Games Are Perfect Entertainment, For 3 Generations and Blockbusters To Go

Koelnmesse and game have presented the main theme and two trends for this year's gamescom. The organisers have chosen ‘Games – Perfect Entertainment’ as their theme. And they have identified two trends: games are played by all age groups, and mobile games have long since achieved triple-A quality.

Both the main theme and the trends identified by the game association and Koelnmesse in the run-up to gamescom are not comprehensive analyses, but rather highlights that are also aimed at the press and the general public, for whom games are not part of everyday life. The organisations highlight exciting developments that may not be so obvious. This year, however, the main theme, ‘Games – Perfect Entertainment’, places greater emphasis on the entertainment value of games than in previous years.

"Games are all about – but not only about – entertainment," says Felix Falk, Managing Director of game - Veband der deutschen Games-Branche (game – The German Games Industry Association). "Games captivate us like no other medium. We immerse ourselves in breathtaking stories and create fantastic worlds, then enjoy them together with a community based all over the world. Which is why games are the perfect entertainment. And that’s all they need to be. But they can nevertheless be more! They can promote health, democracy, economic growth and innovation," Falk builds bridges to the trends and topics of recent gamescoms.

This year, there are also two exciting trends that the organisations want to highlight in particular. The trend ‘Games for three generations’ aims to highlight the fact that games have long been enjoyed by people of all ages and social classes. It also targets the average age of gamers, which is rapidly approaching 40 in Germany.

The second trend, ‘Blockbuster games to go’, is intended to draw attention to both mobile games and the handheld gaming market, which has received a boost from new hardware such as the Nintendo Switch 2 and the ROG Xbox Ally by Microsoft.

One target group for these trends and topics are the numerous politicians who are expected to attend gamescom again this year. According to the organisers, more than 500 politicians from all over Europe came to Cologne in 2024 to find out about trends and topics in the industry. The visits from Germany are particularly high-ranking. Dorothee Bär, a federal minister, and Hendrik Wüst, a minister-president, have also announced their attendance for 2025.

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