Cologne, Germany – August 24, 2025 – gamescom 2025 has closed its doors after another record-breaking edition, confirming its position as the world’s largest gaming festival. With soaring attendance figures, unprecedented online reach, and expanded international participation, this year’s event set new benchmarks for the industry and community alike.
Gamescom 2025 Attendance and Expansion
A total of 357,000 visitors from 128 countries attended in person, exploring an expanded venue that featured a relocated event arena, a new entertainment hall, a larger indie section, and wider outdoor areas. Organizers emphasized that the changes created a smoother, more engaging visitor experience.
The exhibitor count also reached a new peak, with 1,568 companies from 72 nations, 70 percent of them international. Forty country pavilions represented 35 countries, with Thailand participating for the first time as official partner country. Dubai and Kyrgyzstan also made their pavilion debuts.
Trade participation exceeded 34,000 industry professionals, driven by significant growth from the United States, China, Canada, and Japan.
Digital Reach Surges
The global online audience for gamescom soared this year, with over 630 million video views by Saturday evening, representing a 105 percent increase over 2024.
The flagship Opening Night Live showcase drew 72 million viewers, an 80 percent year-over-year jump. Meanwhile, the interactive community platform gamescom epix logged 5.7 million page views, highlighting strong digital engagement alongside physical attendance.
Leadership Statements
Moreover, Felix Falk, Managing Director of game – The German Games Industry Association, described the event as a turning point, emphasizing its lasting impact.
“gamescom 2025 sets new standards. Bigger, more diverse and more international than ever before, the most important festival of gaming culture underscores the positive.”
In addition, Gerald Böse, President and CEO of Koelnmesse, emphasized the scale, highlighting how this year’s Gamescom set a new standard for global events.
“gamescom combines business and entertainment like no other event worldwide. With record figures in nearly every category and unmatched global participation, gamescom is the most important event.”
Citywide Celebration
Beyond the exhibition halls, 80,000 people attended the gamescom city festival in Cologne’s downtown over the weekend. The developer-focused devcom conference (soon to be renamed gamescom dev) drew 5,400 attendees (+6%), while the gamescom congress surpassed 1,000 participants for the first time (+10%).
At a Glance – gamescom 2025
- To begin with, Gamescom 2025 welcomed 357,000 visitors from 128 countries.
- Furthermore, over 34,000 trade visitors attended, with sharp growth from the US, China, Canada, and Japan.
- In addition, the event achieved more than 630 million online views, marking a 105% increase year-over-year.
- Similarly, Opening Night Live reached 72 million views, reflecting an 80% rise compared to 2024.
- Meanwhile, Gamescom Epix recorded 5.7 million page views, showcasing its growing popularity.
- Moreover, the convention featured 1,568 exhibitors from 72 countries, with 70% representing international companies.
- Altogether, the event spanned a record-breaking 233,000 m² of exhibition space.
- Finally, the city festival attracted 80,000 attendees, adding to the vibrant celebration.
Looking Ahead
The next edition of gamescom will take place in Cologne from August 26–30, 2026, beginning with Opening Night Live on August 25. International expansions also continue, with gamescom asia x Thailand Game Show set for October 2025 in Bangkok and gamescom latam scheduled for April–May 2026 in São Paulo.
With its growing reach and influence, gamescom remains the premier gathering for gamers, industry leaders, and global communities alike.
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