gamescom 2025: Digital success outshines visitor records in Cologne!

gamescom 2025: Digital success outshines visitor records in Cologne!

This year's gamescom starts in Cologne today, August 12, 2025, an event that inspires and fascinates. Felix Falk, the managing director of the industry association “game” and co-organizer of gamescom, is pleased with the continuously increasing numbers in recent years, even if a visitor record was not aimed for this year. “We want to be fair for the fans and not endanger the quality of stay here in Cologne-Deutz,” explains Falk.

However, gamescom is not just an on-site event. Since 2019, fans have also been able to participate digitally on the “gamescom now” platform, which significantly strengthens the international reach. According to Falk, by 2024 people from 100 countries will be using this digital platform, and further increases are expected this year. “The digital format is an important part of showing the international relevance of gamescom,” he emphasizes.

Previous visitor numbers and digital successes

In the last edition of gamescom in 2024, the event recorded 335,000 visitors, a slight increase of around 15,000 people compared to the previous year. However, these numbers are still a long way from the 2019 record of 373,000 visitors. Nevertheless, the organizers – Koelnmesse and the Game industry association – are showing increased digital reach. An impressive 310 million digital accesses were counted last year, an increase of 180 million compared to 2023, as t-online.de reports.

It is particularly worth mentioning that of the 1,462 exhibitors from 64 countries, 71 percent came from abroad. This illustrates the international importance of gamescom and the diversity of the brands and products represented.

The importance for the gaming industry

Gerald Böse, the head of Koelnmesse, emphasizes the immense importance of gamescom for the gaming industry. It not only serves as a platform for new games and developments, but also as a forum for important impulses in gaming policy in Germany. game.de emphasizes that events like this can make a contribution to promoting games policy in Germany.

Preparations for gamescom 2025 are in full swing and there is a lot on offer for participants and interested parties both on site and digitally. So it remains to be seen what new trends and developments this year's gamescom will bring with it.