'It is not our aim to grow, grow, grow:' Gamescom 2025 touts record exhibitors but organizers says quality is better than quantity
Chris Kerr, Senior Editor, News, GameDeveloper.comAugust 15, 20254 Min ReadImage via GamescomGamescom 2025 is less than a week away and the annual industry showcase has broken a deluge of records before a single person has stepped foot inside the cavernous halls of the Koelnmesse. The five-day event, which brands itself as Europe's leading trade fair for digital games culture, will host over 1,500 exhibitors from 72 countries in 2025. It's a notable first that organizers say will comprise the most diverse lineup in Gamescom history. To accommodate burgeoning exhibitor interest, Gamescom 2025 is expanding its footprint to a record 233,000 square meters. Record registration numbers mean it's a smart move, with last year's event attracting 335,000 visitors. Opening Night Live, the digital and in-person show that kicks off the event with a deluge of video game announcements, has also been moved to Hall 1 for the first time. The switch means 5,000 people will be able to attend in-person—although the showcase will also be streamed online for a global audience.Felix Falk, managing director of game—the German games industry association that owns the Gamescom brand and co-organizes the event with Koelnmesse—described interest in the show as "immense," but why has Gamescom flourished in the years following the pandemic when another major industry event that went by the name of E3 fell into ruin? Related:Speaking to Game Developer earlier this week, Falk suggested Gamescom weathered that storm and emerged stronger because organizers understood the importance of establishing a digital footprint even before COVID-19 left the world in stasis. Opening Night Live was part of that push to attract a global audience via the power of streaming, and Falk explained that almost 50 million people watched last year's Geoff Keighly-fronted opening salvo. That's a lot of eyes on the Gamescom brand. Falk said the pivot to a hybrid digital-meets-physical event that included online communities meant Gamescom was in "good shape" before the pandemic. But what about post-COVID? In a world where major publishers are by no means guaranteed to attend in-person events—largely because the likes of Nintendo, Sony, and Microsoft have all taken to saving their biggest announcements for their own digital directs—where is the value in meeting face-to-face?Gamescom organizer says face-to-face events close the 'emotional distance' between developers and consumersFor both exhibitors and consumers, Falk suggested there is an "emotional" aspect to attending events in-person that is tough to replicate digitally." Related:"Being on-site is a totally different experience and much deeper and much more worthy for the companies and the games, compared to the digital format," he said. "You can see that if you head to the indie area, which is the biggest indie area we've ever had, and there you'll normally find the developer stood next to the game. You can talk to them—and they love the feedback. Of course, you could do a survey online and get feedback that way, but it's different from talking to each other." In short, he explained that in-person events close the "emotional distance" between developers and players to create experiences that simply cannot be replicated online. Falk described digital events as "fast" and "dynamic" by contrast, which makes them a unique proposition in their own right. So, by cultivating an online presence and letting people engage with the show virtually, Falk claimed Gamescom managed to become a "platform for the whole industry.""means you do find target groups and communities you normally don't reach," he added. "You also reach media or stakeholders who wouldn't normally come to your specific showcase, because you're a part of the biggest show worldwide for gaming."Making digital inroads also allows Gamescom to expand without stretching the in-person event to a breaking point. Discussing what long-term success means for the showcase, Falk explained he doesn't believe Gamescom will live or die based on "one KPI of scale." Related:In fact, he said organizers have been intentionally limiting attendance in Cologne to preserve the atmosphere of the show. "We don't want the atmosphere to be worse because we squeeze in too many people," he continued. "We could squeeze more in—which we don't—because the quality of the experience is important for the fans." Still, there is room for measured growth. Falk noted the record number of exhibitors was possible because there is still room to expand the show floor, but reiterated that "more" isn't the overarching plan. "We have more exhibitors than ever before, which is great because we still have space to grow, butis more about variety and diversity of content," he added. "It is not our aim to grow, grow, grow—because that doesn't make sense. It's more about the quality and most importantly the digital reach, which we have seen over the last few years is exponentially growing." Gamescom is also expanding into other regions such as Latin America and Asia, but we'll have more on that particular topic next week. Stay locked on Game Developer for more.Game Developer attended Gamescom 2025 via the Gamescom Media Ambassador Program, which covered flights and accommodation. about:Top StoriesGamescomAbout the AuthorChris KerrSenior Editor, News, GameDeveloper.comGame Developer news editor Chris Kerr is an award-winning journalist and reporter with over a decade of experience in the game industry. His byline has appeared in notable print and digital publications including Edge, Stuff, Wireframe, International Business Times, and PocketGamer.biz. Throughout his career, Chris has covered major industry events including GDC, PAX Australia, Gamescom, Paris Games Week, and Develop Brighton. He has featured on the judging panel at The Develop Star Awards on multiple occasions and appeared on BBC Radio 5 Live to discuss breaking news.See more from Chris KerrDaily news, dev blogs, and stories from Game Developer straight to your inboxStay UpdatedYou May Also Like
#039it #not #our #aim #grow'It is not our aim to grow, grow, grow:' Gamescom 2025 touts record exhibitors but organizers says quality is better than quantity
Chris Kerr, Senior Editor, News, GameDeveloper.comAugust 15, 20254 Min ReadImage via GamescomGamescom 2025 is less than a week away and the annual industry showcase has broken a deluge of records before a single person has stepped foot inside the cavernous halls of the Koelnmesse. The five-day event, which brands itself as Europe's leading trade fair for digital games culture, will host over 1,500 exhibitors from 72 countries in 2025. It's a notable first that organizers say will comprise the most diverse lineup in Gamescom history. To accommodate burgeoning exhibitor interest, Gamescom 2025 is expanding its footprint to a record 233,000 square meters. Record registration numbers mean it's a smart move, with last year's event attracting 335,000 visitors. Opening Night Live, the digital and in-person show that kicks off the event with a deluge of video game announcements, has also been moved to Hall 1 for the first time. The switch means 5,000 people will be able to attend in-person—although the showcase will also be streamed online for a global audience.Felix Falk, managing director of game—the German games industry association that owns the Gamescom brand and co-organizes the event with Koelnmesse—described interest in the show as "immense," but why has Gamescom flourished in the years following the pandemic when another major industry event that went by the name of E3 fell into ruin? Related:Speaking to Game Developer earlier this week, Falk suggested Gamescom weathered that storm and emerged stronger because organizers understood the importance of establishing a digital footprint even before COVID-19 left the world in stasis. Opening Night Live was part of that push to attract a global audience via the power of streaming, and Falk explained that almost 50 million people watched last year's Geoff Keighly-fronted opening salvo. That's a lot of eyes on the Gamescom brand. Falk said the pivot to a hybrid digital-meets-physical event that included online communities meant Gamescom was in "good shape" before the pandemic. But what about post-COVID? In a world where major publishers are by no means guaranteed to attend in-person events—largely because the likes of Nintendo, Sony, and Microsoft have all taken to saving their biggest announcements for their own digital directs—where is the value in meeting face-to-face?Gamescom organizer says face-to-face events close the 'emotional distance' between developers and consumersFor both exhibitors and consumers, Falk suggested there is an "emotional" aspect to attending events in-person that is tough to replicate digitally." Related:"Being on-site is a totally different experience and much deeper and much more worthy for the companies and the games, compared to the digital format," he said. "You can see that if you head to the indie area, which is the biggest indie area we've ever had, and there you'll normally find the developer stood next to the game. You can talk to them—and they love the feedback. Of course, you could do a survey online and get feedback that way, but it's different from talking to each other." In short, he explained that in-person events close the "emotional distance" between developers and players to create experiences that simply cannot be replicated online. Falk described digital events as "fast" and "dynamic" by contrast, which makes them a unique proposition in their own right. So, by cultivating an online presence and letting people engage with the show virtually, Falk claimed Gamescom managed to become a "platform for the whole industry.""means you do find target groups and communities you normally don't reach," he added. "You also reach media or stakeholders who wouldn't normally come to your specific showcase, because you're a part of the biggest show worldwide for gaming."Making digital inroads also allows Gamescom to expand without stretching the in-person event to a breaking point. Discussing what long-term success means for the showcase, Falk explained he doesn't believe Gamescom will live or die based on "one KPI of scale." Related:In fact, he said organizers have been intentionally limiting attendance in Cologne to preserve the atmosphere of the show. "We don't want the atmosphere to be worse because we squeeze in too many people," he continued. "We could squeeze more in—which we don't—because the quality of the experience is important for the fans." Still, there is room for measured growth. Falk noted the record number of exhibitors was possible because there is still room to expand the show floor, but reiterated that "more" isn't the overarching plan. "We have more exhibitors than ever before, which is great because we still have space to grow, butis more about variety and diversity of content," he added. "It is not our aim to grow, grow, grow—because that doesn't make sense. It's more about the quality and most importantly the digital reach, which we have seen over the last few years is exponentially growing." Gamescom is also expanding into other regions such as Latin America and Asia, but we'll have more on that particular topic next week. Stay locked on Game Developer for more.Game Developer attended Gamescom 2025 via the Gamescom Media Ambassador Program, which covered flights and accommodation. about:Top StoriesGamescomAbout the AuthorChris KerrSenior Editor, News, GameDeveloper.comGame Developer news editor Chris Kerr is an award-winning journalist and reporter with over a decade of experience in the game industry. His byline has appeared in notable print and digital publications including Edge, Stuff, Wireframe, International Business Times, and PocketGamer.biz. Throughout his career, Chris has covered major industry events including GDC, PAX Australia, Gamescom, Paris Games Week, and Develop Brighton. He has featured on the judging panel at The Develop Star Awards on multiple occasions and appeared on BBC Radio 5 Live to discuss breaking news.See more from Chris KerrDaily news, dev blogs, and stories from Game Developer straight to your inboxStay UpdatedYou May Also Like
#039it #not #our #aim #grow
