The International Game Developers Association’s Incubation Special Interest Group (SIG) is set to unveil a groundbreaking, worldwide survey of game incubation and accelerator initiatives during this week’s Gamescom 2026 event. This unprecedented research aims to provide the gaming sector with its first comprehensive overview of the myriad organisations that nurture nascent studios, offering insights into their structures, methodologies, and the obstacles they encounter. The dataset behind the presentation was assembled from the responses of 84 senior figures—program leaders, managers, and coordinators—from incubation and acceleration programmes spanning continents.
By aggregating perspectives from North America, Europe, Asia‑Pacific, Latin America, and Africa, the study paints a truly global picture of how emerging developers receive support. The findings will be disclosed for the first time at the IGDA Incubation SIG’s dedicated Gamescom meetup, a gathering that brings together industry veterans, policymakers, and aspiring creators.
"Incubators and accelerators have become pivotal in shaping the modern games ecosystem, yet we have lacked a clear, data‑driven map of that ecosystem," explained Dr. Pedro Santoro Zambon, a leading researcher on the project. "Our census seeks to identify who is providing these services, the models they employ, and the specific challenges they face in fostering sustainable growth for new studios." The session will open with Chairperson Sho Sato, who will deliver a status report on the SIG’s recent activities, including outreach efforts, partnership building, and the development of best‑practice guidelines for incubation programmes. Following Sato, Linn Søvig, who heads the European chapter of the SIG, will discuss the importance of cross‑border collaboration among developer‑support organisations.
Søvig will highlight case studies where European incubators have partnered with counterparts in Asia and the Americas to share resources, mentorship networks, and funding mechanisms, thereby creating a more interconnected support landscape. A key portion of the agenda will be devoted to diversity and inclusion. Vee Pendergrast, the industry development manager at New Zealand’s Centre of Digital Excellence, will present on strategies for uplifting Indigenous creators and other under‑represented groups.
Pendergrast will showcase the work of CODE (Creative Opportunities for Development and Education), which has launched targeted programmes for Māori and Pasifika developers. These initiatives include culturally‑sensitive mentorship, grant schemes that respect traditional knowledge, and community‑driven game jams that celebrate local storytelling traditions.
The final speaker, veteran games industry figure Jason Della Rocca, will explore the concept of "inception publishing." This emerging model advocates for early‑stage studios receiving not only capital but also strategic guidance on business fundamentals, intellectual property (IP) management, and long‑term sustainability. Della Rocca will argue that by equipping developers with a solid foundation from day one, they are better positioned to retain ownership of their creations, avoid exploitative contracts, and build resilient companies capable of weathering market fluctuations. Beyond the formal presentations, the census data will be made available to attendees through an interactive digital dashboard.
Users will be able to filter programmes by region, funding size, focus area (such as mobile, VR, or educational games), and the types of services offered—ranging from technical mentorship and prototyping labs to marketing support and distribution channels. This tool is intended to serve as a living resource for developers seeking the right incubator match, as well as for policymakers aiming to identify gaps in regional support infrastructure. Preliminary insights from the survey reveal several notable trends.
First, there is a marked increase in hybrid models that blend traditional accelerator sprint formats with longer‑term incubator mentorship, reflecting a desire to provide both rapid prototyping assistance and sustained growth support. Second, many programmes report challenges in securing stable funding streams, often relying on a patchwork of government grants, corporate sponsorships, and private investment. Third, a significant proportion of respondents highlighted the need for stronger metrics to evaluate success, suggesting that current evaluation frameworks are too narrowly focused on short‑term milestones such as prototype completion rather than long‑term studio viability. The IGDA Incubation SIG hopes that the census will spark a broader conversation about standardising best practices across the sector.
By illuminating where resources are concentrated and where they are lacking, the study can guide future investment, encourage knowledge‑sharing partnerships, and ultimately strengthen the pipeline that brings fresh, innovative games to market. Attendees are encouraged to engage with the presenters during the Q&A sessions, share their own experiences, and contribute to an evolving dialogue about how the industry can collectively nurture the next generation of game creators.
The SIG plans to update the census annually, ensuring that the data remains current and continues to reflect the dynamic nature of the global games incubation landscape. In summary, the upcoming unveiling at Gamescom represents a milestone for the gaming community: a data‑rich, globally sourced snapshot of the incubator and accelerator ecosystem, enriched with expert commentary on collaboration, inclusion, and sustainable publishing models.
This initiative not only documents the state of support for emerging studios today but also lays the groundwork for more coordinated, equitable, and effective assistance in the years to come.