VOID INTERACTIVE AND IMIRT INAUGURAL GAMESCOM SCHOLARSHIP FOR IRISH DEVELOPERS
Imirt and VOID Interactive are delighted to introduce the participants of the inaugural VOID Gamescom Scholarship.
The VOID Gamescom Scholarship helps bring Irish indie developers to Gamescom, the largest games industry trade show in Europe. The 2026 scholarship will support three developers helping to cover travel expenses and access to the trade show this August, alongside targeted business support and introductions.
VOID Interactive, creators of hit game Ready or Not, have sponsored the scholarship with Imirt, the Irish Game Makers Association, helping to coordinate the initiative.
The developers were picked based upon a rigorous application process, but it ultimately came down to one core principle. Could we find game makers who could get the most out of the kind of support that VOID needed when they were starting out? This idea has been at the heart of the initiative, as VOID seeks to give back to the community following its success with Ready or Not.
Philip Nathan, CFO, VOID Interactive says "Irish developers are building games that hold up on an international stage. This scholarship is about making sure access to that stage isn't what holds them back. We know what Gamescom can unlock early in a studio's journey. We wanted to put those opportunities in their reach."
Colm Larkin, CEO of Imirt, says “Getting to big trade conferences like Gamescom is a critical multiplier for your success as a game creator, but can be too costly for those it would be most impactful to. I’m incredibly grateful to VOID for sponsoring this scholarship and helping more Irish game makers get their games the international recognition they deserve.”
Introducing the selected developers:
Mark Robinson - Space Lion Studios
Mark Robinson is the Co-Founder and Lead Designer of Space Lion Studios. Based out of Dublin, Ireland and with ten years experience in the industry, Mark formed his studio in 2023 with the aim of taking formative gaming experiences from his childhood and adapting them for a modern audience.
The studio launched the award-winning debut title, Axyz, in 2025 - a spiritual successor to PS1 cult classic, Kula World. They are attending Gamescom with their next title, Balloons of Paradise, a spiritual successor to PS1 cult classic Kaze No Notam.
“This scholarship provides a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity for us. Gamescom is such a pivotal conference, but the costs involved would eat into the bulk of our finances, this goes a long way to building connections and networking, but also affords us the chance to continue working with and paying Irish talent.”
Jane Tan - Not Here, Not There
Jane is a Multidisciplinary artist challenging the narratives that shape our way of life. Their work revolves around creating spaces and moments that prompt people to contemplate. After being part of the unheard minority in the game industry all their life, Jane strives to feature new voices in their own projects. Good Folk Cafe, made in collaboration with many other talented artists and storytellers, tells the stories of Ireland and her inhabitants, be it plant kind, human kind or the otherworldly kind.
“Scholarships like this are very important, especially for people like me who often don’t get the opportunity to go to such events. It allows me to be on the same stage as the rest of the competition, and it gives my voice a chance to be heard. “
Matt Murtagh - Reliable Plumbing Services
Matt Murtagh is the director of Fallosophy and a member of Reliable Plumbing Services, an independent game development studio based in Kells, Co. Meath. He holds a PhD in Computer Science from Trinity College Dublin. Fallosophy is a pinball-platforming adventure in which players ascend through the history of ideas in pursuit of enlightenment. Developed in under a year as the studio's debut title following support from the Screen Ireland, Imirt, Ardán, and NI Screen IndieDev Prototype Fund, the game is scheduled for release in Q3 2026.
“This scholarship provides me, and by extension my team, with a unique opportunity to take our company to the next level and fully capitalise on the opportunities created by Irish prototyping funding. It allows us to pitch directly to renowned publishers, gain valuable insight into the state of the industry, and ideally secure investment for future projects now that we have demonstrated our ability to develop and deliver a commercial game."