World's largest computer games trade fair Gamescom opens in Cologne

The world's largest computer games trade fair Gamescom kicked off in Cologne, attracting tens of thousands of fans and industry insiders to the first full day of exhibitions on Wednesday.

Visitors eager to try new games or platforms formed long queues in front of booths in the exhibitions halls in Cologne, including at display for the Microsoft Xbox system, Ubisoft's new game "Star Wars Outlaws" and Capcom's game "Monster Hunter Wilds."

Big crowds are expected during the rest of the week, and tickets for the final day of the fair on Sunday have already sold out. In 2023, 320,000 people attended the industry event.

An opening showcase on Tuesday evening featured presentations of a number of new games such as "Kingdom Come: Deliverance II," "Call of Duty: Black Ops 6," and "Dying Light: The Beast," giving a sneak peek into future releases involving historical, dystopian and apocalyptic themes.

Gamescom is a public exhibition, with tickets available for purchase.

The presence of major US technology companies at this year's fair was particularly striking. The Netflix game "Squid Game: Unleashed" is among the products being promoted at the trade fair.

There are also innovations from the virtual reality sector. The action game "Batman: Arkham Shadow" is being advertised and can only be played with the Quest 3 VR goggles from Facebook parent company Meta.

It has long been expected that this visually promising area will emerge from its niche, but VR games have not really become a blockbuster yet. The Batman game is the latest attempt to find mainstream demand for VR games, which require dedicated goggles which remain expensive but have come down in price over recent years.

The annual Gamescom convention draws hundreds of thousands of gamers to Cologne. Many company representatives attend to make contacts and initiate business deals while game fans have the opportunity to try out new games.

While last year 26 countries and regions set up pavilions for the public, this year there are 37. Over 1,400 exhibitors are registered from 64 countries for this year's fair, a 15% jump over last year, which saw 320,000 visitors from around the world attend.

Geoff Keighley, the host of the opening show, acknowledged the industry's current challenges, particularly for smaller studios facing financial struggles.

Following the Covid-19 pandemic, there has been a decrease in game demand and an increase in costs, deterring investors.

According to the blog Game Industry Layoffs, about 11,540 industry employees worldwide have lost their jobs so far this year, significantly more than the total of 10,500 jobs lost last year.