Overview of Gamescom’s Future Expansion Plans
- Gamescom will continue to take place in Cologne, Germany, while also planning additional events such as Gamescom LATAM and Gamescom Asia.
- The festival aims to establish a broad celebration of global pop culture, with the local government’s ongoing commitment to provide “intensive support.”
- The previous edition of Gamescom attracted 1,462 companies and 335,000 attendees from over 120 countries, highlighting its international appeal.
In a significant announcement, Koelnmesse along with Game – The German Games Industry Association has confirmed that the renowned gaming expo, Gamescom, will not only stay in Cologne but will also see substantial growth in the coming years. The event’s expanding international reputation was underscored when Gamescom 2024 hosted 1,462 exhibitors representing 64 nations and drew an impressive crowd of 335,000 participants from across 120 countries.
The upcoming Gamescom LATAM edition is set to offer an exciting showcase, with the iconic Shuhei Yoshida slated to deliver a talk sharing his vast expertise in the gaming sector. This year, Gamescom is collaborating with the BIG Festival, Latin America’s largest gaming celebration, which will take place in São Paulo, Brazil, from April 30 to May 4, 2025.
As detailed in a recent press release, Gamescom’s leadership outlined ambitious plans to broaden the event’s scope, introducing both Gamescom Asia and Gamescom LATAM to its lineup. The announcement emphasized the aim of transforming Gamescom into a “festival for a broad spectrum of global pop cultures,”bolstered by ongoing support from local governmental bodies. This expansion underscores Gamescom’s status as the world’s largest gaming event, attracting major industry players each year, including The Pokemon Company’s participation in Gamescom LATAM 2025.
Gamescom to Continue in Cologne with New Opportunities
While Nintendo notably skipped Gamescom 2024, fans were recently treated to exciting updates during the Nintendo Switch 2 Direct presentation. Anticipation is building for Gamescom 2025, which promises an impressive lineup of developers. Furthermore, after a recently signed contract, the festival will permanently remain in Cologne, a decision celebrated by Henriette Reker, Mayor of Cologne, and Nathanael Liminski, Minister for Federal and European Affairs of North Rhine-Westphalia, who described the pairing of Cologne and Gamescom as “the perfect match.”
With Gamescom LATAM on the horizon, the festival announced 90 finalists from a pool of 962 games submitted from 71 countries, vying for more than 17 distinct awards. Highlights among the finalists include titles like The Plucky Square from All Possible Futures in Australia, Animal Well from Shared Memory in the United Kingdom, and Nine Sols from Red Candle Games in Taiwan.