Development
Five Xsolla Incubation Program graduates to showcase their games at gamescom
August 17, 2026•2 min
Five standout studios from Azerbaijan are bringing their games to the world stage at gamescom 2026, all graduates of the Xsolla Incubation Program.
Over three months, the Xsolla Incubation Program helped aspiring Azerbaijani developers turn their ideas into minimum viable products (MVPs), providing mentorship, industry guidance, and practical support to prepare their projects for the global stage.
Recognizing the program’s finalists
Fifteen teams were selected to participate in the program, with ten progressing to the final stage after demonstrating impressive creativity, technical skill, and commercial potential. The final projects were evaluated by an experienced jury featuring Ernest Chung, Head of Game Evaluation at Xsolla; Jonas Antonsson, Founder of Raw Fury; Alysegul Can, Publishing Director at BoomBit; Ilgar Alirzayev, Founder of Nomadman Studios, and IGDA Azerbaijan representative; and Novruz Javadov, Founder of Darts Games.
Following the final presentations, five studios were selected as the program’s winners: Avalorix Interactive for Fractunum, BloodBuzz Studio for BloodBuzz, VIA Studio for Dead Ducks Don’t Bluff, Massive Dreamers Studio for Enjoy Your Stay, and Exterra Studio for BIOMASS.
Five winning studios head to gamescom
As the program's grand prize, all five studios will attend gamescom 2026 to pitch their games to publishers, investors, media, and players from around the world. Flights, accommodation, event passes, and a dedicated showcase space in the Xsolla Clubhouse, all covered.
Powered by a strong local partnership
The Innovation and Digital Development Agency of Azerbaijan has been the program's main partner throughout, supporting both the Incubation Program and the winning studios' trip to gamescom, as part of its commitment to growing Azerbaijan's digital economy and creative industries.
"The teams involved brought strong concepts to life as promising playables,” said Manny Hachey, Senior Director of Developer Success at Xsolla. “Programs like this incubator are giving young developers the space to learn, connect, and build their professional networks, and they're a key reason the games industry in Azerbaijan is growing so quickly."
Creating global opportunities for local talent
Five studios, five games, one stage at gamescom. What started as an idea is now ready for the world, and for these teams, this is just the beginning.
Want to learn more about how Xsolla is helping emerging talent?
Schedule a meeting with an Xsolla expert today!
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