IGDA Incubation SIG to unveil first global census of game incubators and accelerators at Gamescom
The IGDA Incubation SIG will present the first-ever international census of game incubators and accelerator programs at Gamescom 2026 this week. The research draws on responses from 84 leaders and managers of incubation and acceleration initiatives worldwide, providing the games industry with its first comprehensive overview of the ecosystem supporting emerging game studios.
While incubators and accelerators have become increasingly important to the games industry in recent years, the sector has lacked a clear understanding of how these organizations operate, their scale, and their collective impact on studio development and industry growth. This inaugural census aims to remedy that gap by documenting the characteristics, reach, and effectiveness of global game incubation and acceleration programs.
The findings will be presented for the first time at the IGDA Incubation SIG’s Gamescom meetup, offering valuable insights to industry stakeholders including emerging studios, investors, and policymakers about the support structures that nurture new game development ventures and foster innovation in the gaming sector.