Gamescom 2026
About This Show
Gamescom is the world's largest gaming event by attendance, held annually at Koelnmesse in Cologne, Germany. The 2026 edition runs August 26-30. Gamescom combines a major trade section for the games industry with an enormous public expo, drawing publishers, developers, hardware makers, and hundreds of thousands of players to a sprawling show floor of playable demos, announcements, and premieres.
With attendance on the order of 370,000 and around 1,200 exhibitors, Gamescom is a defining moment in the annual games calendar. The event opens with Opening Night Live, a globally streamed showcase of new-game reveals, and its business area hosts meetings, dealmaking, and recruitment for studios, platforms, and service providers. Alongside blockbuster titles, Gamescom gives significant space to indie developers, esports, and games-industry infrastructure.
Gamescom serves two audiences at once: industry professionals who attend for business and networking, and consumers who come to play upcoming titles and meet creators. For exhibitors, it offers unrivalled reach to both the trade and the gaming public in Europe; for attendees, it is the place to experience the year's biggest releases first-hand. Its scale and cultural weight make it the premier gaming event worldwide.
Frequently Asked Questions
When and where is Gamescom 2026?+
Gamescom 2026 runs August 26-30, 2026 at Koelnmesse in Cologne, Germany.
What is Gamescom?+
Gamescom is the world's largest gaming event, combining a trade show with a massive consumer festival, showcasing upcoming game titles, gaming hardware, esports, and interactive entertainment.
Who exhibits at Gamescom?+
Gamescom exhibitors include Nintendo, Xbox, Ubisoft, Electronic Arts, Sega, and Capcom, among roughly 1,200 exhibitors from the biggest publishers and indie developers.
How big is Gamescom?+
Gamescom draws around 370,000 attendees annually, making it the largest gaming event in the world by both exhibitor count and attendance.