Gamescom 2024 is underway – and publishers and developers are offering fans a varied program as usual. The number of exhibitors is a record for the world's largest public trade fair for video games.
With over 1.400 exhibitors, the Gamescom this year with a new record. The importance of the games industry for Germany as a business location was also highlighted in many of the speeches. Among other things, the urgently needed improvements to the location conditions for games development in Germany were discussed and guests from politics and the industry emphasized that this is a prerequisite for catching up internationally.
Records at Gamescom 2024
After the official opening in the presence of political representatives, fans are now also allowed to stroll through the halls. For them, the focus will not be on the industry, but on the range of new games that can be tried out in the entertainment area and in a separate indie area. Exhibitors from 64 countries will present their products and innovations on 230.000 square meters. That is around 15 percent more exhibitors than in 2023 - a new record. The number of country pavilions is also increasing significantly again, with 48 from 37 countries - also a new record. For comparison: in 2023 there were 33 pavilions from 26 countries.
"Games are an important economic factor with high levels of innovation and creativity. The Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs is therefore continuing to be strongly committed to the German games industry. With a new funding guideline, we will provide developers in Germany with even more targeted support and thus strengthen Germany as a production location for the games industry," explained Robert Habeck, Vice Chancellor and Federal Minister for Economic Affairs and Climate Protection on the opening day.
| Preview | Product | Rating | Price | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
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Pegasus Games 51844G - Mage Knight Ultimate Edition* | 130,00 EUR |
Tens of thousands of fans will stream through the halls of the Koelnmesse until Sunday - and there is a lot for them to see and even more to play. You just have to be willing to put up with the waiting times - as usual. Standing in line is an inseparable part of Gamescom. Many fans don't mind, or at least don't mind much. If you ask the gaming enthusiasts in the queue, you will often hear one answer above all: "I was prepared for it." And so the fans sometimes stand or sit for hours next to the exhibitors' stands, play on their cell phones or handhelds, wait - and use the time to take a break to recover from the hustle and bustle. Traditionally, it is much emptier on Thursday and Friday than on the weekend. On Saturday, all hell will break loose at Gamescom 2024 again this year - this can be seen from the ticket sales.
The big publishers aren't stingy with the decorations on their stands: anything that helps to generate attention is also installed. However, not everyone uses the on-site trade fair: publishers and developers create their own formats, stream web shows to the Internet to present their new products, and sometimes forego a convention appearance. This saves money and avoids critical questions from journalists, but this shouldn't be the way of choice: fans love their trade fair in Cologne.
There is also an aspect that has only really come into play this year: the Gamescom is a gateway event and has the potential to attract people to the hobby in the first place. For the first time, board games are also represented on a somewhat larger scale in Cologne, so that the target groups can mingle: board gamers like to get a taste of video games, on the Gamescom However, it is increasingly the other way around. The trade fair is evolving - publishers and developers should take advantage of this.
Photo gallery: Views into the Gamescom halls
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