Gamescom admits it mishandled thefts from indie developers

Gamescom likes to demonstrate its importance with impressive figures: around 368,000 visitors from 131 countries, more than 36,000 trade visitors and 1,743 companies spread across 233,000 square metres. In recent days, however, the Cologne video game fair made international headlines for a less flattering reason.

Several indie developers reportedly discovered that laptops and other equipment had been stolen from the exhibition halls overnight. They made the incidents public on social media, where the response from Gamescom quickly became part of the story.

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Because security is our top priority as an organizer, it makes us very sad to see indie developers affected. At an event of this scale, however, there will always be individuals who try to take advantage of the situation.

The Gamescom team told Laley on X that it regretted what had happened. In another post about the thefts, it highlighted an optional individual booth-security service and recommended that exhibitors insure their equipment against theft. The organizers also wrote: "Because security is our top priority as an organizer, it makes us very sad to see indie developers affected. At an event of this scale, however, there will always be individuals who try to take advantage of the situation."

Many social media users, including developers, read the statement differently. To them, it sounded as if little could be done and those affected might simply have needed to spend more money on security. The backlash was severe. The Verge writer Tom Warren called it "What an absolutely shitty response." Another critic, Indie Game Joe, said this was not the first year in which equipment had been stolen. Gamescom has now acknowledged that it responded too coldly to the incidents.

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What an absolutely shitty response.