Game Pitch Arena 2026: Another year of great games, sharp feedback, and real opportunities
- May 11
- 2 min read
On 8 May 2026, Game Pitch Arena returned to Liberec as part of the Anifilm International Festival, bringing together indie developers, publishers, and industry professionals for a full day focused on game pitching, feedback, and new opportunities.
This year’s edition once again showed why live pitching events still matter. While online communication has made the industry more connected than ever, there is still something irreplaceable about presenting your game live, defending your vision in front of experienced professionals, and having direct conversations immediately after stepping off stage.
Teams from the Czech Republic and abroad presented their projects in front of a jury made up of experienced publishers, marketers, and business development professionals from across the games industry. The goal was not only to compete for prizes, but also to receive honest feedback, make connections, and potentially open doors for future partnerships.
The 2026 jury included:
Allan Adham
Anton Ravin
Vladimír Geršl
Mario Gerhold
Henner Bruhn
The whole event was hosted by Mikoláš Tuček.
Beyond the pitching itself, one of the strongest parts of Game Pitch Arena continues to be the atmosphere around it. Developers had the chance to meet publishers and other teams in a much more approachable environment than at massive international expos, which often leads to more open and practical discussions.
This year’s projects covered a wide range of genres, styles, and scopes, from smaller experimental concepts to ambitious commercial projects already preparing for market launch. What connected them all was the willingness to stand in front of a crowd, present months or years of work, and accept direct feedback from industry veterans.
The event also included a panel discussion focused on publishing, funding, and what publishers are really looking for in today’s market. For many attendees, hearing real perspectives from people actively working in publishing and business development was just as valuable as the competition itself.
This year’s winners and prizes:
🏅 SKYBOUND: Sail.Game Premium Tier coupon
🏅 MAGNA REGNA: Fulqrum Publishing Special Recognition
🏅 CHESS PLANET: FuchsDachs marketing package
🏅 DNOWHERE: €1,000 financial award from PPF Foundation
🏅 GRAYTON THE DETECTIVE: €2,000 financial award from PPF Foundation + Sail.Game Premium Tier coupon
🏅 GERRY DAE: €7,000 financial award from PPF Foundation + Sail.Game Premium Tier coupon
Thank you to Anifilm, Nadace PPF, all jury members, partners, organizers, and everyone who helped make this year’s Game Pitch Arena happen.
And of course, thank you to all developers who stepped on stage and shared their projects with us. That is what the event is really about.
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