Several video game developers attending Gamescom in Cologne have fallen victim to hardware theft, with multiple exhibitors reporting missing laptops, consoles, and proprietary data taken directly from their booths during the event.
Among those affected is solo indie creator Ryan Laley, who was showcasing his asymmetrical survival horror project Mimic. Laley discovered that thieves had broken into his display area overnight, taking his laptops while leaving power cables behind. Expressing deep frustration at the financial and emotional toll, Laley noted that the incident effectively disrupted his presence at the trade show. Following his public disclosure, Cyberpunk 2077 creator CD Projekt Red reached out to offer replacement equipment from their own stock to help him continue his week.
Publishing brand iam8bit also reported equipment losses, stating that two laptops were removed overnight from their booth in the business hall despite security personnel presence at Koelnmesse. The stolen hardware contained active demo builds for upcoming titles Petal Runner from Nano Park Studios and Escape Academy 2 from Coin Crew Games. The publisher voiced serious concern that early, unreleased code could be leaked online, alongside the immediate disruption to media meetings.
Similarly, Tessera Studios, the team behind The Zibbo Show, suffered a break-in where a storage cabinet in the Indie Area was forced open. Perpetrators took two laptops and a Steam Deck containing game builds, corporate records, and sensitive personal details. Tessera Studios indicated that other booths, including the Games from Spain pavilion, experienced similar breaches, while agency Ukiyo Studios noted that past security issues at Gamescom have previously required them to secure all equipment in locked off-site storage.
In response to the growing reports, Gamescom organizers acknowledged the thefts and stated that police investigations are currently active. Event management clarified that general security is provided throughout the venue, but individual booth security remains the responsibility of exhibitors. While expressing regret over the incidents, organizers maintained that these burglaries represent isolated occurrences typical of large-scale international events.
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