gamescom "Helps to Transport and Experience the Unique Gaming Culture Like No Other Event"

The first part of the interview with Tim Endres, Director of gamescom at Koelnmesse, and Stefan Heikhaus, Director of gamescom & Events at game, focuses on the role that gamescom can play in society and the influence of the satellite events in Latin America and Asia. Also on the agenda is gamescom goes green and its unifying role for the community.

GamesMarkt: Following 265,000 (2022) and 320,000 (2023) visitors: Will attendance continue to approach or even exceed 2018/2019 levels?

Tim Endres: We never discuss visitor numbers in detail before the show. Though, looking at current ticket sales and the development around our exhibitors - on the latter we are already confident to match or even exceed 2023 - we'll definitely be able to welcome hundreds of thousands of gaming culture enthusiasts to the world's biggest games festival this August. However, the number of visitors alone is not the decisive criterion for the success of gamescom. What counts for us is the combination of on-site visitors and digital, international reach. Last but not least, it is much more important to us that everyone has a great and safe time at the event than it is to fill the halls with more and more people.

GamesMarkt: 'The biggest community in the world' is the main theme of gamescom, alongside the trends 'Games protect democracy' and 'Games - access to the future'. What role does this sense of community play for gamescom, especially after the effects of the Covid-19 pandemic?

Stefan Heikhaus: I think anyone who has ever been to gamescom knows the unique atmosphere there: Everyone is looking forward to seeing old friends and perhaps making new ones. They look forward to seeing the games they've heard about and now get to try out, as well as the games they didn't know about and now get to discover. They also interact with other visitors and experience shows like gamescom Opening Night Live with the community. This unique atmosphere gave us the idea for this year's theme. Because at gamescom you can see this unique power of gaming culture to connect people.

GamesMarkt: To what extent can games contribute to the creation of a more cosmopolitan, tolerant and diverse society, and what is the specific role that gamescom can play in this respect?

Stefan Heikhaus: Games can play a crucial role in this, because like no other medium, they allow you to take on different roles and thus convey completely different perspectives. Then there's the interactivity: not only can I see the world from a different perspective, I can even experience the effects of my decisions. All this can help games to contribute to greater tolerance and diversity in our society.

GamesMarkt: What progress has been made this year with gamescom goes green?

Stefan Heikhaus: We are continuing our efforts to make gamescom even more sustainable this year. After the big steps taken in previous years, we now need to tackle many smaller areas. For example, we have taken a closer look at the carpeting in the exhibition areas. In the past, the carpets were often used once and then disposed of, which is not very sustainable. We are now focusing on sustainable carpets in all areas that can also be reused, and we are also offering these to exhibitors. This is just one example of how we are now looking much deeper into the different areas of the event to become even more sustainable. Others include an optimisation of waste separation and the use of reusable cups in catering. There is a lot more to do!

This is one of the great strengths of gamescom that is hardly ever talked about: It helps to transport and experience the unique gaming culture like no other event. This is enormously helpful when talking to politicians who may have had no previous contact with the medium and its culture and therefore only know prejudices and clichés. - Stefan Heikhaus

GamesMarkt: gamescom attracts politicians from all parties and at all levels, from the federal states to the EU. How important is gamescom for the political and social image of the industry in Germany and internationally?

Stefan Heikhaus: This is one of the great strengths of gamescom that is hardly ever talked about: It helps to transport and experience the unique gaming culture like no other event. This is enormously helpful when talking to politicians who may have had no previous contact with the medium and its culture and therefore only know prejudices and clichés. From my colleagues at game, who have been organising visits by politicians to gamescom for several years now, I have learnt how it works: even if someone comes to gamescom with prejudices, these are usually dispelled after the visit. This has contributed enormously to changing the political view of games in Germany in a very positive direction within just a few years. And this effect is not limited to Germany. Associations from other countries as well as the European games industry associations are using gamescom to invite politicians from all over the world and convince them of our medium - with increasing success.

GamesMarkt: In addition to gamescom in Cologne, there is also gamescom latam and gamescom asia. How do the individual events benefit from each other, and how can Cologne itself benefit from latam and asia?

Stefan Heikhaus: By now, gamescom has grown from being the world's largest games event to being an international games event brand with two additional satellite events in very important markets. The events in Asia and South America benefit from our already established, renown and beloved brand as well as from the condensed expertise within the gamescom core team. Our main event in Cologne benefits from the satellites, amongst others, through naturally extending our brand reach into new markets and reaching people who might not have been (fully) aware of gamescom's immense offering. gamescom is no longer taking place in August alone. It is taking place multiple times a year.

Tim Endres: I'd like to add that the satellites also immensely benefit from Koelnmesse's well-established, international network of local subsidiaries, their knowledge of local markets as well as their (team) infrastructure.

What will be different from previous gamescoms? Merchandise at the stands, cards & boards, the new social stage and more - this is what Tim Endres, Director gamescom at Koelnmesse, and Stefan Heikhaus, Director gamescom & Events at game, talk about in the second part of the gamescom 2024 interview (to part two).

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