Political guests of honour officially open gamescom 2026

Berlin/Cologne, 26 August 2026 – gamescom 2026 is officially open: the world’s biggest games event kicked off today with its Political Opening.

More high-profile political guests of honour attended than ever before. Among them were Henna Virkkunen, Executive Vice-President of the European Commission, Vice-Chancellor and Federal Finance Minister Lars Klingbeil, Federal Research Minister Dorothee Bär and Hendrik Wüst, Minister-President of North Rhine-Westphalia. In their speeches, the political guests of honour underlined the enormous relevance of games as a cultural asset, a driver of innovation and an important economic factor. The framework conditions for the games industry are therefore set to improve further, both in the EU and in Germany.

The Political Opening was followed by a tour of gamescom, giving the guests of honour the chance to see the latest developments and trends in the games industry for themselves and to talk with representatives from across the industry.

Lars Klingbeil, Federal Minister of Finance and Vice-Chancellor: “gamescom highlights the great potential of this key sector: for the economy, for education, for collaboration and for good jobs in Germany. It is crucial for us to keep improving the policy conditions that strengthen Germany’s position as a magnet for the games industry and the entire digital economy. That’s why we have more than doubled federal funding for the games industry since 2024. This shows that we are committed to boosting the innovative capacity of digital businesses in Germany. We’re investing billions of euros in our digital infrastructure. We’re making major cuts to red tape in order to create more space for creativity and initiative. We’ve enshrined the non-profit status of esports in law. We’re improving financing conditions, especially for startups and scaleups. And we’re recruiting the best talent from around the world.”

Hendrik Wüst, Minister-President of the State of North Rhine-Westphalia: “Every year, gamescom turns North Rhine-Westphalia into the global stage of the international games industry. This is where creative minds, innovative companies, and hundreds of thousands of gamers from all over the world come together. The record number of exhibitors, especially in economically challenging times, is a strong commitment to the industry’s future viability – and to North Rhine-Westphalia as a leading hub for the games industry. Games are far more than just an economic factor: they open up new worlds, spark new ideas, and drive innovation. With a powerful and diverse network of independent studios, internationally active gaming companies, the creative industries, technology, and research, North Rhine-Westphalia offers best possible conditions for developers.”

Henna Virkkunen, Executive Vice-President of the European Commission for Tech Sovereignty, Security and Democracy: “I am very happy to attend this year’s gamescom, the world’s largest gaming event. Gamescom highlights the growing importance of this industry, which is central to European sovereignty and our shared cultural heritage. Videogames are an integral part of our daily lives and a driver of our economy, in areas such as entertainment, education, health and even defence. EU policy builds on this competitiveness, protecting minors while fostering growth and innovation”.

Dorothee Bär, Federal Minister of Research, Technology and Space: “Games wow us, move us, surprise us and captivate our attention. At gamescom, this becomes more clear than anywhere else in the world, thanks to creative and innovative teams that put their passion and talent into developing new games and continue to push the boundaries of our imagination. Their technologies and innovations reach beyond the games sector already today and leverage potential in the areas of innovation, research and industry. We need favourable conditions and reliable funding to ensure that games continue to be developed in Germany and that we can tell our own stories. As games minister, I see it as my responsibility to create the best possible preconditions for ensuring the success of the games industry. I am convinced that our whole society stands to benefit from a strong German games ecosystem.”

Felix Falk, Managing Director of game – The German Games Industry Association: “In times of hesitation and pessimism, we need excitement for the future. The games community, the studios, the entire industry – we are all looking ahead. This is exactly the energy that Germany’s economic transformation needs, too. When it comes to games market revenue, we rank fifth in the world. That has to be our ambition in games production as well. For that, we finally need reliable and comparable competitive conditions. With the success of their tax incentives, other countries have long been showing us how it’s done. If we are serious about strengthening Germany as a games location, we must introduce this international standard now.”

Gerald Böse, President and Chief Executive Officer of Koelnmesse: “When it comes to the future of the global games industry, there is no way around gamescom. It brings together business, politics and communities unlike any other event in the world. gamescom has seen continuous growth for years and is continuing this success story in 2026, with international exhibitor participation and political presence at an all-time high. This is striking proof of gamescom’s international appeal and of Cologne’s importance as its host city for the global gaming industry.”

The Political Opening of gamescom 2026 can be watched as video on demand here.

About gamescom:

gamescom is the world’s biggest event for computer and video games. It takes place from 26 to 30 August 2026. For trade visitors, gamescom begins on 24 August with the developer conference gamescom dev; for everyone else, it starts on 25 August with the opening show gamescom Opening Night Live. Throughout the year, it is complemented by gamescom latam in São Paulo and gamescom asia x Thailand Game Show in Bangkok. gamescom is jointly organised by Koelnmesse and game – The German Games Industry Association.

game – The German Games Industry Association

We are the association of the German games industry. Our members represent the entire video game ecosystem, from development studios and publishers to esports event organisers, educational institutions and other related entities. We are co-organisers of gamescom, the world’s biggest event for video games. We are a shareholder in the Entertainment Software Self-Regulation Body (USK), the Foundation for Digital Games Culture, the esports player foundation, game events and the collecting society VHG, as well as co-host of the German Computer Game Awards. Serving as a central point of contact for media, as well as political and social institutions, we provide comprehensive expertise in areas including market development, game culture and media literacy, and address any inquiries or concerns. Together we are making Germany the heart of gaming worldwide. With games, we enrich the lives of all people.

Koelnmesse – Industry trade fairs for the gaming industry:

Koelnmesse is an international leader in staging trade fairs in the gaming and entertainment sector. At its Cologne venue, gamescom presents the world’s biggest event for computer and video games and Europe’s largest business platform for the games industry. gamescom effectively brings together passionate fans, trade visitors and exhibitors from all over the world – on site in person or digitally from anywhere. This makes gamescom the B2C, B2B and B2G event for games. Koelnmesse is also expanding its portfolio internationally in a targeted way: in South-East Asia, gamescom asia x Thailand Game Show offers a further effective industry platform for the rapidly growing Asia-Pacific games market, bringing supply and demand together comprehensively. For Brazil and Latin America, gamescom latam is an important event that aims to boost the strong growth in this market.

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