Tag Archives: Koelnmesse

Koelnmesse’s communications manager, Franko Fischer, has said Microsoft and Nintendo skipping out on gamescom this year hasn’t had a large impact on the show.

More »

Koelnmesse’s announced this morning the first list of publishers confirmed for this year’s gamescom in Cologne, incuding EA, Bethesda, Take Two, Deep Silver and Konami.

More »

Koelnmesse’s announced this evening that this year’s gamescom hit 275,000 attendees in the five days the show took place.

More »

Koelnmesse organisers have confirmed to Joystiq that the venue has hit capacity this afternoon in the third and penultimate public day of gamescom.

More »

Koelnmesse’s confirmed dates for next year’s gamescom. We grabbed the dates as we left the Messe for the final time yesterday: it’s now confirmed the event will kick off on August 15-19 alongside GDC Europe, which will happen between August 13-15. Assumingly, the 15th will be another trade-only day, with 16th being the day it opens to the public, per what it has been before. No announcement on attendance figures for this year yet, but those will almost certainly come early next week.

It’s gut check time. Koelnmesse’s announced this morning that next week’s gamescom will feature 550 exhibitors from 40 countries. The numbers are an increase of last year, with the number of countries going up by seven, with the exhibitor figures being a ten percent increase on last year. The show’s project manager Tim Endres said he was “delighted with this result above all for our visitors from Germany, Europe and the world.”

gamescom takes place from August 17 – the first day being a media-only day – until August 21. Read our preview of the show here. Thanks, MCV.

As of today, Koelnmesse has kicked off ticket sales for this year’s gamescom in Cologne.

More »

Organisers for gamescom have confirmed the first batch of publishers that have committed to this year’s show in Cologne.

More »

Living the German dream next week? This is what you’re in for.

More »

Leipziger Messe’s just confirmed that Games Convention is officially dead. The 2009 event, originally planned for August 20-23, has been cancelled.

The news ends Games Convention as was, one of the largest games shows in the world. Launched in 2002, the fair was an epic event, and by far the most important annual show in Europe.

The central European games show for 2009 will, instead, be the inaugural gamescom in Cologne on August 19-23.

“If the industry is again in search of a platform for console and PC games and hardware with the know-how of the GC – Games Convention, we will immediately be available,” said Leipziger Messe boss, Wolfgang Marzin.

The fight between GC and gamescom has been a bitter one, but there was never any real doubt the latter would become the major games show in Germany after the BIU – Germany’s ELSPA, ESA, etc – announced the formation of the show last year.

Gamescom capitalised on the Leipzig announcement today by issuing a press release saying it “enjoys more support from industry”.

Ubisoft Germany GM Ralf Wirsing had this to say: “In Cologne we will have the opportunity to both present our range of products to an international market and to familiarise ourselves with the new products of the other national and international market participants.

“If you look at the numbers of registered gamers in the online and browser markets, the growing importance of this segment is unmistakable.”

We admit it: we have a tear in the eye. So long, Leipzig. You were a good friend.

Both press releases after the break.

More »

Koelnmesse’s brought the first gamescom forward to directly coincide with next year’s Games Convention.

The show will take place from August 19-23, and not in September as previously planned.

“gamescom belongs to the entire industry and should enjoy as much acceptance as possible,” said BIU boss Klemens Kundratitz.

“This is why we took reservations voiced by the trade and a number of companies regarding scheduling the trade fair in September very seriously. The advantages and disadvantages of holding the trade fair in September were discussed in detail during a number of constructive discussions with industry participants.”

Kundratitz continued: “Ultimately, the voices opposing the date in September were louder than those in favour of it, which is why we worked on a solution that benefits all industry participants. We eventually approached Koelnmesse with our request for a change of schedule, and they were able to move the trade fair to August. I would like to thank all those who worked hard on setting the new date.”

Press release after the link.

More »

Koelnmesse boss Oliver P Kuhrt has issued a stark statement to Leipziger Messe in the face of the East German outfit announcing GC2009 dates. Translated, it says something along the lines of, “Give it up: everyone’s coming to gamescom next year.”

“It was to be expected that Leipziger Messe” would announce dates for a 2009 Games Convention, said Kuhrt.

“They will have to then do this, however, to a large extent without the industry.”

Handbags. Kuhrt said he’s received more than 120 inquiries from companies wanted to attend the first gamescom, including “almost all market leaders.”

Konami has been the first company to officially sign up for the show. No specific dates have been set it as yet.

More on EG.de.