Maria Zubova, Senior PR & Marketing Manager at Assemble Entertainment, shares why showcasing with Home of Indies feels less like renting a booth and more like joining a family.
For us at Assemble Entertainment, gamescom is much more than just a place to showcase our games. It is where developers, publishers, creators, and players come together to celebrate the passion we all share. Over the past several years, our crew has become a familiar face at the Home of Indies area. Working alongside Chris and her team is what gives us the peace of mind to focus on what really matters: our games and the people who play them.
gamescom simply makes more fun with Home of Indies. You’re not just renting a booth space; you’re becoming a part of a big and loving family that supports you in every step of the way.
Maria Zubova, Senior Marketing & PR Manager Assemble Entertainment
Giving Developers the Freedom to Create
Assemble Entertainment is an indie games publisher driven by one clear mission: we give developers the freedom to focus entirely on creating great games, while we take care of publishing, marketing, and launch planning.
Rather than focusing on a single genre, we manage a broad and versatile portfolio and enjoy working with developers from all corners of the industry. Our heart beats for cozy games and adventures just as much as it does for horror titles, platformers, roguelites, and strategy games.
This diversity is also reflected in our gamescom presence. In recent years, we have regularly showcased five to eight games at our Home of Indies booth, featuring upcoming releases, playable demos, and even world premieres. Coordinating such a diverse lineup of titles and announcements is always a challenge – one that we are proud to tackle together with the Home of Indies team.
More Than Just Booth Space
Our partnership with Home of Indies began through personal connections within the indie games scene and quickly developed into a long-term professional collaboration. Since our lineup has always been quite extensive, we regularly book medium and large booth setups to accommodate all our titles.
What Home of Indies delivers in terms of planning and flexibility was perfectly shown during the reveal of our action-roguelike Grind Survivors. Since the announcement took place live during the event, we had to carefully conceal parts of our booth from visitors until the official showcase went live. It was an absolute thriller. Whenever we encounter a challenge, the Home of Indies team always finds a way to make things work.
This support goes far beyond simply providing booth space. Because furniture, hardware, logistics, and additional services can all be coordinated directly through Home of Indies, it takes a massive weight off our shoulders. This allows us to focus on what matters most: presenting our games and creating the best possible experience for players.
Surviving the Hustle
For our team, planning for the next gamescom begins almost immediately after the previous event ends. We often reserve hotel rooms up to a year in advance, while the intensive booth planning phase kicks off in spring. Coordinating developers, business meetings, booth staff, and logistics requires careful preparation from us.
By the time the exhibition week arrives, we typically bring a large team, including business representatives and a dedicated group of booth staff to support visitor interactions and ensure everything runs smoothly.
Over the years, we have developed a highly structured system to make sure everyone on the team has time to recharge. gamescom is amazing, but it is also highly demanding. Long days on your feet and constant conversations with visitors can quickly become exhausting. Having enough support behind us is what keeps us going.
Empowering the Next Generation
One aspect of our approach is our commitment to involving students and young industry talents. Instead of relying exclusively on external agencies, we regularly work with newcomers who are passionate about entering the games industry. We fully integrate them into our crew for gamescom, ensuring they don’t just help out, but genuinely gain valuable networking opportunities, mentorship, and first-hand experience.
For us, seeing these connections happen so early is one of the most rewarding parts of the entire show. Students have the opportunity to build relationships with developers, publishers, and industry professionals while they are still studying. For many, this experience has become a direct stepping stone toward their first full-time job in the games industry.
Magic Moments On and Off the Show Floor
When we look back at our favorite gamescom memories, it’s hard to choose just one. A standout moment occurred when Max, better known as HandofBlood, along with representatives from Sidekick Publishing, a German indie game publisher, visited our booth to take a closer look at Asgard’s Fall. What started as a casual conversation during the event eventually developed into a full-blown collaboration. Seeing that their interest was completely genuine and built on true appreciation for the game was incredibly rewarding, creating massive excitement not only for us but also for the game’s developers.
Yet, some of our most meaningful moments happen away from the crowds. We fondly cherish the annual exhibitor party, especially those evenings spent with colleagues and friends by the Rhine as the sun sets over Cologne. After all the excitement and hustle of the day, getting a chance to breathe, sit together with people we care about, and reflect on the week is something truly special. Just as important are the countless reunions the week makes possible – bringing together industry friends, partners, and fellow exhibitors whom we might only see once a year. That sense of community is honestly one of our favorite parts.
Every gamescom is a Lesson
Despite our years of experience, we still take away new lessons from every gamescom. From booth branding and hardware logistics to visitor flow and staffing requirements, each event provides valuable insights for the future. We openly acknowledge that some of our early years were particularly challenging, especially when our teams were too small to fully meet the demands of a full exhibition week.
We’ll never forget our very first year, when we ran a booth understaffed. It literally ended with us bursting into tears of pure exhaustion in the elevator once the show was finally over. That experience made it very clear that the well-being of our crew has to come first.
Since then, we have also learned smaller logistical lessons the hard way; such as how a creative monitor setup can unintentionally obscure parts of booth artwork, or how important it is to always have a backup plan for technical issues, including unexpected operating system installations.
Over time, these experiences have led to better planning, expanded support staff, and improved booth organization. Every gamescom teaches us something new – just like every game release. And that willingness to continuously improve is exactly why we keep returning year after year.
With Home of Indies, you never walk alone
When it comes to the Home of Indies, our feedback is overwhelmingly positive. One thing we deeply appreciate is their incredible accessibility throughout the entire event. Whether it’s a missing power strip during setup, sudden questions about booth requirements, or last-minute adjustments, someone is always available to help and actively check in to make sure everything is running smoothly for us. That reliability creates true peace of mind during one of the busiest weeks of our year.
For us, the value of this partnership goes far beyond logistics or rented exhibition space. It is the profound sense of belonging and the inspiring, international exchange with fellow indie teams who share the exact same passion. In this environment, you share both the highs and the lows, knowing you are never truly alone on the show floor. It genuinely makes the entire experience not only much easier to manage, but far more rewarding.
With Home of Indies, you never walk alone. There’s always someone to talk to, someone to help, and someone who understands exactly what you are going through. And that is why gamescom simply makes more fun with Home of Indies. You’re not just renting a booth space; you’re becoming a part of a big and loving family that supports you in every step of the way.
