The world’s biggest gaming convention has found itself in an awkward war of words with its own exhibitors. Following multiple reports of laptops being stolen from exhibitor stands at this year’s Gamescom in Cologne, the event’s organizers have finally broken their silence — and their response is raising more than a few eyebrows across the games industry.
Laptops Keep Vanishing From the Showfloor
Gamescom draws hundreds of thousands of visitors and thousands of exhibitors to the Koelnmesse convention center each August, making it the largest video game event on the planet. But amid the demos, cosplay, and world premieres, a less glamorous story emerged: developers and publishers discovering that laptops had been swiped directly from their booths.
For exhibitors, these aren’t just off-the-shelf machines. Stolen laptops at trade shows often contain demo builds, unreleased games in progress, sensitive business documents, and expensive development hardware. For smaller indie studios in particular, losing a laptop mid-event can mean far more than the cost of replacing the device itself.
Gamescom’s Official Response: Sympathy With an Asterisk
In an official statement, Gamescom’s organizers acknowledged the incidents, saying they treat the matter “very seriously” and “understand the frustration of affected exhibitors.” The stolen laptops, the statement noted, “make us very sad.”
But the sympathy came with a firm caveat: when it comes to actually protecting equipment, exhibitors are largely on their own.
Just Read the Terms and Conditions
According to Gamescom, the responsibility for securing valuables rests with exhibitors themselves — a rule the organizers were quick to point out is spelled out in black and white. “This is noted in the terms and conditions,” the statement explained, referring to the contractual fine print every exhibitor agrees to when booking floor space at the event.
Want Better Security? That’ll Cost Extra
Gamescom does offer a solution for exhibitors worried about theft — “individual stand security.” The catch? It’s a paid add-on rather than a standard part of the package, meaning studios must dig deeper into already tight event budgets if they want dedicated protection for their gear.
Passing the Buck or Standard Practice?
To be fair, Gamescom’s position isn’t unusual in the trade show world. Venues and event organizers typically include liability disclaimers in exhibitor contracts, and most companies insure their hardware before shipping it to major conventions. No organizer can realistically guarantee the safety of every device across a convention center the size of several football stadiums.
Still, the optics of telling theft victims to re-read their contracts — while charging extra for the privilege of stand security — haven’t landed well with parts of the gaming community. With theft reports circulating on social media during the show itself, Gamescom risks a reputational headache that could make smaller developers think twice about the cost-to-value equation of attending future events.
For exhibitors planning a return to Cologne next year, the takeaway is clear: budget for security, tether or lock down valuable hardware, back everything up to the cloud, and never assume the venue has your back.
And for everyone who isn’t an exhibitor — if the big Gamescom reveals have you building a wishlist, you can save on your next purchases with Steam, PlayStation, Xbox, and other gift cards available at TURGAME.com.
Source: Kotaku
Source: Kotaku