Each event has to feel local and relevant to its market:' Gamescom wants

What the report says

Chris Kerr,Senior Editor, News,GameDeveloper.comAugust 24, 20264 Min ReadImage via GamescomIt has been a bumper year for Gamescom. The annual game industry conference, which now spans three events across the globe, is preparing to commence a week-long celebration of video game culture and production at its longest-running showcase in Cologne and the good news is already pouring out of the Koelnmesse exhibition center on the banks of the Rhine.Gamescom 2026 has broken records after attracting over 1,600 exhibitors from 67 countries and selling out 233,000 square meters of gross exhibition space.

The indie area has also swelled, growing in scale by 16 percent compared to 2025 by welcoming hundreds of games from more than 420 companies. The TL:DR? Das is sehr gut.Speaking to Game Developer on the eve of the show, Felix Falk, managing director of Gamescom co-organizer (and German video game industry association) Game, said that growth is only possible because there is a "real demand" from the global video game industry for a platform that connects companies and communities."We do not expand Gamescom just to put the name in more places.

That was true for Gamescom Latam in São Paulo and for Gamescom Asia x Thailand Game Show in Bangkok," said Falk."Each event has to feel local and relevant to its market, but still clearly part of the Gamescom family. That means strong local partners, a meaningful B2B offer, a fan-focused experience, and formats that create value for developers, publishers, media, content creators, and players. However, Cologne remains the center of Gamescom. The regional editions make the platform more accessible, keep Gamescom visible throughout the year, and create more opportunities for exchange between markets."Falk said uniting the entire game industry ecosystem—that means players, media, content creators, investors, platform holders, and publishers—remains vitally important amid a challenging era of consolidation, rising production costs, financing struggles, and mass layoffs."The growth of Gamescom shows that people and companies are looking forward in a positive way connecting with each other and talk about new games, new opportunities, ideas and innovations," he said.

Key details

"[Gamescom attendees] can show a game, get immediate reactions, build momentum, and start conversations that may lead to publishing or investment opportunities. That is also why in-person events remain important. A video call can be efficient, but it cannot fully replace playing a game hands-on, seeing how people respond to it, or having the kind of spontaneous conversation that turns into a real business relationship.""Our current priority is not to add more locations as quickly as possible"According to Falk, Gamescom's success only matters if the show can deliver value for those working within the industry.

"Our role is to bring these groups together in a way that creates visibility and business opportunities," he stressed.Wandering the show floor of Gamescom's newly-rebranded Gamescom Dev event, which kicks off the week within the Koelnmesse's Confex hangar, you'll see some familiar names on the signage. Tencent. Google. Xsolla. The big players are still out in force, but Falk emphasized that supporting indies is a fundamental priority."We support visibility through formats like the indie area, Gamescom awesome indies show, the Gamescom steam event and the Gamescom invest circle, where young studios can meet investors, publishers and strategic partners," he continued."We also offer discounts in the indie area to make participation more affordable.

The B2B side is just as important. The business area remains the central hub for professional networking, while Gamescom biz helps professionals set up meetings and create new contacts digitally. The Gamescom invest circle is specifically designed to bring selected young gaming start-ups together with international investors, publishers and strategic partners."From the outside looking in, Gamescom appears to be in rude health. As is the case so often within the video game industry, you'd be forgiven for thinking that means delivering exponential growth is now the overriding ambition—and while Falk doesn't rule out kickstarting new events, he said any expansion plans must be organic and responsible."The immediate priority is to deliver a strong experience for everyone," he added.

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"Right now, we are happy with our existing events in Germany, Latin America and Southeast Asia. Our focus is on strengthening Gamescom Latam and Gamescom Asia x Thailand Game Show, and on connecting these events even more closely with the main event in Cologne."We always keep an open mind. Our current priority is not to add more locations as quickly as possible. It is to make the events we already have stronger and more valuable for their communities, exhibitors and trade visitors."Game Developer is attending Gamescom as a media ambassador.