Gamescom organizers have responded to a series of equipment thefts reported by exhibitors at the 2026 event in Cologne, Germany, saying booth security beyond the venue’s general coverage is each participant’s own responsibility. The Gamescom theft reports began circulating this week after several independent developers said laptops and other devices disappeared from their booths overnight.
The incidents have turned into a public relations problem for the show. Exhibitors already pay thousands of euros to secure booth space, and several developers who lost equipment said the losses cost them working days during one of the year’s biggest industry gatherings, not just hardware.
Developers describe missing equipment
Ryan Laley, the indie developer behind the upcoming game Mimic, posted a video on X describing the overnight theft of his equipment. “My gamescom cut short. Our equipment was stolen last night from the booth. At a loss for words to describe the feeling. Just defeated. Gonna do my best with what’s left of the week,” Laley wrote.
Publisher and merchandise company iam8bit reported a similar incident the same day. “Today at gamescom we arrived to our station in the business area hall to discover that our two laptops had been stolen over night, despite the presence of Koelnmesse security,” the company said, referring to Koelnmesse, the venue operator.
Tessera Studios said its equipment also went missing during the event. “On Wednesday, we arrived at our booth in the Indie Area to find our cabinet forced open. Two laptops and a Steam Deck were gone. The devices contained not only our Gamescom demo, but also personal, company, and critical information,” the studio said on X. PR agency Ukiyo Studios added that clients had equipment stolen at previous Gamescom events too.
Gamescom theft reports prompt a response
Gamescom addressed the situation in a statement posted to its official X account. “We are aware of stolen hardware and take these reports very seriously and understand the frustration of affected exhibitors,” the statement reads. “Uniformed guards provide general security across the venue. Individual stand security can be booked separately, and exhibitors are advised to insure equipment against theft. This is noted in the terms and conditions of participation and the technical guidelines.”
The statement continued: “Because security has one of the highest priorities to us as an event and to see that indie developers are affected makes us very sad. At an event of this size, however, there will always be individuals attempting to take advantage of the situation.”
The cost of a Gamescom booth
The Gamescom theft reports also drew attention to how much exhibitors already pay to attend the show. A 12 square meter stand, the cheapest option on Gamescom’s own cost calculator, starts at roughly 2,100 euros, or about 2,350 dollars. That total does not include additional security bookings, insurance, flights, or hotel costs.
For developers like Laley, that budget was tight before anything went missing. Booking extra stand security, as Gamescom’s terms and conditions recommend, is one more expense for small studios that often travel to Cologne on limited funds.