There are many annual events in the gaming and technology convention calendar and one that seems to be on the rise is Gamescom. Here’s exactly what it is.
E3 is dead, long live Gamescom. The Cologne-based event now appears to be the main gaming convention in town. Though, Geoff Keighley has his hands across both Summer and Autumn pies with his own events across both, so he may argue differently.
In 2023, Gamescom looks to be giving the former E3 as well as its fellow Germany-based event IFA 2023, which runs shortly after, a run for its money. This is our Gamescom explainer.
What is Gamescom?
Gamescom is a convention held annually in Cologne, Germany. The trade fair focuses on video games, with technology hardware manufacturers also participating in the event.
While media, creators and businesses all descend on Cologne, it is one of the rare events that have many of its attractions open to the public (if you buy a ticket). The event offers the opportunity to play new games, meet the developers and publishers behind these games as well as participate in community events. Further attractions include panels and stage shows, eSports tournaments, cosplay events and industry get-togethers.
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Gamescom calls it “the world’s biggest gaming event”. The 2022 event saw 265,000 visitors from over 100 countries, with 1,000 exhibitors from 53 countries attending. Gamescom saw over 130 million views online over the course of the show. Amazon Games, Bandai Namco, Devolver Digital, Nintendo, Lego, Ubisoft, Xbox and Bethesda have all confirmed they’ll be at the 2023 showcase.
Key aspects of the overall event include a conference for developers on the opening days, with the event officially beginning with Geoff Keighley’s Opening Night Live event. For 2023, Keighley has revealed it won’t be about showcasing new games but rather some big updates to current ones (via VGC). This is then followed by a day reserved for trade and media visitors who can attend meetings in a dedicated business area. Next, Gamescom Congress begins, with the entertainment area and event arena opening to all. Then, the event is rounded out with the City Festival, featuring musical acts.
Trusted Reviews will be attending this year, with Gamescom becoming even more popular with technology manufacturers with many investing heavily in gaming and streaming gadgetry. The likes of Corsair, HyperX, Razer, Asus and more will all be in Cologne showing off their latest and greatest tech.
