Gamescom kicks off in Germany with a record 1,500 exhibitors from 72 countries

Gamescom, considered the largest video game fair worldwide, officially opened its doors this Wednesday in Cologne, in western Germany, with a record participation of more than 1,500 exhibitors from 72 different countries and with the expectation of attracting more than 300,000 visitors, after the 335,000 registered last year. 40 different pavilions - including those from countries such as Spain, Chile or Brazil - occupy in this edition a total extension of 233,000 square meters, 3,000 meters more than the previous year, in which the products will be exhibited in situ, in parallel to their online presentation, according to the organizers. The day before, at the opening ceremony, several thousand fans already had the opportunity to preview the trailers of games such as 'Call of Duty - Black Ops 7', 'World of Warcraft - Midnight', 'Bloodlines 2' or 'Requiem', a new version of the classic 'Resident Evil'. This Wednesday the fair is reserved for professional visitors in the sector, while from Thursday, fans and curious people will be able to try games that will reach the market in the coming months, or, at the latest, next year, including the long-awaited second part of 'Silksong'. As in other years, one of the most visually striking aspects will be the 'cosplay' competition sponsored by Google, which will conclude with the presentation of the winners of the popular vote next Friday. Fans will also be able to participate in esports tournaments, meet industry celebrities, or attend musical performances in the urban center of Cologne. Among the countries represented this year at Gamescom that were not present in 2024 are Argentina, Dubai (United Arab Emirates), Japan (with the giant Nintendo), Kyrgyzstan, Qatar, and Thailand, the guest country of this edition, which will last until August 24. Thailand aims to position itself as an internationally attractive location for video game development, according to the organizers, who emphasized that it is one of the largest and fastest-growing markets in Asia.

Waiting for more aid

Despite the record figures of the fair, the video game sector is not going through a good time in Germany and has its hopes pinned on the increase in public aid promised by the Minister of Research, Dorothee Bär, who is visiting the exhibition this Wednesday. It is planned that, instead of the 50 million euros from previous years, in 2025, 88 million euros from the public treasury will be allocated to promote the German video game sector through tax incentives and up to 125 million in 2026. After the success experienced during the pandemic, the billing of the sector fell by 6% in 2024, but, with approximately 9.4 billion euros, it continues to make Germany the largest market in Europe and the fifth worldwide.