Games Convention splashes Cologne in 2009

GamesCom announced as new European gaming event, decision to move from Leipzig due to lack of infrastructure to deal with masses.

Germany's Bundesverband Interaktive Unterhaltungssoftware (German Federal Association for Entertainment Software) has confirmed that it will be holding itsannual gaming convention in Cologne in 2009. The annual games convention takes place in August, with last year's event boasting talks from Denis Dyack, Peter Molyneux, Don Daglow, and Jeff Strain.

The BIU members were "unanimous" in their decision to move the event, as they believe that otherwise it will not be able to grow.

According to the announcement, "It was predicted that 200,000 visitors would come to the Games Convention in 2007, but in the end there was only a 1 percent rise over the previous year to 185,000. The hotels in Leipzig and the surrounding areas were completely packed out, and another problem was the lack of international flights to the region."

BIU head Olaf Wolters explained that he believed that relocating the event to Cologne would solve these issues. He said, "It has a modern exhibition centre, and the international transport links are excellent, and the hotel infrastructure can support it more than adequately."

Since the Leipzig fair has the rights to the name Games Convention and will not sell them, the new event will be renamed GamesCom, reports German newspaper Frankfurter Allegmeine.

The director of the Cologne Messe, Oliver Kuhrt, said that he was extremely pleased at the decision, and that his goal would be to grow the fair and make it a "top European event."

A statement released by the Games Convention organisers said that it "regretted" the BIU's decision. Lord Mayor Burkhard Jung said, "Leipzig is well positioned in terms of service, environment and accessibility, and in the coming years will continue to invest in infrastructure. For Leipzig the decision of the association is a severe blow."

14 Comments

  • MadGamer132

    Posted Aug 5, 2009 11:33 am PT

    i don't care what happen, when e3 moved is a EPPPPPPPPPPICCCCCC FAILLLLLLLLLLLLL!

  • TB-nACHTmENSCh

    Posted Feb 26, 2008 12:36 pm PT

    "Since the Leipzig fair has the rights to the name Games Convention and will not sell them, the new event will be renamed GamesCom, reports German newspaper Frankfurter Allegmeine."

    The newspaper's name ist "Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung" not "Allegmeine". The FAZ is one of our most serious newspapers. Anyway it's a tough decision for Leipzig, but quite nice for me as my Hometown is about 75 kilometers away from cologne and 500 km from Leipzig.

  • Weredawg

    Posted Feb 26, 2008 1:04 am PT

    This is great for me since it'll be right at my doorstep. It will most likely take place in the Köln Messe and that place is HUGE!

  • ocdog45

    Posted Feb 25, 2008 3:57 pm PT

    so this is taking over Leipzig?

  • nintendorocks

    Posted Feb 25, 2008 3:55 pm PT

    The more conventions the better.

  • mikewalsh69

    Posted Feb 25, 2008 3:50 pm PT

    might go to this. always wanted to go to cologne as well. heard leipzig was always sh it though so i might just wait till i move to japan to see one of these yokes. smart move

  • EiRoGGe

    Posted Feb 25, 2008 2:50 pm PT

    Obviously specious reasons... gnah!

  • Petri87

    Posted Feb 25, 2008 2:07 pm PT

    @lazy_argonian - Leipzig was also in europe you know. Its the same conference that just moved to another city.

  • lazy_argonian

    Posted Feb 25, 2008 1:41 pm PT

    Finally an event that happens in europe!

  • leetsause

    Posted Feb 25, 2008 12:34 pm PT

    So ein mist! koln bist nicht auf der nahe.

  • migulic

    Posted Feb 25, 2008 12:01 pm PT

    Great! Finally I'll be able to go there, Cologne is only a 2 hour drive from where I live). I always wanted to go to an event like that, but Tokyo, LA and Leipzig were all too far.

  • dark_rage864

    Posted Feb 25, 2008 11:57 am PT

    Sounds good! Can't wait

  • VagrantChild24

    Posted Feb 25, 2008 11:51 am PT

    curious to see if there is any fallout from this but if it helps them grow then more power to them.

advertisement

Hot Stories

Newsmakers

Featured Stories

Tags

cologne

Submit News

Got tips? Send them in!