Gamescom 2024 is now officially open to the public, with thousands of visitors from across the globe descending on the German city of Cologne for access to some of the biggest and most exciting games. This year’s show is absolutely massive, spanning 230,000 square metres, and has set a new record for the number of exhibitors.
According to official statistics, there are more than 1,400 exhibitors at Gamescom this year, which is an increase of around 15 percent compared to the previous year. This year’s event also hosts a record number of country pavilions, with 48 from seven countries, which is also a new record. These pavilions showcase talent from individual regions and offer an excellent opportunity to discover unique games that you might otherwise have missed.
Many big names have large dedicated stands, including 2K, Capcom, Xbox and Square Enix. There are also a number of new sections of the show to explore this year, including a dedicated card and board area that gives visitors the chance to try out a number of board and tabletop games. This is in addition to a new social stage in Hall 11.3 that will be home to live entertainment including podcasts, music acts and more.
While today marks the start of general admission, the show is already open to trade visitors, members of the press, creators, and holders of the limited Wildcard tickets. The Gamescom 2024 week officially kicked off on Tuesday 20th August with the Opening Night Live show. Hosted by presenter Geoff Keighley, the show was available to attend in person or watch online from home via livestream.
The show featured a host of major announcements and exclusive reveals, including our first look at a campaign mission from the upcoming Call of Duty: Black Ops 6. Borderlands 4 was officially announced next to Dying Light: The Beast And King of the meat. We also saw a new Kingdom Come Deliverance 2 trailer and Monster Hunter Wilds trailer and much more.