Gamescom dev awards 2026 – Winners

Visual Excellence Award - MUTTER (DeadlyCrow Games)

Most Innovative Game (sponsored by Epic Games) - PRAVDA(concept25) (Floating Stone Studio)

Most Promising Game - Cards & Cannons (Flamehead Games)

Best Sound Design - INVASIA (Rocat Games)

Game Design Excellence Award – Speakers’ Choice - Blue Prince (Dogubomb / Raw Fury)

Ambassador Award – Speakers’ Choice - Amir Satvat (Business Development Director at Tencent Games and founder of ASGC)

I'm working on a 2d platformer prototype, the whole point is learning.
And I was wondering what I've stuck right now.

I've a Finite State Machine for the movement, jump, fall and so on. And was wondering, should I have another state machine for the action, like shooting, melee, bow? I'm trying to understand the benefits of having two separated state machines for this prototype, and what would be the cons of it.

Have anyone played with this idea?
What was the results?

Does anyone have good tips/tricks to handle Sound Effects in game?

Adding million "play sound effect X" lines all over the code seems wrong, but cannot think another solution. There are so many different places and event that need sound effects so some kind of general solution does seem viable.

I would love to hear your solutions or how you handle the audio in your games!

Firm's report also found that focused games are more likely to find commercial success than safe, generic ones