Gamescom 2026, taking place from August 24 to 30, 2026, in Cologne on the Rhine, is fully booked for the first time in its history, a full month before its opening. No additional exhibition space is available, as demand from the global gaming industry has exceeded all previous levels.
Under the official theme "Games Make You Want to Look Forward to the Future," the trade fair will highlight the societal relevance of virtual reality technologies, CGI, digital art, and interactive storytelling in the global media spotlight.
The German Games Industry Association (game) has published a political statement on gamescom 2026, calling for, among other things, reliable framework conditions, increased support for startups, and tax relief for Germany as a games industry hub.
At the same time, a historic visit is on the agenda: Frank-Walter Steinmeier will be the first sitting President of the Federal Republic of Germany to officially visit the gamescom trade fair on the Thursday of the event and will open the gamescom congress.
Among the heavyweights in the exhibition halls are Microsoft Xbox (headlining Hall 7), CD Projekt Red (with presentations on The Witcher 3: Songs of the Past), Sega, Konami, Ubisoft, Capcom, and Krafton.
Ticket prices for the public days of gamescom 2026 (August 27-30) vary depending on the day of the week. Saturday is traditionally the busiest day and therefore has higher prices. Tickets are only available digitally from the official gamescom ticket shop – there is no box office on site. Day tickets start at €30. Our GoSee tip: Evening tickets start at €22.
The Cologne boutique hotel MARSIL has been fully booked for gamescom for quite some time. However, there are still some rooms available in August. So, if Cologne is on your must-visit list – marsil will make you want to visit Cologne.
The hotel was opened in 1999 by GoSee founders Frank Schmitz and Cyrus C. Halabian and underwent a complete renovation in 2016. They are currently working on opening their second hotel in Tenerife.
GoSee : marsil.de