2026 edition gamescom became the focus of controversy due to a series of issues Theft hurts developers and publishers Present in the business and independent areas of Cologne Messe.
Incidents that occur at night are particularly striking independent team They exposed their demo using personal hardware and found themselves deprived Laptops, PCs and other necessary equipment Showcase their games to the public and media.
Testimonies from developers who were robbed
He was the first to report it Ryan Rileyauthor of the asymmetric horror novel “Mimic”, he said he found it in a video Your stall is completely empty: “All our laptops were stolen,” she explained tearfully, adding that the entire area had been “ransacked.” For Laley, a lonely developer, the loss of the hardware meant that his participation in the exhibition ended prematurely.
A few hours later, the publisher did the same Already 8 bits Two laptops used to demonstrate Petal Runner and Escape Academy 2 to press and creators were confirmed stolen. The company expressed concern over the matter The risk of leaking the build Anyone with information is asked to come forward. Laley later clarified that his booth was located in the same area as iam8bit, namely Hall 4.1.
Further reports come from Cinema Cardauthor of The Zibbo Show, reported the theft of two laptops and a Steam Deck from a workstation in the separate area of Hall 10.2. The team reported other similar cases, including at least two incidents at Spain’s Olympic stand and “several other incidents throughout the expo.”
Official response from Gamescom organizers
Faced with an increasing number of complaints, organizers gamescom They published an article official statement In it they said they were “aware of the theft of hardware” and understood the “frustration of affected exhibitors”, but recalled that surveillance of individual stands must be booked individually and that exhibitors were invited to purchase anti-theft insurance.
“We know hardware has been stolen, We take these reports very seriouslyunderstands the frustration of affected exhibitors. Due to the high number of requests we receive, we would like to inform you General safety rules for events”, the post read.
“Uniformed security guards provide overall security throughout the venue. Security of individual booths can be booked separatelyand recommend that exhibitors Securing your device against theft. This is explained in the Terms and Conditions of Participation and the Technical Guide. All cases have been reported to us and the police and investigations are ongoing. What we want to emphasize is These are isolated caseswhich makes us deeply saddened. “
State of Decay 3 is out and we played it at Gamescom
“As event organizers, safety is one of our top priorities and we are deeply saddened to see independent developers being affected. However, at an event of this scale, There are always people trying to take advantage of the situation. Our security measures are designed to reduce these risks as effectively as possible. ”
One answer didn’t seem to convince affected exhibitors and readers at X: Many criticized the organization Hold developers robbed fully accountable The incidents are still defined as “isolated cases”, although the number of positions involved suggests more coordinated action.
