Gamescom 2017 was the biggest yet, with over 350,000 visitors attending this year’s event in Cologne.
Gamescom 2017 – which ran between 22 to 26 August, 2017 – saw more than 350,000 visitors from 106 countries attend, setting a new record for Europe’s flagship gaming expo. Mingling with the masses were 30,700 trade visitors, a slight increase on last year. And, of course, one of this year’s attendees was none other than Chancellor Dr Angela Merkel, who opened the event for the first time.
Gerald Böse, president and CEO of event organiser Koelnmesse, said :
“We are excited. Gamescom 2017 set new standards and a new visitor record. More than ever, it proved its exceptional, worldwide importance as a 360 degree experience event and a leading communications platform for current and future themes of the computer and video games industry. We are very satisfied and are pleased that we were able to offer trade and private visitors the fascination of digital entertainment here in Cologne in this extraordinary form.”
Felix Falk, managing director of the BIU, the association of the German games industry, added:
“Gamescom 2017 was a success at all levels. The new record for visitors and the number of exhibitors, as well as the renewed increase in internationality impressively underline the status of gamescom as the world’s largest event revolving around computer and video games. The opening by Chancellor Dr Angela Merkel, as well as the Election Campaign Arena with its top class panel emphasised both the unique success of gamescom and the considerably increased recognition of games as an important economic factor, provider of impulses for innovation and cultural asset.“
New games development conference, Devcom, was also successful. The event – which has taken over from the now defunct GDC Europe – attracted more than 3,000 visitors, who attended 140 sessions from industry luminaries including Richard Garriott, Tetsuya Mizuguchi, and Tim Sweeney.
Gamescom 2017 in Numbers
Number of visitors:
- 2017: 350.000
- 2016: 345.000
No. of trade visitors:
- 2017: 30.700
- 2016: 30.500
Exhibiting companies:
- 2017: 919
- 2016: 877
And to think I had the temerity to moan about the number of people attending E3 2017.
Both events will return in 2018, with Devcom running from 19 to 23 August, and Gamescom being held from 21 to 25 August.
