ABC of Gamescom: Glossary of Key Terms

From Exhibitor Party to Social Area – we explain the essential terms you need to know about Gamescom.

As the world’s biggest gaming event, Gamescom is a must-see for gamers, developers, and industry pros. With so much going on, it’s easy to get lost in the jargon. Our ABC of Gamescom breaks down the essential terms you, as an indie exhibitor, should know. This way, you’ll be ready to dive right in and navigate the event easily.

Gamescom 2024, Copyright by Maria Mannek

Business Area: The Business Area is exclusively for trade visitors, exhibitors, and media representatives, offering opportunities to find new partnerships and collaborations and expand business contacts. Lectures and workshops also take place in this area.

Campus Area: The Campus Area focuses on education and careers in the gaming sector. Representatives from various universities, companies, and organizations present their gaming-related educational programs and courses. Those looking to enter the gaming industry can gain insights into the opportunities and future prospects working in this sector.

Cards and Boards Area: Introduced at Gamescom 2023, the Cards and Boards Area focuses entirely on analog games, including board games, trading card games, and tabletop games. Classics and new releases from renowned manufacturers like Ravensburger, Pegasus, and Hasbro are showcased. Visitors can participate in duels and expand their collections.

Cosplay Village: The Cosplay Village is dedicated to the cosplay community. Fans can showcase their costumes and enjoy a program of workshops, music, and shows. There is also a contest to crown the best cosplay.

Devcom Developer Conference: The Devcom Developer Conference (DDC) is the largest conference for game developers in Europe, preceding Gamescom. The event features lectures, discussions, and workshops by and for industry experts as well as newcomers. Side events like the Devcom Indie Awards, Speaker & VIP XP, and Networking Dinner accompany the DDC.

Entertainment Area: The Entertainment Area is the counterpart to the Indie Area. Established developers and popular companies showcase their latest projects here. Spanning several halls, it is the largest area at Gamescom.

Event Arena: The Event Arena caters to the eSports scene with a diverse program, including eSports tournaments, concerts, and related events. No additional ticket is required, allowing visitors to come and go freely.

Exhibitor Party: The Exhibitor Party is an event that takes place on Thursday during Gamescom. Indies, influencers, and the who’s who of the gaming industry come together to meet and network. As a developer, this party should be on your must-attend list.

Family & Friends Area: The Family & Friends Area is where gaming fans of all generations come together. Children and teens can explore new technologies with their parents, grandparents, or teachers and discover the potential of gaming in digital education.

Gamescom 2024, Copyright by Maria Mannek

Gamescom Award: The Gamescom Award is presented annually for the best games showcased at the event. Judged on development skills, creativity, and innovation, games are nominated in 16 categories, i.e. Best PC Game, Best Mobile Game, Best Visuals, and Best Audio. The winners are decided by a jury of gaming professionals and the community.

Gamescom Awesome Indies: Awesome Indies is a Gamescom event dedicated to the best and most exclusive indie games. The program includes game announcements, trailer and gameplay reveals, and is live-streamed, providing indie developers with a great opportunity to reach a wide audience.

Gamescom City Festival: The Gamescom City Festival takes place in downtown Cologne during the event and lasts two days. The music lineup is diverse, with past acts including Fritz Kalkbrenner, 2raumwohnung, Tocotronic, and Royal Republic. It’s free to attend.

Gamescom Congress: The Gamescom Congress focuses on the potential of computer and video games in education, science, society, culture, economy, and innovation. The program includes lectures, workshops, and discussions by experts engaging with the audience.

Gamescom Opening Night Live: Opening Night Live marks the start of Gamescom and takes place on the evening before the public visitor days. It features world premieres, exclusive trailers, game announcements, talks with prominent guests, and more. This opening event is a major spectacle and a highlight of Gamescom, attracting journalists and fans worldwide.

Gamescom Steam Event: Indie studios can gain visibility through the Gamescom Steam Event, an event page on Steam that goes live during Opening Night Live and remains active throughout the entire fair. Users can view, wishlist, and purchase featured games.

Gamescom Sustainability Award: This award is given to developers, publishers, or other organizations in the gaming industry that are particularly committed to sustainability. Ecological factors like CO2 reduction are especially considered.

Gamescom 2024, Copyright by Maria Mannek

Home of Indies: Home of Indies is a shared booth in the Indie Area, providing young and small independent studios with a platform to showcase their games at Gamescom. As a group organizer, Home of Indies handles booth construction, branding, and supplies hardware and furniture if needed, offering a homelike atmosphere for five days.

Indie Area: The Indie Area is reserved for independent game developers to showcase their games, gather feedback from visitors, and make valuable contacts. It consists of shared booths from various providers, including Home of Indies.

Merchandise Area: The Merchandise Area focuses on fan merchandise and accessories. Visitors can browse and buy a wide range of goodies from classic games to the latest top titles.

Political Opening: The political opening takes place on Trade and Media Day, marking the start of the fair’s political program. It emphasizes the economic importance of the gaming industry and typically features prominent political figures. In 2024, Federal Minister for Economic Affairs Robert Habeck will lead the opening for the second consecutive year.

Political Tour: Following the official opening, the Federal Minister for Economic Affair and industry representatives tour the fair to learn about the latest trends and developments in the gaming industry. The tour includes stops in the Entertainment Area and Indie Area.

Retro Area: The Retro Area allows visitors to travel back in time, showcasing the history of video games with old classics, home computers, game consoles, pinball machines, and more. The area also features tournaments, interviews, music, lectures, and other entertainment.

Social Area: In the Social Area, visitors can meet well-known creators and get autographs. Pre-registration and booking a time slot are required for entry. The booking is free.

Trade Visitor and Media Day: On the first day of the fair, the halls are exclusively open to trade visitors and media representatives. This allows for professional discussions, networking, and focused reporting without the bustle of public visitor days.

With its diverse offerings, numerous events, and expansive spaces, Gamescom provides a unique platform for games, new trends, and developments. However, it can be overwhelming for exhibitors. Therefore, it’s advisable to study the hall plan in advance and create a schedule to ensure you don’t miss any important events – ensuring a successful fair experience.

Let's connect !

Christiane Gehrke

Senior Event Communication & Sales Manager

FACTORY · C

Agentur für Messen & Kommunikation GmbH

+49 170 953 22 97

c.gehrke@factory-c.com

Contact booth constructor

EXEV GmbH Exhibition and Events
D-50859 Koeln

Tel. +49 2234 43 52 82 5
info@exev.tv
https://exev.tv/messebau/#gamescom

Contact press agency

keySquare Network UG & Co.KG
D-10439 Berlin

Tel. +49 30 43 73 44 88
info@keysquare.de
https://keysquare.de