gamescom 2027

gamescom is the world's biggest event for computer and video games, held every August at Koelnmesse in Cologne, Germany. The 2027 gamescom week runs from 23 to 29 August: it opens with gamescom dev, the developer conference, on 23 and 24 August, and the show is open to the public from Thursday 26 to Sunday 29 August. Publishers present new games, studios meet partners in the business area, and hundreds of thousands of players queue to try upcoming titles.

The 2026 edition sold out its show floor for the first time and welcomed 368,000 visitors from 131 countries, with 1,743 exhibitors from 66 countries.

About gamescom

gamescom started in Cologne in 2009 and quickly became the largest games trade fair in the world. It is organised by Koelnmesse together with game, the German games industry association. The event combines a huge consumer show, a business area for trade visitors and media, a developer conference, and a festival programme across the city. Its sister events include gamescom latam in São Paulo and gamescom asia.

What to Expect at gamescom 2027

• Entertainment area: playable demos and stage shows from major publishers and platform holders
• Indie area: independent studios from around the world showing their games, often with the developers at the stand
• Business area: meetings between developers, publishers, investors and service providers
• gamescom dev: two days of talks for game developers at the start of the week
• Cosplay, merchandise and retro areas, plus events across Cologne during the week

gamescom for Game Artists and Designers

For people who make games, gamescom is a chance to see how studios present their work to players: trailers, booth design, key art and live demos. The indie area is the most useful part of the show floor for designers and artists. Small teams show games with distinctive art styles, and most are happy to talk about tools, pipelines and how they got funding or a publisher.

gamescom dev is the professional conference at the start of the week. Its talks cover game design, art, production, business and marketing, and its 2026 edition grew to 6,200 attendees. If you want to meet people in the industry, the dev conference and the business area are better places than the busy public halls.

Who Is gamescom For?

• Game designers, artists and developers
• Indie studios looking for publishers, players and press
• Students who want to understand the industry
• Players and fans who want to try games early
• Publishers, investors and media

Tickets

Public visitors buy day tickets for the consumer days, while trade visitors and media access the business area with separate tickets. Weekend days sell out first, so buy early if you want Saturday or Sunday. 2027 ticket prices and sales dates are announced on the official gamescom website.

Tips for Visiting gamescom

Arrive early: queues for popular demos can run for hours. Choose a few priorities, such as the indie area or a particular publisher, rather than trying to see everything. Bring water and snacks, and wear comfortable shoes; the halls of Koelnmesse are huge.

If you are a developer, book meetings in advance through the business area tools and carry a short build on a laptop or phone. A clear one-page pitch with screenshots helps when conversations are short.

Planning Your Visit

Koelnmesse is on the east bank of the Rhine in Cologne-Deutz, a short walk or one train stop from Cologne Central Station. Hotels in Cologne and nearby Düsseldorf fill up months ahead of gamescom week, so book early. Your ticket usually includes local public transport on the day of your visit; check the conditions when you buy.

Things to Know

• Week: 23–29 August 2027.
• gamescom dev: 23–24 August 2027.
• Public days: 26–29 August 2027.
• Crowds: weekend days are the busiest.
• Age ratings: some areas have age restrictions; check the visitor rules.

Attend gamescom 2027

Planning a visit?

Visit gamescom

Tickets, the exhibitor list and visitor information are on the official gamescom website.

Looking for more to see? Browse all events, festivals and exhibitions on Good Stuff Weekly.

Last verified: October 27, 2026