€19,000 was raised to support Ukrainian troops during the third Games from Ukraine Reception, which took place in Cologne as part of gamescom 2026. The most expensive item at the charity auction was a pair of boxing gloves autographed by Vitalii and Volodymyr Klychko—they sold for €6,500.
This year, the Reception combined the traditional gathering of Ukrainian developers with representatives of the international game development industry and a charity auction. It was organized by Burny Games in support of the Gamedev Under Bombs initiative.
Among the lots were 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. However, the Klychko brothers’ gloves fetched the highest price. The proceeds from this lot will be used to purchase a pickup truck for the Ukrainian military.
Soldiers from the “Manticore” battalion also participated in the auction. They contributed three lots, which together raised an additional €3,200.
The Reception charity fundraiser raised over €100,000
The total amount raised through charitable donations over the three years of the Games from Ukraine Reception now stands at €109,000. The event continues to bring together Ukrainian developers, partners, and representatives of the international industry in support of Ukraine.
“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.
This year’s Reception was organized by Burny Games, co-owned by Ukrainian entrepreneur Maksym Krippa. Overall, Ukraine was represented at Gamescom 2026 by two separate pavilions.
Ukrainian Game Developers Return to Gamescom
This year’s Games from Ukraine Reception brought together representatives of the Ukrainian and international game development communities in Cologne for the third time. Organized by Burny Games, the event has since become a platform for professional networking and charitable initiatives in support of Ukraine.
Founded in 2022, Burny Games specializes in mobile puzzle games. The company also has its own publishing division, and the total number of downloads for its projects has exceeded 65 million. Burny Games is part of the ARS Capital investment holding ecosystem.
This year, gamescom also featured GSC Game World, Flexus, Mobihunter, Mind Studios Games, AB Games, PlayToMax, and Ukrainian Fight Drone Simulator. The Indie Area operated separately at the expo, where independent Ukrainian studios presented their projects to Gamescom visitors.
For the fourth consecutive year, Ukraine presented the joint “Games From Ukraine” booth at Gamescom.