CYGMA - Cyprus Game Makers Association

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CYGMA - Cyprus Game Makers Association

CYGMA is the industry association representing game creators in Cyprus and strengthening the island’s place on the global game development map.

26/05/2026

📆This Friday, May 29, GDCy Fest 2026 takes over St. Raphael Resort in Limassol - and CYGMA is right in the middle of it.
If you're new to gamedev or curious about how the industry works in Cyprus, here's what to know.

🎮For teenagers - Entering GameDev.
This is the first track at GDCy Fest built specifically for ages 14-19, and we've been working on it for months. Curated by Julia Tarasova, our Head of Education (and founder of KidIT), the program is built around one question: how do you actually get into this industry?
The lineup is people who do it for a living - speakers from MY.GAMES, Strikerz Inc., Holyday Studios, Apnea Academy, Robolab, and Cyprus University of Technology. They'll cover how to start without waiting years, what AI means for future careers, what artists need to know now, and what local universities and programs are doing.
It opens at 14:20 in the Teens Corner. If you have a teenager who plays games and wonders whether there's a real career behind it, this is the day to come.

🎯For the industry - Cyprus GameDev.
Cyprus has 300+ game studios. Most people don't know that. The Cyprus GameDev track runs all day and covers what's behind that number: banking, hiring, legal, indie growth, and what it actually takes to operate a studio here.
At 14:30, Jane Artemova, our Head of Strategic Partnerships, takes the stage with "Video Games Industry Challenge - Developing Cyprus Indie Games Scene from Scratch". An honest look at what's working in the local indie scene, what's stuck, and what comes next.

👀 Also worth a look: Game Marketing.
Our Head of Brand, Julia Paliy, is curating the Game Marketing track. If you're working on a game and trying to figure out how to reach players, this is where those conversations are happening.

🤩Want to meet us?
The whole CYGMA team will be at St. Raphael all day. Book a meeting through the GDCy Meet platform, or just find us between sessions - happy to talk memberships, partnerships, the Cyprus scene, Gamescom planning, or anything else gamedev.
See you on Friday!

Check out the full agenda in comments!

08/05/2026

If your teenager plays games and has ever wondered how they’re actually made — this is for them 🔥

On May 29, as part of GDCy Fest 2026, CYGMA is hosting the first dedicated Teens Track at a Cyprus game industry event. Free entry for ages 14-19. 100 spots available, registration required ➡ https://cygma.fillout.com/t/4HD6zDpJGcus

The afternoon brings together working game developers, 3D artists, and industry professionals for a program built around one question: how do you turn genuine interest in games into real skills and a real career?

Anton Gorodetsky from MY.GAMES opens with an honest look at how the games industry is structured and how young people are actually getting in.

Dmitry Kononenko, Art Director at Strikerz, follows with something a lot of young creatives are quietly anxious about: what AI is really doing to the artist’s profession. His take, as a concept artist, sculptor, and lead 3D artist who works with these tools every day, is more useful than most of the noise out there.

A session led by Antonina Americ from Robolab, alongside indie developers and 3D artists who started as teenagers themselves, covers portfolios, freelancing, and what the first real steps actually look like.

Despina Michael-Grigoriou from Cyprus University of Technology presents the local university pathways available to aspiring developers.

And Max Fomichev from Holyday Studios addresses the bigger picture: which roles in game development are changing, and what that means for people who are just starting out.

The track closes with a panel where senior professionals answer the question they probably wish someone had answered for them: What would you do if you were starting today?

Hosted by Yulia Tarasova, Head of Education at CYGMA.

📅 May 29 | 14:00–18:00 | GDCy Fest 2026
🎫 100 free tickets for teenagers | parents attending with their child can also get a discounted ticket at registration
🔗https://cygma.fillout.com/t/4HD6zDpJGcus

If you know a teenager who’s into games — share this with them.

24/04/2026

CYGMA was at the 10th Professional Services Conference this Tuesday - and game development was on the agenda.

Andrey Ivashentsev joined the panel alongside George Mountis and Aleksandra Mirgorodskaya from Chrysostomides Advocates & Legal Consultants and Roman Zanin from Wargaming for a productive conversation about where the industry stands and what it needs to grow.

"Being invited to this conversation is something we don't take lightly. It signals that the broader business and financial community is genuinely looking to understand how gaming and entertainment are reshaping the economy. We came to listen, and we heard a real openness to that dialogue. We also shared our perspective: Cyprus has grown from 50 to nearly 400 studios, and the ecosystem is ready for the infrastructure - financial, regulatory, and governmental - to grow with it. Countries like the UK, Germany, and Turkey offer good reference points for what that support can look like. We're grateful for the seat at the table. And we're committed to making the case - constructively, and with data."

The dialogue is opening up.

16/04/2026

CYGMA at the 10th Cyprus Professional Services Conference
Our General Manager, Andrey Ivashentsev, will be speaking on a panel about the future of Gaming & Digital Entertainment at one of Cyprus's most prominent professional services events.
The conference, presented by Bank of Cyprus and themed "A Sector in Transition", brings together key voices across industries shaping Cyprus's economic future. Game development is now part of that conversation.

📅 21 April 2026 | Hilton Nicosia
Proud to represent the industry at this level. If you're attending, come join the conversation.

08/04/2026

Plug and Play Tech Center has officially launched in Cyprus — marking another important step in the development of the island’s innovation ecosystem.

CYGMA was invited to join the launch event in Nicosia, bringing together international partners, local stakeholders, and government representatives. The initiative is driven by the Ministry of Research, Innovation and Digital Policy, including dedicated support and budgets aimed at accelerating startup development.

The programme was also presented at the Presidential Palace, highlighting strong institutional backing.

Alongside broader discussions on innovation, investment, and international collaboration, we focused on one of the upcoming programs, which is expected to be dedicated to game development. We are already exploring partnership opportunities within this initiative to ensure Cyprus-based studios can directly benefit from access to global networks, expertise, and funding.

For the game development industry, this is a meaningful and very practical step forward — reinforcing Cyprus as an emerging hub at the intersection of Europe, the Middle East, and beyond.

Glad to be part of this — and ready to contribute 🚀

02/04/2026

Big news for the Cyprus game development scene.
CYGMA is partnering with Xsolla — a global company known for helping game developers with payments, monetization, and distribution.
For studios in Cyprus (and those exploring it), this means better access to the tools and expertise needed to operate and scale internationally.
This partnership is another step toward building a stronger, more connected ecosystem for game development in Cyprus — one that is fully plugged into the global industry.
More updates coming soon.

19/03/2026

CYGMA x Mellow - New Work Made Easy 🤝

We’re continuing to build the operational foundation for game studios in Cyprus — step by step.

Following our recent fintech partnership, we’ve teamed up with Mellow, a global platform helping companies work with contractors and build distributed teams. Mellow joins CYGMA as our Contractor Operations Partner.

Today, building a game studio means working globally from day one — across countries, talent pools, and time zones. This partnership is here to make that easier.

Through the collaboration, CYGMA members will get:
✔️ Support with global contractor operations
✔️ Tools to work with talent worldwide
✔️ Dedicated account management
✔️ Tailored conditions based on studio needs

Whether you’re already operating in Cyprus or exploring it as your next destination, we’re building the ecosystem to support you🎮

16/03/2026

CYGMA has partnered with Unlimit to strengthen the financial infrastructure available to game studios in Cyprus.

As CYGMA’s Strategic Global Fintech Partner, Unlimit will provide members with dedicated payment solutions, fintech expertise, and priority services designed for internationally operating studios.

Modern game companies work across multiple regions, platforms, and revenue streams — making reliable cross-border payment infrastructure essential.

Through this partnership, CYGMA members will gain access to fast onboarding, dedicated account management, and financial tools built specifically for the needs of global game developers.

Cyprus is already home to 300+ game studios generating an estimated $1.6B annually, and partnerships like this help build the ecosystem that supports their growth.

Full announcement on our website: https://cygma.eu/cygma-names-unlimit-strategic-global-fintech-partner-for-member-studios/

16/02/2026

When we started shaping CYGMA, we knew one thing: the identity had to carry meaning.

Together with BeaversBrothers, we built more than a logo. We built a symbol of Cyprus and Games coming together.

At its core is a geometric composition formed from the letters C and G - Cyprus & Games.
And inside the mark, there’s a small Easter egg: a fragment of a game controller, quietly embedded into the structure. A subtle reminder of the industry that connects us. 🎮

The team developed a custom type system, color palette, and gradients that now shape how CYGMA looks and feels. Clean. Confident. Forward-moving.

For us, this identity represents collaboration. It represents ambition. It represents the belief that Cyprus has a real, growing voice in global game development.

We’re grateful to BeaversBrothers and Alexander Ustinov for translating that belief into a visual language we’re proud to stand behind!
This is how ecosystems begin - with people, ideas, and a symbol that brings them together.🤝

11/02/2026

CYGMA continues to move forward 👏

Following our first official Board meeting, we’re pleased to announce the appointment of Andrey Ivashentsev as General Manager of the Cyprus Game Makers Association.

The Board has approved our strategic priorities for the year, marking an important step in building the association’s operational foundation.

Andrey is the co-founder of GDCy - Game Dev Cyprus, which - together with its team and partners - has grown into the largest game development community in Cyprus. Through initiatives like GDCy Fest, the community has strengthened collaboration and industry visibility for the island’s developers.

He brings executive experience from leadership roles within the international games industry, where he led strategic partnerships with major global platforms, including Google, Apple, and Microsoft.
Earlier in his career, he worked at Microsoft on games-related initiatives across CIS and Central & Eastern Europe, including AR/VR projects. He also brings hands-on experience in developing educational and community-driven initiatives, organizing meetups, and game jams that helped cultivate emerging talent.

As General Manager of CYGMA, he will focus on growing membership, supporting local studios, and strengthening international industry connections.

We are building on strong foundations — and just getting started 💪

Address

Lampousas, 1
Nicosia
1095

Website

https://cygma.eu/, https://www.linkedin.com/company/cygma-cyprus/

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