to help shape the next phase of the project, covering different aspects of Gamebadges and its future development. Registration and agenda.

📰 Game Industry News, thoughts & discussions

  • Applications for Finnish Game Incubator 2026 close on 18 October. At least one team member must speak Finnish, and the team’s required skills assessment must be submitted in Finnish. Programme details and application.
  • Aalto EE’s Game Executive programme holds a free online information session on 7 October ahead of the programme’s January 2027 start. Programme details and registration.
  • Applications for JAMK’s Game Track programme are open until 30 September. The approximately five-month programme supports junior developers, jobseekers and game entrepreneurship in Central Finland. Programme details and application.
  • Peliosuuskunta Expa supported Jyväskylä Pride with a game-industry presence at Digi & Game Center, highlighting inclusion and the regional game ecosystem. Read more.

🎮 News from and about Finnish Game Companies

  • Colossal Order has confirmed that it is developing a new PC simulation game. The studio says it has funding in place and is considering both self-publishing and working with a new publishing partner. Read the interview.
  • Pocket Worlds has acquired Sulake-developed Hotel Hideaway, which has more than 32 million registered users and approximately 300,000 monthly active players. The financial terms were not disclosed. Read the GamesBeat report.
  • Piñata is returning as an independent creative studio after operating as part of Metacore, offering animation, illustration, visual development and user-acquisition creative services. Read more.
  • Supercell-majority-owned Trailmix has appointed James Nicholas CEO, while founder Carolin Krenzer moves to executive chair after almost nine years leading the studio. Read the personnel roundup.
    • Read also how continuous experimentation and player feedback shape its live-service development. Read the interview.
  • Iceflake Studios has released Cities: Skylines II Expansion Pass 2, the first original content wave since the Tampere studio took over development responsibility for the game. Read the announcement.
  • Finnish-developed Brass Rain has passed 150,000 Steam wishlists organically, without paid user acquisition and before releasing a public demo. Read the developer’s milestone announcement.
  • Finnish indie developer Pepperbox Studios’ Dice of Kalma has passed one million downloads across Steam, iOS and Android. Read the milestone announcement.
  • MiTale has opened pre-orders for Willow Guard: Awakening, the first 30-plus-page chapter of its new graphic-novel series, with print copies expected to ship in late October. Pre-order the graphic novel.
  • Rovio is preparing for the December release of The Angry Birds Movie 3 as part of a broader transmedia and licensing strategy for the Angry Birds IP, with SEGA integrating Angry Birds licensing into its global transmedia framework.
  • Supercell and Duolingo have launched a Brawl Stars crossover, with Duo taking over Starr Park and Spike appearing in Duolingo lessons. The two-week Brawl Stars event includes a new boss fight, community challenges and collaboration rewards. Read more

😍 NEW Finnish games released & upcoming releases

💰 Funding

  • Business Finland reports that game companies and game-related research organisations submitted the largest applications by value in its latest creative-industries R&D call. A new €9 million call is planned later in 2026. Read the funding update.
  • Business Finland’s continuous Sprint Grant offers small Finnish companies €75,000–€100,000, covering 75 per cent of early R&D project costs for innovations with international growth potential. Review the funding call.
  • AVEK’s DigiDemo application window closes on 21 September at 16:00. Companies may apply for €10,000 or €20,000 towards a demo or pilot, covering up to 80 per cent of eligible costs. Read the application guidelines.

📝 Jobs & Recruitment

  • Looking for work or talent in The Finnish Game Industry? Neogames maintains links to company career pages, GamesJobs.fi and other recruitment resources. Finnish game-industry job resources.

👉 Upcoming Events

See also following calendars:
The Game Industry Events calendar (mostly relevant for Finnish Game industry)
Game Conference Guide Calendar (more international (powered by EGDF and Slovakian games association)
Game Industry Biz

This week’s roundup highlights news from the past week in the Finnish Game Industry. In the future, this bulletin is again posted every Friday afternoon. You can find past weekly roundups from Weekly roundup section.

News are gathered from various industry sources and the Play Finland group posts during the week. Post your Finnish Game Industry related news to the group to get a chance to be included in the weekly roundup!

Best Regards,
Neogames Finland

This week news about the Finnish Game Industry is… led by Channel37’s 400,000 Early Access sales and Xbox roadmap for The Last Caretaker, MiTale’s move into transmedia publishing, and new developments from Housemarque and Remedy. Neogames is also keeping international talent firmly on the policy agenda: international specialists already make up 35% of The Finnish Game Industry workforce, and our 2027 parliamentary election objectives call for a more predictable path for international talent to stay and work in Finland. Also this week, European developer organisations are challenging Apple’s latest EU business terms, new funding opportunities are open, and September continues to keep everyone reasonably busy.

Stay updated on what’s happening in the Finnish game industry by following the Play Finland Facebook group, and help us stay informed by posting your Finnish game industry news there!  Follow Neogames Finland also on LinkedIn.

Subscribe to Neogames’ weekly newsletter directly to your email

📣 Neogames Dones & News

  • Neogames continues to highlight key priorities from its 2027 parliamentary election programme, including attracting and retaining international game-industry talent in Finland. International specialists account for 35% of the workforce in The Finnish Game Industry. Read the full policy programme

📰 Game Industry News, thoughts & discussions

  • Visionist’s September “Good Game News from Finland” roundup highlights recent developments across The Finnish Game Industry. The monthly overview covers company news, releases, upcoming games and other developments from Finnish studios and developers. Read the September roundup
  • Finland ranks among Europe’s leading game-industry countries relative to its size, according to the latest EGDF data. Finland ranks 8th in the EU by talent base, 7th by number of studios and 5th by combined industry turnover, with Helsinki ranking 9th among European game-industry talent hubs. Read the latest European industry data
  • European game developer organisations are challenging Apple’s new EU business terms. EGDF and 17 other organisations argue that the revised terms still undermine effective competition under the Digital Markets Act. Read EGDF’s statement
  • Applications are open for Finnish Game Incubator 2026 until 18 October. The free remote programme is for Finland-based teams already developing a game. At least one team member must speak Finnish, and the required skills assessment and game-business plan must be submitted in Finnish. Programme details and application
  • Aalto University Executive Education’s Game Executive programme has an online info session on 7 October. The programme focuses on management and leadership in the game industry and starts in January 2027. Game Executive programme and info session

🎮 News from and about Finnish Game Companies

  • Channel37’s The Last Caretaker will reach 1.0 and launch on Xbox in spring 2027, with Game Pass availability from day one. The Helsinki studio also reports more than 400,000 copies sold since Early Access launch. Read more
  • Housemarque has announced the free Zenith update for SAROS. The update adds new replayable modes, progression options and accessibility features later this year. Read the State of Play announcement
  • Remedy Entertainment has published the final PC requirements for CONTROL Resonant ahead of its 24 September launch. The specifications cover standard, ray-tracing and path-tracing configurations. Read more
  • Skyward Entertainment’s Second Stone received a positive hands-on preview from Gamereactor following gamescom. The preview takes a closer look at the Helsinki studio’s upcoming action RPG. Read the preview
  • Iceflake Studios has launched the first episode of its new “Under Construction” developer-video series for LEGO Skylines. The episode introduces the Tampere-based team and development of the upcoming city-builder. Watch Episode 1
  • Finnish studio MiTale is expanding from independent game development into transmedia publishing. The company will publish games and other media, with external submissions opening in early 2027. Read more
  • Finnish publisher VRKiwi has released Detective VR on Steam and PlayStation VR2. The investigation game launched on 9 September. Read the launch announcement.

😍Upcoming NEW Finnish game releases

  • Gladio Mori leaves Early Access and launches in full on 16 September. The Oulu-developed fighting game is coming to PC, PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X|S. Gladio Mori on Steam

💰 Funding

  • Business Finland’s new continuous Sprint Grant offers small Finnish companies €75,000–€100,000 for early-stage R&D projects with international growth potential. The grant covers 75% of eligible project costs. Review the funding call.
  • AVEK’s DigiDemo application window closes on 21 September at 16:00. Companies may apply for €10,000 or €20,000 towards a demo or pilot. DigiDemo application guidelines

📝 Jobs & Recruitment

👉 Upcoming Events

See also following calendars:
The Game Industry Events calendar (mostly relevant for Finnish Game industry)
Game Conference Guide Calendar (more international (powered by EGDF and Slovakian games association)
Game Industry Biz

This week’s roundup highlights news from the past week in the Finnish Game Industry. In the future, this bulletin is again posted every Friday afternoon. You can find past weekly roundups from Weekly roundup section.

News are gathered from various industry sources and the Play Finland group posts during the week. Post your Finnish Game Industry related news to the group to get a chance to be included in the weekly roundup!

Best Regards,
Neogames Finland

This week news about the Finnish Game Industry is about the winds of change, deals and new games moving forward. Housemarque co-founder Ilari Kuittinen is stepping away after 31 years, Supercell and Metacore have signed their acquisition deal, and Lasse Seppänen is leaving Supercell to start a new company in the UK. On the game side, Frostrail has entered Closed Beta, Add Inspiration has revealed Regret & Rewind, Next Games has helped bring Netflix Star: Daily Trivia to the Netflix TV app, and September releases are getting closer. Also this week: Epic funding opportunities (deadline: 5 September at 06:59 Helsinki time), new leadership training from Aalto EE, the upcoming India Market Introduction webinar and the usual autumn calendar slowly filling up.

Stay updated on what’s happening in the Finnish game industry by following the Play Finland Facebook group, and help us stay informed by posting your Finnish game industry news there!  Follow Neogames Finland also on LinkedIn.

Subscribe to Neogames’ weekly newsletter directly to your email

📣 Neogames Dones & News

  • Applications for the Gamebadges Challenge Sprint close on 9 September. The online pilot runs from 14 to 27 September and assesses competence through participants’ existing work or portfolios. Read more and apply

📰 Game Industry News, thoughts & discussions

  • Games & Immersive: India Market Introduction takes place online on 11 September from 10:00 to 11:00 Helsinki time. The webinar covers the Indian market, current collaboration opportunities and the upcoming India Game Developer Conference. Register for the webinar.
  • Applications are open for Finnish Game Incubator 2026 until 18 October. The free remote programme is for Finland-based teams already developing a game. At least one team member must speak Finnish, and the required skills assessment, submitted as a game-business plan, must be completed in Finnish. Programme details and application.

🎮 News from and about Finnish Game Companies

  • Supercell and Metacore have signed their agreement concerning Merge Mansion. The transaction is expected to close by the end of September, bringing the game and Metacore’s employees into Supercell. Read Supercell’s announcement.
  • Housemarque co-founder Ilari Kuittinen has stepped down after 31 years with the Helsinki studio. Sami “Haxu” Hakala became managing director on 1 July following a planned transition. Read more.
  • Lasse Seppänen has left Supercell after seven and a half years and plans to establish a UK game studio in 2027. His previous roles included leading several Supercell games and serving as general manager of Supercell London. Read more.
  • Turku-based FakeFish has launched the closed beta for Frostrail. Players can request Steam access ahead of the Shiro Unlimited-published game’s planned Q4 2026 Early Access release. Closed-beta announcement and Frostrail on Steam.
  • Finnish publisher Bonus Stage Publishing has opened a public Steam playtest for Arctic Drive. Developed by Canada-based Pebbles Games and Denmark-based PlayTogether Studio, the playtest includes a new scenario mode. Read the announcement.
  • Helsinki-based Channel37 has released Update 5.5 for The Last Caretaker. The Early Access update adds new storage systems, a MOSES quest, locations and memories, alongside performance improvements. Read the patch notes.
  • Type the World has released a demo on Steam ahead of Steam Next Fest. The geography-themed typing game by Finnish solo developer Jaakko Maaniemi challenges players to type place names onto a world map. The full game is scheduled for release on 28 October. Play the demo on Steam Read more

😍Upcoming NEW Finnish game releases

  • Gladio Mori leaves Early Access and launches in full on 16 September. The Oulu-developed fighting game is coming to PC, PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X|S with cross-platform multiplayer. Read the release announcement.
  • Remedy Entertainment’s CONTROL Resonant launches digitally on 24 September. The Finnish-developed action RPG is coming to PC, PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X|S. Read Remedy’s announcement.
  • Next Games has helped develop Netflix Star: Daily Trivia, now playable through the Netflix TV app in the US. The Helsinki-based Netflix studio worked with teams across Netflix on the technology behind the experience, including TV remote controls and integration directly into the Netflix home screen. The game is currently available only in the US. Read more from Next Games.

💰 Funding

  • Last call: Epic MegaGrants Cycle 2 closes on 4 September at 11:59 PM ET – 5 September at 06:59 Helsinki time. The funding is aimed especially at smaller teams, solo developers and other creators using Unreal Engine, UEFN or related real-time 3D technology. Finnish developers considering an application should act now. Read more and apply.

  • AVEK’s DigiDemo application window closes on 21 September at 16:00. Companies may apply for €10,000 or €20,000 towards a demo or pilot, covering up to 80 per cent of eligible costs. Read the application guidelines.

📝 Jobs & Recruitment

  • Looking for work or talent in The Finnish Game Industry? Neogames maintains links to Finnish game-company careers pages, GamesJobs.fi and other relevant recruitment resources. Finnish game-industry job resources.

👉 Upcoming Events

See also following calendars:
The Game Industry Events calendar (mostly relevant for Finnish Game industry)
Game Conference Guide Calendar (more international (powered by EGDF and Slovakian games association)
Game Industry Biz

This week’s roundup highlights news from the past week in the Finnish Game Industry. In the future, this bulletin is again posted every Friday afternoon. You can find past weekly roundups from Weekly roundup section.

News are gathered from various industry sources and the Play Finland group posts during the week. Post your Finnish Game Industry related news to the group to get a chance to be included in the weekly roundup!

Best Regards,
Neogames Finland