gamescom dev 2026 will feature the panel “Green Shoots: Mapping Europe's Game Talent Recovery in 2026 and Beyond” as one of its highlights, taking place from August 23 to 25 in Cologne, Germany. The session will bring together five representatives from the European game industry to examine the region's talent market recovery and discuss how developers, studios and investors can identify signs of sustainable growth as the sector begins to move beyond a period marked by layoffs and instability.

The session was created by Fiona Cherbak, founder of Rocket Game Talent and former talent lead at Xbox Game Studios and Sony PlayStation, who was invited by the event's organizers to address challenges surrounding the European industry's workforce. The discussion will combine a global perspective with the changes driven by the expansion of co development operations between studios in different countries, while also examining hiring indicators that can distinguish a sustained recovery from temporary increases in contract opportunities.

Nico Balletta, Head of Program at gamescom dev, highlighted the need to provide practical information for a market that is beginning to find new opportunities. “European studios don't need another recap of what went wrong the last two years — they need real intelligence on what's working and where the opportunities are right now,” Balletta said. According to the executive, Cherbak and the other panelists will provide audiences with a global perspective alongside data driven guidance on the current hiring landscape.

Carlos Estigarribia, VP at OV Entertainment, will represent the studio side of co development during the panel. With operations based in Portugal and teams distributed across the European Union and South America, he will discuss how European companies are expanding their operations and building international teams as demand grows for experienced professionals and cost effective development services.

Joe Kataldo, composer, sound designer and owner of Mad Wave Audio, will bring experience from working with distributed teams across different markets. Based in the United States, Kataldo operates a sound design team in Italy that serves European and North American clients. His credits include games such as H3VR, The Last Night and Hyperparasite, as well as trailer campaigns for productions including The Fall Guy and Mission: Impossible.

François Roughol, founder of Design Direction on Demand and a World, Level and Mission Design Director, will offer a perspective focused on hiring senior professionals through more flexible models. With more than 20 years of experience in AAA development and credits including Ghost of Tsushima and BioShock Infinite, Roughol works from France with teams and clients across Europe and North America, reflecting the growing adoption of on demand leadership roles as studios reconsider structures based exclusively on permanent hires.

Fabio Cristi, a producer with three decades of experience in the industry and a background at companies including Milestone and 505 Games, will also take part in the discussion. He currently works independently as a fractional Senior Producer and Program Manager, serving clients across Europe and the United Arab Emirates. His career illustrates the growing demand for European production professionals in markets beyond the continent itself.

Cherbak's participation adds to an extensive international career in talent management, including staffing and shipping BioShock Infinite for 2K Games and God of War for Sony PlayStation, as well as leading talent operations for 23 first party teams at Xbox Game Studios, including Gears of War, Halo and Forza. She also co founded Women in Games International and the Boston Festival of Indie Games, and was invited to the White House in 2015 as part of the Women in Games Initiative.

Cherbak will also co lead another workshop during the event, focusing on career counseling and job application processes. gamescom dev 2026 will take place from August 23 to 25, ahead of gamescom, whose main show floor will run from August 26 to 30 at Koelnmesse in Cologne. Full programming details will be announced by the organizers as they are confirmed.