In the case of bucket listing gaming occasions, a kind of that you should cross off that listing in some unspecified time in the future is Gamescom. A monumentally huge gathering of followers, media, merchants, and exhibitors within the coronary heart of Europe that has all however changed E3 since its demise years in the past.
It isn’t solely a spot the place new video games are introduced stay in abundance. It is also a spot the place followers and media co-exist, a spot the place you are by no means in need of one thing to do to attach with the beloved pastime of gaming, and it is a spot the place there’s a lot occurring that you just could not probably hope to see the whole lot.
My time this 12 months at Gamescom was a enjoyable, productive, and fulfilling time, permitting me to attach with a number of the greatest and brightest within the trade whereas additionally having the ability to do it shoulder-to-shoulder with the followers who make all of it doable.
It is onerous to fairly put your finger on what makes Gamescom fairly so particular, however in an try to take action, I sat down with Tim Endres and Stefan Heikhaus, two administrators and main gamers within the setup of Gamescom as an entire. Who had been variety sufficient to spill the beans on the previous, the current, and the way forward for Gamescom.
Q: Gamescom has all the time known as Cologne residence. What’s it about this place that makes it the best venue for Gamescom?
Stefan Heikhaus: Cologne is the proper residence for gamescom for a number of causes. Proper within the coronary heart of Europe, the town is straightforward to succeed in from anyplace on the planet. On the middle of all of it is Koelnmesse: a venue that not solely has the house an occasion like gamescom wants, but in addition state-of-the-art services for each a part of the occasion – from the buzzing leisure space and the spectacular occasion area to the targeted enterprise space.
We’re additionally backed by robust companions: the Metropolis of Cologne and the state of North Rhine-Westphalia, each main hubs of the video games trade. Collectively, we ensure each visitor enjoys their go to with easy public transport, particular shuttle companies, enhanced safety, and a wealth of lodging and cultural highlights. After which there’s the environment: Gamescom in Cologne is a city-wide celebration. With the gamescom metropolis competition and numerous actions, Cologne transforms into the gaming capital of the world, the place the spirit of gamescom will be felt in every single place.
Q: Gamescom has been round for properly over a decade now, enjoying host to a number of the largest names within the trade and being the stage the place many large initiatives are introduced. How does the setup immediately differ from what existed again in 2009, and what improvements are you most pleased with?
Tim Endres: In comparison with its 2009 debut, Gamescom immediately is greater, extra worldwide, and way more various. Again then, we welcomed round 228,000 guests on 120,000 sq. meters. In 2025, we constructed on this quantity, reaching 357,000 guests on 233,000 sq. meters, with a file of greater than 1,500 exhibitors. What as soon as targeted primarily on traditional recreation cubicles has developed right into a video games tradition competition– bringing collectively AAA and indie bulletins, cosplay, esports, board video games, creator meet-ups, and enterprise networking – whereas remaining one of many world’s most vital phases for hands-on experiences.
We’re proud that this transformation has been formed hand in hand with our communities and trade companions. Simply to call a couple of examples: Gamescom Opening Evening Dwell, established in 2019, now reaches over 40 million viewers worldwide. Each launched in 2024 are two further highlights: The playing cards & boards space caters to tabletop and buying and selling card fanatics, and the social stage, which options unique moments with a number of the largest content material creators. Our digital codecs, equivalent to Gamescom Epix and Gamescom Superior Indies, have expanded world participation even additional.
And with the opening of the brand new Confex congress and convention middle, each the Devcom developer convention and the Gamescom congress have reached a wholly new degree. And these are simply a number of the developments which have formed Gamescom’s journey. At its core, it stays what it was in 2009: a spot the place the worldwide gaming neighborhood comes collectively. However now it’s larger, extra linked, and extra colourful than ever.
Q: This 12 months’s occasion had a unbelievable line-up. I do know you will not possible wish to play favorites, however what would you say had been a number of the most fun issues followers and media received to expertise this time round?
Tim Endres: What I can say is that with this 12 months’s progress to a further corridor for the leisure space, the most important indie space so far, and the general progress in dimension to 233,000 sq. meters, we are able to see one pattern for certain: The range the occasion brings to the desk. What we are going to see at this 12 months’s occasion isn’t only a particular style, however it’s the full selection gaming has to supply. This 12 months’s occasion goes to be extra versatile and various than ever earlier than. It actually is a picture of what makes gaming so particular. We’ll see the complete vary from AAA blockbusters to hidden indie gems.
Q: How vital is it that Gamescom stays an occasion the place followers, builders, publishers, and the media intertwine? As it is not one thing you all the time see at different occasions like this?
Stefan Heikhaus: It’s central to Gamescom’s id that communities, builders, publishers, media, and different trade gamers all come collectively in a single house. On the fan aspect, guests can strive new releases, meet creators, or discover area of interest pursuits equivalent to cosplay, anime, tabletop video games, and buying and selling card video games. On the trade aspect, hundreds of builders, publishers, and journalists community in our enterprise space, digitally through Gamescom biz or in codecs like Devcom, Gamescom Congress, or the Gamescom make investments circle.
Digitally, Gamescom’s hybrid mannequin extends this connection worldwide by means of exhibits like Gamescom Opening Evening Dwell and Gamescom Superior Indies. We imagine separating public and commerce would weaken the occasion. It’s the mixture of all, the shared areas and experiences, that make it the world’s largest video games competition.
Q: With occasions like E3 successfully falling off the face of the earth lately, what has Gamescom accomplished to make sure that the occasion stays related, profitable, and recurring year-on-year?
Tim Endres: There are three main issues that I wish to level out: One is that our hybrid strategy began in 2019, even earlier than the pandemic began, with the primary iteration of Gamescom Opening Evening Dwell. The second motive is that we by no means paused Gamescom, not even throughout difficult instances. Within the pandemic, we efficiently reworked it into a totally digital occasion, launching further digital codecs equivalent to Gamescom Superior Indies or the Gamescom Studio. These improvements at the moment are a part of a hybrid mannequin, bringing tons of of hundreds of followers to Cologne and hundreds of thousands extra collectively on-line worldwide.
The third level is that every 12 months, we evolve Gamescom based mostly on direct suggestions from our neighborhood and trade companions. In 2024, for instance, we launched new options just like the playing cards & boards space and the social stage. And this 12 months, we’re transferring the occasion area to Corridor 1. With our occasions, Gamescom Asia X Thailand Recreation Present and Gamescom Latam, we’re increasing our footprint in Asia and Latin America. This mix of fixed innovation, world networking, and our dedication to showcasing the complete spectrum of gaming tradition ensures that Gamescom stays indispensable.
Q: Gamescom is all the time an occasion that champions Indie Gaming, with an enormous portion of the occasion devoted to spotlighting the ‘little guys’. How vital is it to proceed this pattern of giving indies a platform, and are there any initiatives you wish to spotlight that shall be taking to the ground this 12 months?
Stefan Heikhaus: Indie video games are an important a part of gamescom’s DNA. This 12 months, we’re proud to current our largest indie space but. Guests can due to this fact sit up for a bunch of thrilling indie highlights. We actively assist impartial builders by offering devoted areas and inexpensive sales space packages, in addition to the present’s Gamescom Superior Indies, which spotlights excellent titles to a world viewers. Past the present ground, codecs such because the Devcom developer convention, the Gamescom Steam occasion, and our enterprise matchmaking platform, Gamescom Biz Join, present indie creators with direct entry to content material creators, media, and trade professionals, providing them the visibility and networking alternatives they should develop.
What I can’t do, although, is to choose a spotlight or favourite. As a result of what makes indie video games so particular is the artistic selection they provide. What is likely to be a spotlight to me doesn’t should be a spotlight for everybody else. And that’s the good factor about indie video games – there’s something for everybody.
Q: As an extension of this, Gamescom actually does purpose to be greater than only a gaming expo, however extra of a celebration of the trade and the medium as an entire. What features of the programme and the make-up of the occasion do you are feeling greatest showcase that holistic strategy?
Tim Endres: The holistic strategy of Gamescom actually comes by means of in how each a part of this system suits collectively to offer an entire image of gaming tradition. It covers the complete spectrum – from blockbuster AAA titles and a thriving indie scene to esports tournaments and stay music within the occasion area, plus the creativity of the cosplay village and cosplay contest, the artist space, and the merchandise space.
Guests can meet content material creators within the signing space, and we’ve additionally created areas for households and youthful guests, just like the retro & household space, so that each era can take pleasure in video games and gaming tradition in their very own method. Our companions add much more selection, with actions equivalent to sports activities and different interactive experiences. And naturally, the town competition takes the celebration past the venue into the center of Cologne, with live shows, avenue performances, and meals courts.
Q: A tough one to complete off. What would you say is the last word Gamescom second that defines the occasion in its whole historical past?
Stefan Heikhaus: For me, one of many final Gamescom moments is that time when you possibly can actually really feel this particular competition environment. You possibly can really feel it within the occasion area throughout Gamescom Opening Evening Dwell, seeing hundreds of individuals in entrance of me sharing the identical pleasure about what’s to return. It’s strolling by means of the halls, surrounded by followers from over 100 international locations, listening to the thrill of dialog and laughter, watching gaming mates meet in actual life, creators connecting with their audiences, cosplayers stopping for pictures, and a lot extra. It’s our neighborhood’s homecoming yearly.
