Gamescom 2026: Series of thefts hit small indie developers hard

How safe are the protected halls of Gamescom 2026 really? After the night-time theft of expensive hardware from small developers, criticism of the protection concept is growing, but the Cologne trade fair management rejects any direct responsibility.

Hardware theft at the trade fair

At Gamescom 2026 in Cologne, several laptops and consoles were stolen from the stands of independent game developers. Those affected included the British developer Ryan Laley as well as the studios iam8bit and Tessera. The perpetrators stole the devices at night from the restricted business area in Hall 4.1 and the indie area in Hall 10.2. The unknown suspects forced open some of the locked cupboards. The stolen devices included developer kits and special laptops. An affected US studio estimated the material value of the lost hardware at over 4,500 US dollars (around 4,100 euros).

In addition to the loss of hardware, there is criticism of the organization. Some participants complained about overcrowded corridors and inadequate security checks at the entrances. The incidents are particularly serious for small studios, as they finance their trade fair appearance entirely themselves. The devices also contained unfinished versions of upcoming titles such as Mimic, which poses a risk of data leaks. Again WDR reported, those affected immediately reported the incidents to the trade fair management and the local police. The criminal police have started the investigation. The organizers of the Cologne trade fair publicly regret the incidents, but reject direct liability for the missing work equipment.

Criticism of the security concept

In a statement, the trade fair management pointed out to WDR that general security forces patrol the site. However, exhibitors must book individual stand security separately. This causes great resentment among those affected. A developer working alone often loses his or her livelihood due to theft and cannot afford expensive additional security. The trade fair’s communication is therefore perceived as inadequate. A normal stand in the indie area can easily cost several thousand euros, which takes up the entire marketing budget for many small teams. The trade fair is considered an elementary meeting point for making contacts with publishers and investors. If work equipment and presentation material disappear, the essential purpose of the trade fair visit no longer exists and financial ruin threatens. Infographic Not without my disc: Console players are attached to their data carriers

Problems with security guards

The debate about safety on site is not new. In recent years, customs discovered some violations during checks by security guards at the trade fair. This involved, among other things, undeclared work and inadequately qualified staff without a valid ID card. Kölnmesse then stated that it had tightened its random checks on the service providers it commissioned.

Solidarity from the industryDespite the enormous damage, there are positive developments for those affected. After the incidents became known, representatives of large IT companies contacted the affected developers. Companies like AMD, Alienware and CD Projekt Red offered unbureaucratic help. They want to support the teams in order to compensate for the resulting hardware failure with new devices as quickly as possible.