INSTINCT3 Launches Sidekick: New Full-Service Game Publisher
Berlin, August 13 2025 – INSTINCT3, the Berlin-based creative agency has today announced the launch of Sidekick Publishing - a new full-service publisher for indie and A to AA studios, with its first title under the Sidekick name - Deadly Days: Roadtrip - set to be showcased at gamescom.
Sidekick aims to fill a gap in the competitive publishing landscape, combining global publishing expertise with INSTINCT3's cultural firepower in creator-led marketing and authentic community building. The aim is simple: a sidekick supports the hero and makes the journey unforgettable and the hero is always the developer and the game itself. Sidekick Publishing is here to help developers succeed, shine and reach the audience they deserve.
Born from years of experience at the intersection of gaming, entertainment and brand creation, from Eintracht Spandau's European Masters win to lifestyle brands like Knabe Malz and Corrupted Blood, Sidekick Publishing will leverage INSTINCT3's unique strengths in community-building, creator-driven marketing and authentic storytelling.
This new venture operates within INSTINCT3's holding group, Gute Gesellschaft, and is led by industry veterans Jasmin Oestreicher and Melvin Frank.
"After ten years in publishing and marketing and the past four years at our agency, serving as Managing Director since 2024, I know how valuable experience can be. But I also know how quickly you can lose touch if you rely too much on the past. Especially with a gaming audience that is highly sensitive to inauthentic or overly commercial content, what matters are bold ideas, local sensitivity, and creators who work for lasting impact, not just quick profit." - Jasmin Oestreicher, CEO INSTINCT3 & Co-CEO and Co-Founder Sidekick Publishing
"Over the past year, we've worked on a variety of releases - each one teaching us something new about what works, what connects, and what lasts for our concept. Sidekick is our way of taking all those lessons, combining them with our unique creator and community expertise, and raising the bar for how we support indie developers. The goals are simple: focus on games that resonate well with our approach and make every next launch our best one yet." - Melvin Frank, Co-CEO & Co-Founder Sidekick Publishing.
INSTINCT3's publishing heritage already includes successful collaborations on titles such as 9 Kings (500,000 copies sold in its first six weeks of Early Access), Asgard's Fall - Viking Survivors, and TerraScape, as well as the creation of the I3 Indie Expo, a showcase event bringing developers, players and creators together.
At gamescom, Sidekick Publishing will be available for interviews about the new label and its developer-first approach rooted in the creator economy, as well as giving press and partners hands-on time with Deadly Days: Roadtrip.
About Sidekick
Sidekick Publishing is a newly founded indie game publisher from Germany, born out of creative agency INSTINCT3. Drawing on deep roots in gaming culture, community building, and influencer marketing, Sidekick blends traditional publishing expertise with a creator- & community-first approach.
The team focuses on bringing unique indie titles to market with tailored strategies that integrate community engagement, influencer collaborations, and bold creative campaigns from day one. In its first year, Sidekick has already delivered multiple successful launches and continues to expand its portfolio with a commitment to both creative excellence and creator & community-first approach.
About INSTINCT3
INSTINCT3 is an influencer marketing agency from Germany focused on creative campaigns and influencer management. The team, made up of pioneers from the German gaming and esports industry, sees its main mission as creating synergies between the brands of advertisers and those of influencers through exceptional concepts.
The company also represents an exclusive portfolio of influencers, including "HandOfBlood," one of Germany's most high-reach online personalities. In 2024, the agency expanded its operations to include a new business area in indie game publishing.
