- Multitudes of individuals converge at Gamescom
The grandest event in the globe for computer game merchandise, Gamescom, has commenced its operation, welcoming hordes of enthusiasts and professional associates to Cologne's exhibition halls. With a colossal area of 230,000 square meters, this annual get-together showcases the latest game titles and technology. Over 1400 exhibitors from 64 nations are participating, marking a 15% surge from the previous year. Attendees have the opportunity to test out games on consoles and controllers.
Certain booths saw lengthy lines shortly following the fair's commencement, such as Microsoft's Xbox, Ubisoft's "Star Wars Outlaws," and Capcom's "Monster Hunter Wilds." The event officially kicked off on Tuesday evening with a performance in one of the exhibition halls, unveiling new games to an audience of over 4000 individuals through short promotional clips.
The Gamescom festivities will last until Sunday, with approximately 320,000 people attending the previous year. Federal Economics Minister Robert Habeck (Greens) and NRW Minister President Hendrik Wüst (CDU) are anticipated to grace the event with their presence on Wednesday evening.
Gaming Industry
Digital entertainment, curated through computer and video games, amasses billions annually: Germans expended approximately 10 billion euros on games, hardware, and online services last year. However, this bustling market, bolstered by the pandemic, has started to falter in the first half of this year. Expenses have been escalating, and demand has dampened, inducing concern among investors.
Gamescom serves as a global gathering for the industry, with German developers holding a marginal share - less than 5% of the total expenditure on games within Germany goes towards home-grown production. The industry association, Game, which co-organizes the event with Koelnmesse, urges for additional financial backing to maintain its global competitiveness.
Approximately 12,400 individuals are employed in the games sector across around 1000 mostly small-scale companies in Germany. Prominent German players include Deck 13 from Frankfurt (boasting around 90 employees), Rockfish Games from Hamburg (with a staff of 35), and Envision Entertainment from Ingelheim (Rhineland-Palatinate, employing 18).
Visitors at Gamescom excitedly queued up at several booths, such as Microsoft's Xbox section, for a chance to play the latest game titles. The Games industry, which generates billions annually, has seen a slight downturn in the first half of this year, leading to concerns among investors about escalating costs and dampened demand.
