"We understand what this has cost you, and we should have said so from the very first moment"

Gamescom has apologised for its initial response to theft reports at this year's event, acknowledging it "did not strike the right tone" or "show the people affected the empathy they deserve."

"We have received a great deal of criticism for the way we communicated about the theft of hardware belonging to several indie developers," the organisers wrote on social media. "That criticism is justified."

"A theft like this is far more than a material loss. It can ruin an entire Gamescom for the people it happens to, and it can destroy work that took months or years to build – work that, for a small studio, can be almost everything. To everyone affected: we understand what this has cost you, and we should have said so from the very first moment."

Gamescom initially stated it was aware of stolen hardware at this year's event, noting "at an event of this size, there will always be individuals attempting to take advantage of the situation. Our security measures are designed to minimise such risks as effectively as possible."

This statement also referenced its "general security regulations" and advised "individual stand security can be booked separately, and exhibitors are advised to insure equipment against theft."

The event's organisers are now conducting a post-event review, including a "dedicated review of security for indie exhibitors." They will also hold a roundtable for shared indie booths to "develop concrete measures together."

GamesIndustry.biz contacted Gamescom's organisers about the number of reported incidents, potential compensation, and overall security implementation. They referred back to their previous statements.

Several developers reported thefts in Gamescom's business and indie areas. Mimic developer Ryan Laley, who had all his laptops stolen, described the incident as a "huge blow financially and mentally."

CD Projekt Red, Alienware, and others in the industry offered to send replacement equipment to Laley, for which Gamescom organisers expressed gratitude.

"What it does not do is relieve us, as the organisers, of our own responsibility to work together with our exhibitors and partners to create the best possible environment for everyone," they added. "We are therefore committed to jointly reviewing and further improving security."

Iam8bit was also affected, with two laptops used for game demos stolen "despite the presence of Koelnmesse security."

"This is hugely disappointing for us and our development teams at Nano Park Studios and Coin Crew Games, who worked tirelessly to prepare for this show," the company said.

Tessera Studios, developer of The Zibbo Show, had their cabinet forced open resulting in the theft of two laptops and a Steam Deck.

"The devices contained not only our Gamescom demo, but also personal, company, and critical information."

Gamescom encouraged affected exhibitors to report theft to both the organisers and the police, and to contact them at sales@gamescom.de.

Mentioned in this article