The third Games from Ukraine Reception took place in Cologne during gamescom and, this time, combined a gathering of industry representatives with a charity auction. It was organized by Burny Games in support of the Gamedev Under Bombs initiative.
This year, Ukraine was represented at Gamescom 2026 by two separate pavilions. A separate part of the program was an auction featuring autographed collectibles related to the S.T.A.L.K.E.R. series, items made from repurposed military materials, Ukrainian books, jewelry, and works of art.
The highest bid was for a pair of boxing gloves autographed by Vitalii and Volodymyr Klychko. The lot went under the hammer for €6,500. In total, €19,000 was raised during the evening to support the Ukrainian military. The proceeds from the sale of the Klitschko gloves will go toward purchasing a pickup truck for the Ukrainian military.
Over the course of the Reception, charitable donations totaled €109,000. Soldiers from the “Manticore” battalion also contributed to the fundraiser by donating three lots, which raised an additional €3,200.
This year’s event brought together Ukrainian developers, partners, and representatives of the international game development industry. It was organized by Burny Games, co-owned by Ukrainian entrepreneur Maksym Krippa.
“For me, the €100,000 milestone holds special significance. When we first held the Reception in 2022, we could hardly have imagined that, through our joint efforts, we would be able to raise such an amount in just a few years. At the same time, even more important than the figure itself is the support that the international game development community continues to provide to Ukraine. People are joining the fundraiser, making donations, and participating in auctions—and this allows us to address specific needs,” said Olena Lobova, organizer of the Games from Ukraine Reception and Head of Partnerships at Burny Games.
Ukraine at Gamescom 2026: A Look Back
This year, Burny Games hosted the Games from Ukraine Reception for the third time. Over the years, the event has become a meeting place for Ukrainian developers and representatives of the international gaming industry, and its charitable component has helped channel funds toward Ukraine’s pressing needs.
Burny Games was founded in 2022. The company specializes in mobile puzzle games and operates its own publishing division. Its projects have been downloaded more than 65 million times in total. Burny Games is part of the ARS Capital investment holding ecosystem.
Other participants in the event included GSC Game World, Flexus, Mobihunter, Mind Studios Games, AB Games, PlayToMax, and Ukrainian Fight Drone Simulator. Special attention was given to the Indie Area, where independent Ukrainian studios had the opportunity to showcase their projects to exhibition visitors.
The Ukrainian studio 4A Games also presented more content from its new game, Metro 2039, which is scheduled for release in February 2027.
For the fourth consecutive year, Ukraine presented the joint “Games From Ukraine” booth at Gamescom. It brought together Ukrainian B2B companies and indie studios, which showcased new games, services, and projects to an international audience.