Gamescom 2022 in Cologne: Games fair with games, events, cosplay & live streams
From August 24th to 28th, 2022, Europe’s largest games fair will again take place in front of an audience in Cologne. There are live streams for those who stay at home.
Table of Contents
The world’s largest consumer fair for computer and video games is going on two tracks this year: For the first time since 2019, game manufacturers and fans will meet again at Gamescom in the exhibition halls in Cologne. More than 550 exhibitors want to present new games and drum up advertising for their range. Even if the games fair has gained international relevance in recent years, the big announcements should be reserved for other fairs. Instead, publishers use the well-attended Gamescom more for customer loyalty and advertising.
With this year’s motto “The heart of pop culture”, the organizers of Gamescom, Koelnmesse and the industry association game e. V., focus on the cultural significance of computer and video games. This has long been obvious: More and more game worlds are being filmed, books in turn serve as inspiration for games and some major game titles such as The Witcher have been successful across the media.
Anyone who develops games themselves can visit Devcom, which is taking place from August 22nd to 26th in the Congress Center East of Koelnmesse. This includes practical aspects of game development from animation to programming to organizing a game studio – and of course making contacts in the industry.
Acceptance & Rejection
Many well-known publishers such as Bandai Namco Entertainment, Ubisoft, THQ Nordic, Kalypso Media and the XBox manufacturer Microsoft will take part in Gamescom. But by no means all the big names in the industry are represented: Electronic Arts, Activision Blizzard, Sony, Take Two and CD Projekt Red, for example, have canceled; Square Enix only wants to organize a merchandising stand. Some of the AAA titles announced for autumn, such as “FIFA 23”, “The Last of Us 1 Remake” or “Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2” will therefore be missing from Gamescom. Some huge stands and events from previous years that had attracted a large audience are also falling flat.
The publisher 505 Games, known for example for “Control” and “Death Stranding”, will not offer any game stations in the entertainment area, but will be hosting a community meeting place called “505 Games Meet and Greet Space”. Cosplayers portraying a character from the 505 universe can have their photo taken by a professional cosplay photographer here.
In many cases it is still vague what exactly will be seen and, above all, played at Gamescom. However, a few publishers have already announced more details. Bandai Namco, for example, wants to present three playable titles: the amusement park development game “Park Beyond” from Limbic Entertainment, the horror game “The Devil in Me” and the action-adventure “One Piece Odyssey”. The Prime Matter brand, which belongs to Koch Media, is showing a remake of the classic “System Shock”, the action-adventure Gungrave GORE, the action role-playing game “The Last Oricru” and another unnamed game at Gamescom. Ubisoft, in turn, gives an insight into its pirate adventure “Skull and Bones”, the dance game “Just Dance 2022” and provides game stations for the roller derby simulation “Roller Champions”. THQ Nordic treats itself to a 1000 square meter stand and wants to show nine games, including some not yet known.
Gamescom newcomer Level Infinite (Tencent) is getting fully involved: A 360-degree stage, live demos, trailers and “experimental activities” around the mobile game “PUBG Mobile” have been announced. The game studio also wants news about “Warhammer 40,000: Darktide”, “Metal: Hellsinger”, “Tower of Fantasy”, the open-world survival game “V Rising” and the multiplayer shooter “GTFO” from the Swedish indie studio 10 Chambers show. Indie publisher Humble Games has a whole range of titles under its belt, including the sci-fi adventure Ghost Song, the rhythm game Infinite Guitars and the horror game Signalis.
Digital & on site
Since 2019, Gamescom has started with the English-language “Gamescom Opening Night Live”. After two years without an audience, the event is to take place this year with up to 5000 fans on site in Cologne; Games journalist Geoff Keighley is the presenter again. You can watch the live stream online from your sofa, which has brought the fair significantly more international attention in recent years.
Those who cannot make it to the cathedral city can watch live streams free of charge, roam the virtual world of the Indie Arena Booth with an avatar, watch trailers or try out demo versions of games. Those who participate online can also console themselves by avoiding the crowds in Cologne. Because despite a hygiene concept with more distance between the stands, there will undoubtedly be crowds and queues again.
As in previous years, the Gamescom feeling should also spread beyond the exhibition center – with free concerts in Cologne’s old town at the “Gamescom City Festival”. From August 26th to 28th, national and international bands will be playing at Rudolfplatz.
