Kalypso Media Celebrates 20 Years With Gamescom 2026 Plans and Future Lineup
Kalypso Media, the long-running strategy and simulation publisher based in Rhineland-Palatinate, is marking a major milestone: the company has turned 20 years old. Founded by Stefan Marcinek and Simon Hellwig, Kalypso now counts multiple internal studios and a staff of 160 employees worldwide, and it’s already looking ahead to what’s next—starting with plans for Gamescom 2026 and a summer-long celebration built around special offers and community activities.
Kalypso Media celebrates 20 years and expands its strategy lineup
The company was established two decades ago and has grown into one of Germany’s most prominent privately owned game makers. Kalypso’s focus spans strategy, tactical games, city-building and management experiences, and economic simulations—genres it has built its brand around for years.
Kalypso Media employs 160 of its over-200 total staff across its operations. Key studio presences include Gaming Minds in Gütersloh and Paderborn, Claymore in Darmstadt, and Realmforge in Munich, alongside the main headquarters in Worms.
Leadership update after Simon Hellwig’s passing
Kalypso Media’s founding co-lead, Simon Hellwig, passed away in October 2022. After his death, Anika Thun—who served as his co-managing director at the time—took over responsibility for the company. Thun is also noted for driving forward Kalypso’s international growth.
Gamescom 2026: a first look at the next line-up
For Gamescom 2026, Kalypso Media is preparing an outlook on its future line-up. Among the projects mentioned is Tropico 7, highlighted as one of the largest productions supported under Germany’s federal games funding program.
August celebration: “A Month of Celebration” with deals and in-game events
Kalypso’s anniversary month of August runs under the theme “A Month of Celebration.” The publisher says the period will feature special offers, bonus items, bundles, community activities, and in-game events.
As part of the celebration, the Kalypso Store includes a 20% discount on all games released in 2026. One of the titles named in the promotion is Sudden Strike 5.
What Kalypso’s managing director said about the milestone
In a statement marking the anniversary, Anika Thun described the company’s 20-year growth—from its roots in Rhineland-Palatinate and a small team dedicated to strategy and simulation—to a portfolio of large-scale worlds shaped alongside players, teams, and partners.
Thun also framed the celebration as both a look back and a commitment forward, saying the anniversary reflects the trust players have placed in the studio and serves as a promise to continue delivering top-tier strategy experiences in the years ahead.
