gamescom has provided a second response regarding the theft of developers’ equipment during its event, offering an apology for its initial reaction to the ordeal.
On August 28, 2026, indie developer Ryan Laley uploaded a video to X/Twitter claiming that all of his laptops had been stolen at gamescom. He wasn’t the only one affected; several other developers spoke out with similar stories, saying their equipment had also been pilfered at the event.
gamescom responded to the ordeal on August 29, writing that while it was "very sad" about the situation, it "would like to inform [attendees] about general security regulations."
My #gamescom cut short. Our equipment was stolen last night from the booth.Police reports have been filed.At a loss for words to describe the feeling. Just defeated. Gonna do my best with what's left of the week. But a huge blow financially and mentally pic.twitter.com/dKpp3Of6df
"Individual stand security can be booked separately, and exhibitors are advised to insure equipment against theft. This is noted in the terms and conditions of participation and the technical guidelines," it said. "...At an event of this size, however, there will always be individuals attempting to take advantage of the situation. Our security measures are designed to minimize such risks as effectively as possible.”
This statement didn’t go over well. A swath of fellow exhibitors, attendees, and onlookers online felt that gamescom’s reply placed blame on victims of the theft, slamming the event for its "unacceptable response."
Today, September 4, gamescom posted a follow-up statement on social media, in which it apologized for its initial post. It also announced plans to improve security moving forward, promising to host a roundtable discussion with developers who had indie booths at the event.
You can read the statement in full below:
سەرچاوەی فەرمی بە زمانی ئینگلیزی: https://www.ign.com/articles/gamescom-apologizes-for-its-initial-response-to-thefts-promises-improved-security-measures
