I spoke to Gamescom's organizers about the event, its future, and the city of Cologne - 'the entire city is transformed into the gaming capital of the world'

Gamescom 2025 has come and gone, and with it, another event jam-packed with big gaming reveals, in-person hands-on demos, and a vast range of activities. 2025 marked the busiest Gamescom to date, attracting more than 350,000 visitors from across the globe. It may be based in Cologne, Germany, but there's a worldwide pull to Gamescom that seems increasingly difficult to ignore.

To that end, I had the chance to speak with Tim Endres (Director of Gamescom and the Koelnmesse) and Stefan Heikhaus (Director of Gamescom & Events at Game) about Gamescom 2025, as well as its plans for the future, and why the city of Cologne is integral to the event's existence.

New heights

At the top, both men were keen to chat about how Gamescom has grown compared to previous years. "Gamescom 2025 is our biggest edition yet," says Endres, "and it truly feels like another milestone. For the very first time, we welcome more than 1,500 exhibitors from 72 countries on a record 233,000 square meters of space.

"Both the entertainment area and the indie area are growing, giving visitors even more to discover. We are also excited to see newer formats, such as the Gamescom social stage and the cards and boards area, evolve further. In short: more variety and more experiences than ever before."

Heikhaus then talked about Gamescom's growth internationally, including additional events taking place in Latin America, Asia, and this year's partnership with the Thailand Game Show.

"Right now, our focus is on strengthening Gamescom Latam in São Paulo and Gamescom Asia in Singapore," said Heikhaus. "Over the last [few] years, both events have already had a significant impact, increasing international participation in Cologne and bringing the Gamescom spirit to two dynamic, rapidly expanding gaming markets."

Heikhaus additionally had this to say when I asked if Gamescom can be expected to reach even more countries in the future: "We always keep an eye on global opportunities, but there are currently no plans for new locations besides one: Gamescom Asia will join forces with Thailand Game Show this year.

"With the event moving to Thailand, the two events will join their efforts to create the perfect event for both private and trade visitors. So, even though we are not launching additional regional editions, things are always evolving."

Big on hardware

For me, something I look forward to at every Gamescom event is the presence of gaming hardware manufacturers. Outside of dedicated trade shows, Gamescom is perhaps the most accessible event when it comes to trying out upcoming gaming hardware products, which is less of a focus at similarly large outings like Summer Game Fest.

It's a great time of year to check out all-new controllers, racing sim setups, gaming headsets, and all kinds of PC gaming equipment from the likes of Turtle Beach, Razer, Thrustmaster, Corsair et al.

"Gaming hardware manufacturers are a very important part of Gamescom," said Endres. "Without the right gear to play games on, there would be no story to experience or multiplayer match to win.

"So, just like any other exhibitor, these companies have a huge interest in coming to Gamescom – to meet the community, showcase upcoming products, and build lasting relationships and partnerships. Nowhere else can they meet their target group better than at gamescom."

Endres continued, talking about the presence of the Asus ROG Xbox Ally as a particular highlight for this year's event.

"The best example to showcase the deep connection [with hardware manufacturers] is probably the ROG Xbox Ally, which combines, in its name, the hardware manufacturer ROG with the global publisher Xbox. To us, it is therefore only natural to see these companies on our show floor and welcome Asus ROG back at the event after a short break."

Wear your Cologne

It's fair to say that part of what makes Gamescom so appealing is the city of Cologne, Germany, itself. It's one reason why I enjoy going to Gamescom every year, and Endres seems to agree that both Cologne and Gamescom have a positive impact on one another.

"Cologne is not just the host city," he said, "it becomes part of Gamescom itself. The partnership is truly unique. From enhanced public transport and special accommodation to the Gamescom city festival on Saturday and Sunday, which features free concerts, activities, and food trucks, the entire city is transformed into the gaming capital of the world.

"The festival atmosphere can be felt not just in the halls, but out on the streets, too, and that’s awesome! This close collaboration with local authorities, businesses, and cultural institutions creates lasting value for everyone."

Being such an important event for the city, making sure Gamescom is an accessible event also seems to be a high priority for its organizers. With this in mind, Heikhaus adds:

"We pay close attention to our community and partners. It was this focus that led to the creation of formats such as the cards and boards area and the social stage in 2024.

"This year, we have expanded the indie area, improved accessibility and on-site awareness, optimized crowd flow, and further developed our hybrid experiences, such as Gamescom Epix. It is important to us to create a safe, more inclusive, and more comfortable experience for everyone."

You might also like...

• I spoke with Final Fantasy 14’s Naoki Yoshida about Monster Hunter, Beastmaster, and the collaborations he’d love to do next – ‘I’m a maniac about One Piece’
• I’ve played Kirby Air Riders and, don’t tell anyone, I think I like it more than Mario Kart World
• Pragmata is part puzzle game, part sci-fi shooter, and all a surprising amount of fun