Demand of exhibitors for gamescom higher than ever before +++ Announcement of further exhibiting companies +++ First content for gamescom ONL announced +++ New community formats strengthen the visitor experience on location and digitally

After new records were already established in the previous year, the available exhibition area of gamescom is completely booked up this year for the first time. The world's largest event for computer and video games thus underlines its importance as the central platform of the games industry and as the meeting point for millions of fans worldwide — on location in Cologne and digitally.

In order to access additional growth potential in future, game – The German Games Industry Association and Koelnmesse are already working on concepts for an expansion as of 2027. The goal is to meet the increasing demand and to improve the visitor experience in the process.

"That gamescom is completely booked up is a strong signal for the entire industry. We only just expanded the area last year, so are all the more pleased with the increasing demand. At the same time, we are continually developing gamescom further and investing in new formats for fans and communities. It is precisely this connection of business and community-experience that distinguishes gamescom,“ says Tim Endres, Director of gamescom.

"It is already clear now that gamescom 2026 will be bigger than ever. Exhibitor demand is higher than it has ever been. Fans can look forward to a full program – on location in Cologne and in livestream everywhere in the world. gamescom Opening Night Live, the expanded gamescom awesome indies show, or gamescom GDQ, which is celebrating its premiere this year: those are only a few of the highlights that raise anticipation for the world's largest games event many weeks prior to the start," says Felix Falk, Managing Director of game – The German Games Industry Association and co-organizer of gamescom.

More companies confirmed

With aerosoft, Embark Studios, GIANTS Software, Konami, Level Infinite, NC, and Tencent Games, more well-known names have been confirmed for gamescom 2026. They complement the already announced exhibitors, partners, and sponsors. These include, among others, astragon, Bandai Namco, Bilibili, Capcom, CD PROJEKT RED, Daybreak Games, Deep Silver, Douyin, Electronic Arts, Fandom, Focus Entertainment, GameMeca, Google Play, heise jobs, HoYoverse, IGN, INVEN, Krafton, marqet agency, Nazara Technologies Ltd., NetEase, Nintendo, Republic of Gamers, Ruliweb, SEGA, The LEGO Group, ThisIsGame, TikTok, Ubisoft, and XBOX. The previously confirmed lineup thus continues to grow and reflects the great diversity of the international games industry.

Highlight shows experienceable in livestream

In 2026, too, gamescom is trusting in international show highlights with a global digital reach. For example, gamescom is investing in the gamescom awesome indies show, which will in future be developed further together with IGN. The format provides independent developer studios with additional international visibility and reinforces the role of gamescom as a platform for the great variety of indie games.

gamescom Opening Night Live with host Geoff Keighley and co-host Eefje "sjokz" Depoortere once again officially opens the biggest gaming festival in the world on the evening of August 25, 2026. Millions of viewers worldwide can look forward to new announcements, world premieres, and updates from the international games industry. This includes news on METRO 2039 and The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt - Songs of the Past, which are expected to be released in 2027.

gamescom 2026 celebrates the community

In addition to the strong offering of exhibitors, gamescom is also developing its community offerings further. New and established formats create additional spaces for encounters for fans, content creators, cosplayers, and international gaming communities.

The gamescom event arena will become the social stage on four days, with a variety of program points from the most varied areas of gaming culture. Among others, the program points include the gamescom cosplay contest, a DidYouKnowGaming panel quiz, and further community highlights.

With gamescom GDQ, Games Done Quick is coming to Europe for the first time and will also have its own stage at gamescom, where speedrun fans from the whole world can meet. From Friday to Sunday, visitors can expect a live program of nearly ten hours each day, which can also be streamed live on the GDQ channels. In this context, the community will collect donations for the "Gaming for Democracy“ initiative.

Cosplay also remains a central element of the gamescom experience. The cosplay village will once again be the meeting point for cosplayers and fans. In order to best combine safety and creative freedom, the costume design rules have been revised together with representatives from the industry and the community. Supplementing this, simplified accreditation guidelines make participation easier and reinforce the professional basic conditions for the creative community.

The improved location finder this year also offers, in addition to the display of one's own location and of exhibiting companies on the grounds, the possibility to display helpful locations and stands with the help of additional filters, including accessible toilets or free water dispensers.

gamescom 2026 takes place from August 26 to 30, 2026 in Cologne. August 26th is the trade visitor and media day. The gamescom week already starts on August 24th with the gamescom dev developer conference.

You can find more information about the key theme and the trends in the press area at the website.