GC 2008: Games Con breaks 200K attendees

August 25, 2008 4:37PM PDT

Leipziger Messe logs record turnout to largest-of-its-kind European gaming convention, announces 2009 conference to run August 19-23.

The Games Convention in Leipzig, Germany, may currently be the largest of its kind in Europe, but its future is far from certain. In February, Germany's Bundesverband Interaktive Unterhaltungssoftware (German Federal Association for Entertainment Software) said that the Games Convention had effectively outgrown the city, and the only way to maintain growth for the gaming convention would be to move it to the more metropolitan Cologne in 2009. As the Leipziger Messe convention hall owns the rights to the Games Convention name, the new show has been branded GamesCom.

The move was met with vocal opposition from event organizers, with Leipziger Messe CEO Wolfgang Marzin boldly declaring in June that the Games Convention would return to Leipzig in 2009, with or without the support of the BIU. In its annual post-Games Convention stats dump, Marzin reiterated that fact, adding that attendees overwhelmingly seconded his stance.

"The GC - Games Convention will be back in Leipzig again in 2009," said Marzin. "The industry and visitors are giving us their clear support to continue with the fair in Leipzig." As for that support, event organizers claim 90 percent of polled exhibitors said there should be a GC in Leipzig in 2009, with 82 percent of attendees participating in the closed-to-the-public sessions also answering in the affirmative.

The public showed its support through sheer numbers. With 2007's turnout tallying 185,000, the Leipziger Messe drew crowds of 203,000 this year. Exhibitor numbers were up as well, with this year's Games Convention boasting 547 companies showing their wares, 234 of which were headquartered outside of Germany.

The 2009 Games Convention in Leipzig will run from August 19-23. As in past years, the even will be preceded by the Games Convention Developers Conference, which will lead into the event beginning August 17. The BIU has yet to reveal when its rebranded GamesCom will open its doors in Cologne, Germany.

By Tom Magrino

Tom Magrino has covered the games industry since 2006. He's been compared to Steve Martin by Ozzy Osbourne and Daniel Craig by Tim Schafer. His voice, heard largely on GameSpot's podcast, recalls that of Kermit the Frog. It ain't easy bein' Magreen.

Follow @TMag_GS

24 comments

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rachkovsky

This con isn't bad!

rachkovsky

This con isn't bad!

drangel_jam

Now have three big shows to look for: E3, GamesCom, and TGS.

nafatestaynight

I went for the second year; it's amazing a must for anyone mad about games. Got to play "dead space", "little big planet", "fallout 3" but that was only a video with a free t-shirt at the end! plus many other great new titles.

shahabzelda

this means that it is even bigger than E3. sure...

R-Force

Leipzig seems to be getting bigger and badder each year. Awesome.

meharu

SO it is one of the biggest games show, this means that it is even bigger than E3.

meharu

SO it is one of the biggest games show, this means that it is even bigger than E3.

aBathingApe_

Big show. Definitely deserved more announcements.

ftjx

this show deserves more announcements

halomonkey1_3_5

at least there is a game show worth following now...

razgriz_101

[This message was deleted at the request of the original poster]

razgriz_101

To Jordanaire:When its setup and funded partly by the German board for rating games,not likely they would move country. Intened to possibly go next year hopefully.

GriffinLord602

To Jordanaire, considering E3 got completely wiped out by Leipzig, why do you think that they are gonna move it to North America... Which isn't exactly proving E3 to be as successful.

Jordanaire

Yeah, it time to get rid of E3 and bring the Games Convention to North America.

onlinedevil13

leipzeg sounds interestin, n wtfs happenin to e3? D: its gettin pwned

r_gam3

e3 = dead leipzeg = new core gamers game show.

EiRoGGe

Go Leipzig! Down with the Cologne GamesCOM for their evil strategy to steal the Leipzig Games Convention.

Kfoss

*cries*..WHY E3? WHYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYY!!!! LOOK AT LEIPZIG!!!!!!..GO BIG OR GO HOME!

Viral-venom13

Well i am not really surprised by the record breaking as its clear that the Game Industry is taking over all things entertainment wise LOL! As games continue to evolve, the gaming populace will only continue along its path of expansive growth!! Its official guys, in the words of Akon "We taking over!!" Oh yeah!!

football_legend

awesome, if E3 was back to its 2006 self, it would have shattered those records easily.

okassar

All that mattered to me that I saw in GC videos was Gears of War 2,and everything I already knew about the game was repeated in different words...meh.Well,nonetheless,the GC's attendance this year is another grand example of how much gaming is becoming more and more a part of the world's affairs as a whole.

Stealth-S-117

2 Game shows. Yes! Good! And the problem with 2 game shows is.... ?

rykh

nice, too bad e3 doesnt allow common folk to attend anymore

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