The annual on-site event was canceled for the past two years due to the global pandemic, but as now confirmed by Koelnmesse and the game association, the event will this year take place in both a physical and digital form, running from August 24 through August 28. Additional safety measures will be taken to help prevent COVID-19 infections during the event, including improved admission management, digital queue management, extra-wide aisles, or limited ticket allotments. “Hygiene and safety concept that has been tested and proven by Koelnmesse many times will be deployed for Gamescom 2022, always in harmony with all currently valid regulations and at the same time ensuring safety and a high quality of stay”, the press release reads. Felix Falk, Managing Director of game, the association of the German games industry says, “All Gamescom fans and partners have been waiting for this for two years: Gamescom is finally returning to the Cologne exhibition halls, and thus also the unique festival feeling we had all been missing so much. This year we are combining the best of both worlds: our extensive digital program with the incomparable Gamescom experience on-site. In the process, Gamescom is also once again setting new standards in 2022, for example, in matters of sustainability: with our ‘Gamescom goes green’ initiative, we will make Gamescom a special and climate-friendly event together with visitors and exhibitors. We thus want to not only be a lighthouse for the many initiatives for environmental protection and climate action in the international games industry, but also a pioneer for international events in general." The organization has also announced its intention to make Gamescom 2022 more sustainable than ever before. This initiative, called “Gamescom goes Green”, aims to make the vent climate-neutral over the medium and long term through the reduction and avoidance of CO2 emissions and in the short term through carbon offset. Oliver Frese, COO of Koelnmesse: “We are now finally back again with Gamescom – in Cologne and online! And this with a convincing momentum from the games industry. This pleases me greatly. Together we have set up a strong concept, in the context of which we of course also ensure the safety and health, as well as the well-being of all those present.“ Frese is equally looking forward to the ‘Gamescom goes green’ initiative: “We at Koelnmesse have also long been working on balancing our business activity with societal and environmental needs. This is our ambition.” Here it is good to have a strong partner-like game at one’s side, as well as exhibitors and visitors. It can only work together: “Everyone must contribute. With the pilot ‘Gamescom goes green’, we are now placing ourselves at the forefront in matters of climate-friendly trade fairs – worldwide!“ Tickets for Gamescom 2022 will go on sale early summer.
