Pixel Sundays: Gamescom – From Leipzig Beginnings to the World’s Biggest Gaming Expo
Our latest Pixel Sundays is not about a game like usual, but fittingly about the Gamescom. The Gamescom started small and that’s where our article will begin, but over time it has become more than just a convention. It has turned into a festival for gamers, cosplayers and many more, all gathering in one place.
Summary
- The Origins of Gamescom – From Leipzig to Cologne
- Growth and Records
- Iconic Moments on Stage
- Gamescom in the Digital Age
- What Makes Gamescom Special
- The Future of Gamescom
- Conclusion: Gamescom – More Than Just a Convention
Over time, Gamescom has even managed to become the world’s largest gaming convention, with hundreds of thousands of visitors each year and millions of online viewers following the event. Today we take a look at the journey of Gamescom, how it came to be, how it grew, and the highlights that have defined it.
The Origins of Gamescom – From Leipzig to Cologne
It all began with the Games Convention (GC) in 2002, which first took place in Leipzig, Germany. What started as a small event quickly grew over the years into one of Europe’s most important video game fairs. In 2008, the GC peaked with 203,000 visitors and 547 exhibitors. The event was a huge success, but Leipzig reached its capacity limits. The existing infrastructure, especially the limited hotel capacity and insufficient transport connections, could no longer handle the rising visitor numbers. A new location was needed, and it was Cologne.
But why exactly Cologne? Cologne offered a modern exhibition center, better transport connections and more accommodation options, making it ideal for a larger international fair. The organizers also wanted to position the fair more internationally and tap into new markets. For this purpose, Cologne was better suited thanks to the major airport in Düsseldorf and the airport in Cologne.
Leipzig wanted to continue using the “Games Convention” name, which forced the BIU (German Games Industry Association) to rename the event. Thus, the new name Gamescom was born. This led to a five-month dispute with the Leipzig trade fair operator. Ultimately, however, the physical concept in Leipzig came to an end, and the Games Convention Online was introduced. It focused on casual and mobile games but was discontinued after 2010.
In August 2009, Gamescom made its debut in Cologne. The fair took place from August 19–23 and was a spectacular success. A total of 245,000 visitors attended, including about 228,000 private visitors and 17,000 trade visitors from Germany and abroad. Exhibitors were also well represented, with 458 exhibitors from 31 countries spread across 120,000 m² of exhibition space. Thanks to its better location, Gamescom already surpassed the previous visitor records of the Games Convention in Leipzig in its very first year.
Growth and Records
Since its start in 2009, Gamescom has established itself as Europe’s leading gaming fair, with impressive growth and increasing internationality. Let’s start with visitor numbers, which have steadily increased. In 2011 there were 275,000 visitors, and the record was set in 2019 with 373,000 visitors. Then came the coronavirus, and during this time the event was paused. In 2022, Gamescom restarted as a hybrid event with 265,000 on-site visitors. However, major exhibitors like Sony and Nintendo were absent, though still 1,100 exhibitors from 53 countries attended.
By 2023, the fair had recovered, attracting 320,000 visitors, including 31,000 trade visitors. The numbers kept growing: in 2024, 335,000 visitors came to Cologne along with over 1,400 exhibitors. This year, 2025, the event has grown even more. The fairgrounds were expanded to over 233,000 m², the number of exhibitors exceeded 1,500, and participants came from 72 countries — yet another record in international diversity.
Gamescom has long since become an essential event for the gaming industry. It attracts publishers, content creators, and fans alike. The fair combines public show floors with extensive business areas. It still maintains a hybrid approach, combining the physical fair with a strong digital program. It always begins with the Opening Night Live, where many major titles are announced and new details revealed.
Iconic Moments on Stage – Including the Gamescom Concert
Gamescom is famous for its big reveal moments. The biggest reveals often happen during the Opening Night Live (ONL), held right before the fair begins. In 2025, titles like Call of Duty, World of Warcraft Midnight, Silent Hill f, and many more were shown. The ONL was introduced in 2019, hosted by Geoff Keighley, and has since become a global livestream event.
But each year also brings unique highlights at Gamescom. This year on Wednesday there was a concert hosted by CD Projekt Red. It required a separate ticket, but featured music from The Witcher universe performed by an orchestra. The performance was accompanied by synchronized visuals from the game and lasted about two hours.
Beyond the big announcements and concerts, Gamescom is also home to many unforgettable moments. Every year, over 1,000 cosplayers participate, along with a cosplay contest. Influencers also meet their fans in meet and greets, often resulting in emotional experiences.
The Gamescom in the Digital Age
As already mentioned, since 2019 there has been the Opening Night Live livestream. This opened up Gamescom even more to the international market, as now everyone around the world could watch Gamescom live. But Gamescom also features many big internet stars such as streamers and content creators. They host shows on stage, meet with fans, or stream live directly from Gamescom. In addition, there have long been eSports events, speedruns, and more taking place at Gamescom.
Gamescom had to adapt at times in the past and even go fully digital. This of course happened during COVID. In 2020 the event was moved entirely online with opening shows and daily developer interviews via livestream. In 2021, the plan was to return as a hybrid event, but once again it was decided to run a fully online edition, including Opening Night Live.
Through strategy, platform integration, and digital reach, Gamescom has become something beyond just exhibition halls. It is a global media and community festival, celebrated both onsite and online. Nowadays, even the most important parts such as big announcements or events happen online via streams.
What Makes Gamescom Special
The biggest strength of Gamescom lies in its dual function as both a business-oriented trade fair and a public entertainment show. In the business area, developers, publishers, investors, and media representatives meet. It is the perfect place for networking with many different people. Days like the trade visitor day or conferences such as Devcom are especially suitable for this.
At the same time, the fair is also a mass event featuring an entertainment area, cosplay, indie booths, retro and family areas, tournament stages, and much more. The event is designed to make games directly playable. Visitors can test many games before release through demo sessions.
There is a strong connection between fans and publishers. Visitors can enjoy hands-on game testing long before official release. But Gamescom is not just a place for the big titles. It’s also where smaller games shine. The indie area hosts many different games to discover. The cosplay village is also a meeting spot for many cosplayers from the region.
Gamescom stands not only for European but also for global gaming culture. Exhibitors and trade visitors come from all over the world. In 2023, there were about 31,000 trade visitors on site – even more than at the Game Developers Conference in San Francisco. The fair also emphasizes sustainability, good organization, and its local Cologne charm. Gamescom is more than a convention – the entire city turns into an event with a Kölsch atmosphere.
The Future of Gamescom
The focus of Gamescom will increasingly shift to the online experience, allowing even more gamers to participate. Formats like the Future Games Show provide exclusive reveals, access to indie titles, and reach a global audience. The Opening Night Live will also continue to grow rather than shrink. According to Gamescom Director Tim Endres, the success of Gamescom lies in its hybrid approach.
Gamescom is also becoming more eco-friendly, reducing printed material, promoting recycling, and adopting environmentally friendly production. With partners like UN programs, Gamescom supports reforestation projects (Gamescom Forest) near Bayreuth. By 2030, the fair aims to be fully climate neutral.
In the future, the event will grow even larger – with more exhibitors, more visitors, and more internationality. The fair continues to expand abroad, with Gamescom Asia in Bangkok and Gamescom Latam in São Paulo. Gamescom also evolves by listening to its community. This year, formats such as the Gamescom Congress with over 1,000 participants and 180 experts from fields such as education, health, and environment showed how much Gamescom extends beyond pure entertainment.
Conclusion: Gamescom – More Than Just a Fair
Over the last two decades, Gamescom has undergone a remarkable transformation – from a regional event in Leipzig to a global gaming convention with international appeal in Cologne. It combines business and entertainment, uniting fans, developers, and publishers, creating unforgettable moments for the community. The fair has continually reinvented itself – through the move to Cologne, its digital transformation, or the hybrid model after the pandemic. Today, Gamescom is not only the largest gaming event in the world but also a mirror of gaming culture, showcasing how diverse and vibrant the industry is – and how much it connects people worldwide.
Hey, I’m Kilian, but online you’ll probably know me as “Tux1243.” I've been part of the team for almost two years now, always trying to keep you in the loop with the latest and coolest gaming news. I also have a huge passion for doing deep dives and detailed analyses of entire game series and franchises. I love getting to the bottom of things and exploring the little details and backstories that make game worlds so fascinating.
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