MeinMMO Editor-in-Chief Leya Jankowski summarizes a very special gamescom. The first in Cologne after a 2-year hiatus during one of the strangest times we are collectively experiencing.
Until shortly before the gamescom begins, I am unsure whether the event and the risk of a Covid infection are worth it.
The well-known figures of the industry are all canceling one after another: No Activision, Nintendo, EA, CD Projekt, or Sony. Big games that everyone is eagerly waiting for? Nothing. Due to the pandemic, there are so many delays in production that there is nothing to show right now. This is especially true for the multiplayer and MMO sector, which is us here at MeinMMO.
Wherever I listen and look around, there is negative sentiment about the event everywhere.
But hey, at least it’s the first gamescom that is once again taking place physically after years. That counts for something. My curiosity is piqued, and we head to Cologne with a tiny team into the blazing heat.
I expect less than nothing.
Smaller, yet more accessible
The gamescom is still one of the largest gaming events in the world. I notice this again as I walk through the huge halls, almost bloodying my feet, to get from A to B.
Since there are few games at the venue that I want to see professionally, I use the time for many conversations. I quickly realize that we all have to learn again how to be among people after more than two years of pandemic.
But everyone takes the time for conversations. Yes, there is even a distinctly high need to look each other in the eye face-to-face and to share something that connects us all there: an unbridled passion for gaming.
36 trailers were presented at the Opening Night Live of gamescom. Suddenly, I sit there in a mass of people, and they all laugh, whistle, and clap for video games. That’s something that’s hard to simulate online.
No matter if journalists, streamers, PR agents, visitors, or developers. Everyone is extremely lively. It makes everything feel accessible, which feels strange in the pandemic, but beautiful.
People are the stars
I begin to wonder why I made my negative feelings about gamescom so dependent on the big games and companies.
Because when I look around, there are completely different stars here. Gaming influencers like HandOfBlood, Gnu, Shurjoka or the Rocket Beans are there. The TikTok booth is one of the largest, where some content creators have an appearance. A good portion of the people isn’t even there for the games. At least not solely. They have the opportunity to meet their stars from Twitch and YouTube there.
Here we increasingly notice a shift in gaming, which is only further confirmed for me at gamescom. Gaming has somehow become cooler, and Twitch stars are being celebrated like the Beatles were in the past.
But that doesn’t only apply to the internet celebrities. One of my favorite viral stories from gamescom 2022 is of a brother who buys a penis for his sister and casually carries the Giga-Phallus around the halls. This reminds me of a legendary story from 2019, when Fortnite had to explain that no one had pooped in front of their gamescom booth.
That’s not all:
- Cosplays that probably came into being with sweat and tears and are now proudly displayed
- a retro hall filled only with Ataris, Amigas, and colorful old consoles because private individuals provide their treasures for everyone
- a children’s area from Lego that accommodates the little ones so that the moms, dads, and other adult companions can play in peace
- people who only know each other from an online game and meet for the first time
All of this gives the actually huge gamescom a homely feeling again.
Spotlight for the little ones
Since the big ones do not overshadow everything this year, the small ones have the chance to shine brightly. There is much more time to discover, and the Indie Arena Booth is the best place for that.
Since no one has to queue for 10 hours for the new big game “with the largest open world yet, a compelling story, and endless possibilities,” everyone brings more time with them. My curiosity for discovery has also been awakened within me.
My personal highlight is The Wandering Village, which is coming to Steam soon. A building game where you live on the back of a large monster and have to take care of it. You can get impressions of the game here:
Next year I want to see you again, gamescom
Once again, I notice the special strength of video games and what they can mean for our soul’s well-being. The last few years have been hard, and are still partially harder and uncertain.
But games have the ability to awaken our childlike heart and make it beat with joy. Exactly these childlike eyes I have seen flash everywhere in the last few days. That’s exactly why gamescom was so much better for me than I had imagined before my visit.
Our editorial director Schuhmann has also summarized his conclusion from the home headquarters: I say: gamescom 2022 already has a big winner – And one game is as good as dead
