marqed agency GmbH is set to oversee The District, a 3,000-square-meter competitive gaming area at gamescom 2026, returning the former heads of insolvent Berlin agency Freaks 4U Gaming to the Cologne hall where they previously managed a similar space last year.
The District will cover over 2,000 square meters within Hall 8 and approximately 1,000 square meters in the neighboring Outdoor Area P8. SK Gaming from Cologne will lead a section spanning around 800 square meters, joined by Deutsche Telekom, Subway, SanDisk, and REWE. gamescom will take place from Aug. 26-30 at Koelnmesse.
Among the brands featured in The District are KitKat, Nongshim, Techniker Krankenkasse, AGON by AOC, Philips EVNIA, GIGABYTE AORUS, HP HyperX, Maverick Games, Philips OneBlade, Acer, Logitech, Porsche, PwC, Sony, and TCOMAS.
The financial details have not been disclosed.
“Not every brand needs to be present everywhere,” stated Marija Haenisch, founder and CMO of marqed agency. “It’s crucial for us to understand who the brand aims to reach and where it can truly make an impact.”
This area marks the second iteration of a concept introduced last year under different ownership.
Freaks 4U Gaming revealed the Pro Arena for gamescom 2025 in May of that year, a 2,500-square-meter esports and community hub. SK Gaming was the first esports organization to confirm participation, securing a 700-square-meter entertainment area that hosted the Equal eSports Cup finals in League of Legends and the Magenta eTrophy trophy presentation in Fortnite. gamescom Director Tim Endres praised Freaks 4U Gaming as “a strong and experienced partner.” The space was named the Knabe Kola Pro Arena.
Many elements from the Pro Arena have been incorporated into The District. SK Gaming and seven other brands that were part of the 2025 space are featured in marqed’s 2026 lineup. However, some brands like Chiquita, Amaran, Schwarzkopf, GX Trust, Duplo, and Team Liquid are no longer included.
The company behind the Pro Arena is no longer in operation.
Insolvency proceedings were initiated against Freaks 4U Gaming GmbH by the Charlottenburg District Court on Nov. 21, 2025. The majority shareholder NODWIN Gaming decided not to inject further capital and wrote off its investment. Nazara Technologies, the Indian parent company, recorded a provision of ₹384 crore INR (approximately $45 million USD), leading to its first quarterly loss at a standalone level.
On April 1, 2026, the court was notified that the estate was insufficient to cover the proceedings’ costs under Section 208(1) of Germany’s Insolvency Code, as per the published insolvency docket for case 3608 IN 11148/25. This notice was made public on April 8. According to Section 208, administrative claims are prioritized for payment, and unsecured creditors typically receive no compensation.
During this period, four new companies were registered in Berlin within eleven days. heartbase group GmbH was registered on Jan. 30, 2026, with share capital of €50,000 EUR ($57,800 USD), followed by toplane agency GmbH on Feb. 5, onethreefive gaming GmbH on Feb. 7, and marqed agency GmbH on Feb. 9, each with €25,000 ($28,900). All four companies share the same address as Freaks 4U Gaming GmbH, and Michael Haenisch serves as the sole managing director for all of them.
Shareholder lists reviewed by The Esports Advocate show that heartbase group GmbH owns 100% of marqed agency, onethreefive gaming, and toplane agency. heartbase group is evenly owned by Michael Haenisch, Marija Haenisch, and Matthias Remmert. Michael Haenisch, along with Remmert, co-founded Freaks 4U Gaming in 2011. The structure of these companies was established on Jan. 20, 2026, while the insolvency proceedings were ongoing.
Michael Haenisch is listed as the sole managing director of marqed agency GmbH, with Marija Haenisch holding Prokura. Remmert holds Prokura at onethreefive gaming. The company website introduces its team by first names only, including “Micha, Founder & CEO,” although the legal notice identifies Michael Haenisch as the chief executive. The announcement does not mention Freaks 4U Gaming, heartbase group, or Michael Haenisch.
Several brands featured in The District are connected through this structure. KitKat, Nongshim, and Techniker Krankenkasse are linked to their participation in the Techniker Prime League, described as a product of “sister company onethreefive gaming GmbH.” Riot Games granted the league license to onethreefive gaming for the 2026 and 2027 seasons after extending Freaks 4U Gaming’s operator license. This means that league sponsorships held by one heartbase subsidiary are now managed by another.
The timing coincides with a year of limited floor space. gamescom announced that all available areas for 2026 were fully booked. This marks the first time the event has sold out, following a successful 2025 edition that attracted 1,568 exhibitors from 72 countries across 233,000 square meters. Securing a significant allocation like a hall block and outdoor area for a company established just six months ago is notable.
The business operations have shifted, but the financial situation remains unchanged. The Riot license, key organizations, and many former Pro Arena sponsors are now part of companies wholly owned by heartbase group, where the former Freaks 4U founders have a combined two-thirds ownership. Creditors are left with an insolvent estate that cannot cover the closure costs.