“Are you going to Gamescom again?” was one of many questions I hear most frequently when ticket gross sales for the most important online game commerce truthful start in Could. The commerce truthful has develop into more and more in style, as gaming is now not a interest that solely takes place at LAN events with soda and pizza strewn everywhere in the desk. Though I can hardly suppress my anticipation every year and my trip is already etched in stone, there’s nonetheless an odd feeling of “Do we even need the trade fair?” operating by means of my bones.
Gamescom: Then and now
Gamescom has been held in Cologne since 2009. Earlier than that, there was the Video games Conference in Leipzig, which burst on the seams with over 200,000 guests in 2008. After the profitable relocation, the numbers constantly rose till over 370,000 avid gamers entered the hallowed halls of the Cologne commerce truthful in 2019. These are absurd figures when you think about gaming was nonetheless thought-about a distinct segment interest reserved for nerds only a few years in the past.
This 12 months, with 335,000 guests in tow, there have been extra guests than there have been for 10 years. One of many causes behind this surge is probably going on account of cancellations in 2020 and 2021 due to the coronavirus pandemic. Amongst these large numbers, 32,000 individuals have been registered as commerce guests, which now additionally contains influencers. Nevertheless, I can’t go into any additional element as this is able to transcend the scope of this text.
Gamescom vs. E3: Is Cologne higher than Los Angeles?
E3 was one other online game commerce truthful that was historically held in June. It attracted much more followers than Gamescom. Nevertheless, this superb occasion has ceased since 2022. As for Gamescom, the online game commerce truthful was canceled in 2020 because of the pandemic and was solely out there as digital occasion in 2021.
E3 was canceled once more in 2022. The commerce truthful organizers have been unable to recuperate from this conundrum and quite a few exhibitors shied away, the place the online game commerce truthful formally ceased all operations in 2023. After greater than 20 years, it was over. Naturally, this led to fears amongst Gamescom followers that they’d now additionally lose their beloved commerce truthful within the Previous World. Nevertheless, this was not the case. Gamescom was even greater than final 12 months because the figures spoke for themselves.
Three the reason why Gamescom nonetheless lives and E3 died
Unveiling of recent video games is now not crucial
“Online games are played online – and promoted there”. That is roughly how you can summarize one of many causes. Extra publishers are selling their video games by way of platforms equivalent to TikTok or YouTube and do not want large, bodily occasions. The cancellation of this 12 months’s BlizzCon particularly is proof that such occasions should not crucial to supply avid gamers with crucial info.
Though the most recent growth for World of Warcraft will probably be launched this 12 months, the developer determined to supply all the mandatory info with out the necessity for a commerce truthful. Gamescom is not any completely different. There are definitely some titles right here that weren’t on the radar of many. Nevertheless, there’s merely a dearth of precise new info. In a time characterised by open betas and even alphas, avid gamers now not must queue for hours to have the ability to play the sport they need for 5 minutes.
Gamescom appears to have understood this and more and more sees itself as a subculture commerce truthful. It brings collectively not solely avid gamers but in addition influencers and cosplayers. All the things remotely associated to gaming is on present for 5 days in Cologne.
Partying as a substitute of taking part in: Gamescom as a meet & greet venue for followers and cosplayers
In recent times, extra individuals have found cosplay for themselves. They costume up within the costumes of their favourite characters and embark on a pictures session. I discovered this interest fairly fascinating myself, however I’d solely power myself to put on a fancy dress and strut by means of a commerce truthful at 34 levels within the shade to a restricted extent.
Cosplayers and influencers make their group comfortable by means of social media. Nevertheless, Gamescom additionally gives the chance to expertise such on-line heroes and heroines stay. This ensures the ‘meet & greet’ areas are overcrowded with total halls jammed.
This exhibits as soon as once more that the “gaming” half is more and more taking a again seat. Gaming remains to be clearly the primary precedence right here, however I feel increasingly individuals will attend Gamescom on account of their love for cosplaying or to satisfy their on-line idols. E3, then again, nonetheless centered closely on gaming and displays in 2019.
Poor however horny: Indie hits as a substitute of blockbusters
One other doable cause is the completely different classes of video games. Two actually thrilling areas that await us at Gamescom are the retro and indie areas. For individuals like me, who’ve been round for numerous years, such video games deliver again childhood reminiscences. The nostalgia issue clearly performs a job right here. What’s extra, indie video games are actual hidden gems to many avid gamers.
At E3, nevertheless, main triple-A titles are inclined to headline the stage. Publishers equivalent to Sony, Microsoft, and Nintendo had large exhibition cubicles to current AAA video games—together with hours of queuing. After all, this was additionally the case at Gamescom. Final 12 months, the motion RPG “Black Myth: Wukong” alone had ready occasions that simply exceeded six hours. Nevertheless, indie recreation traces are a lot sooner and you’ll even play them at Gamescom. Unimaginable, is not it?
What does the longer term maintain for Gamescom?
Let’s get to the purpose right here. What does the longer term maintain for a commerce truthful whose counterpart has already gone stomach up? Is such an enormous occasion even worthwhile if there’s hardly any “new” info conveyed? The reply is: Sure! As with the previous 15 years, I’ll in all probability make the pilgrimage to Cologne in August over the subsequent few a long time to attend the commerce truthful.
Nevertheless, I don’t intend to search out out about new video games and even to play the most recent FIFA EA FC recreation. No, that isn’t what I’m in search of. Personally, the commerce truthful might be the best occasion of the 12 months, as a result of not solely do I get to have thrilling nerd conversations with quite a few strangers, however I additionally get to be myself there.
I meet colleagues from clans and guilds that I in any other case know solely by means of my headset. I get to meet up with outdated pals I have been taking part in with for numerous years. Cosplay, indie video games, overpriced meals, plenty of merchandise, and the unusual, musty scent of the halls are additionally a part of August for me.
As you may in all probability see, Gamescom is now not a easy online game commerce truthful in my eyes. It is a occasion indie subculture get-together the place the main target is enjoyable. The gathering of the most important nerd conglomeration in Europe might be the perfect occasion of the 12 months and can probably stay so for years to come back.
The place the spectacle will take us stays to be seen, in fact. It can’t be dominated out that Gamescom will observe E3’s footsteps in some unspecified time in the future. The danger is there if one other 12 months like 2020 or 2021 occurs. Nevertheless, because of the commerce truthful’s improvement, even the dearth of main publishers is presently not a difficulty relating to attracting guests.
A digital model of the commerce truthful will not be doable in my view. Certainly many individuals will watch and watch the identical trailers time and again. That is simply the way in which we avid gamers are. Nevertheless, with out the “get-together” facet, Gamescom is now not viable. It stays to be seen what the subsequent few years will deliver. Should you occur to see a brightly coloured man in a go well with, chat me up, let’s discuss gaming, and reminiscing collectively.
How do you view it? Is the online game commerce truthful nonetheless related to you? I sit up for your feedback!