gamescom - prepare properly for the fair

Gamescom will be at the door in Cologne in mid-August. In order to get the best out of the fair, you should prepare properly. We will help you with this and provide tips for the perfect approach to the game fair.

gamescom: Prepare arrival and stay

Gamescom in Cologne is the world's largest trade fair for interactive games and entertainment. Up to 350, 000 visitors flock to the exhibitors' halls every year. Chaos and a big mess are inevitable if you don't prepare enough. With our tips, however, you will get through the game fair without being affected.

• On the gamescom official website, depending on whether you are arriving by car, train, plane or public transport, you will find important information on road traffic in the vicinity of the exhibition center.
• If you want to spend more than just one day at the gamescom, you need an overnight stay. On a gamescom subpage you will find important information about the partner hotels and apartments in Cologne. As prices rise extremely during the fair, it is also worth taking a look at private offers from AirBnB or local Facebook groups.
• So that you don't have to orientate yourself on site, it is advisable to look at the hall plans in advance. The official gamescom apps help on site, and they are available for both Android and iOS. At the same time, you should internalize the opening hours of the fair and plan in advance which stands you want to visit.
• You can use your admission ticket free of charge as a ticket in Cologne's local transport - as long as you travel to the trade fair or back. The best way to find out the right connection is to contact Kölner Verkehrs-Betriebe AG. However, make sure that you do not drive illegally, otherwise there will be severe penalties!

Essential information for visiting gamescom

A few kilometers on foot, queuing for hours and much more - surviving at gamescom is not for the faint of heart. With the following tips you are better prepared for the fair than ever before:

• At gamescom you can grab free products from many stands. You should have a backpack with enough space for fair gifts. However, you should only take the bare essentials with you to the fair, your back will thank you at the end of the day.
• There are often food stands between the exhibitor stands at gamescom. However, the prices of the food on offer are relatively high there, which is why you should take enough water, smaller finger food meals or enough cash for the meals. Often you will also find free water bottles at the entrances, which you can replicate in the toilets if necessary.
• Don't forget your ID! You need this to get the appropriate age wristband - gamescom takes child protection very seriously. You can pick up your wristband free of charge from outside and in the entrance area by showing your ID or directly from the exhibition halls.
• Since you will cover many kilometers during the day, you should only wear well-worn and comfortable shoes. A camping chair with a backrest is recommended for the waiting time. A piece of clothing or a towel folded as a pillow also provides some relief. If you are in the field and are not sure whether you are just expecting a new trailer or exclusive game minutes, just ask, so as not to be disappointed later.
• You can test many things at gamescom and usually get a touchpad or a controller. Many visitors previously had the exhibitor device in their hands. For this reason, you should definitely carry a hygiene hand gel in your backpack, which you can use to eliminate possible pathogens. Please also be considerate of your surroundings - take a shower before the day of the fair and apply a deodorant. You could also take an extra T-shirt with you.
• In order not to get bored in line, you should provide entertainment. For one thing, you could always deal with your cell phone, but think of an external power bank! Many exhibitors also have the option of charging your device using a charging cable while you are in line.
• There is also a small handheld console like the Nintendo 3DS. If you want to be independent of electricity, you can of course just bring a book with you. How about, for example, the Metro 2033 trilogy?

Everything about gamescom

General tips about the trade fair, its schedule and the pastime afterwards can be found here.

• If you absolutely want to play a game, make a note of the location on the hall plan and, if possible, be there when the halls open. It may be that the exhibitors close a queue at 4 p.m. or earlier if too many people have queued up in front of it.
• If the racing and waiting are already giving you a headache, the indie area would be perfect for you! Here you can exchange ideas with small developer studios and play many creative games in a cozy atmosphere. Just around the corner is the Cosplay Village, where people dress up like their idols.
• The "gamescom City Festival" takes place in the city during the fair with several stages and a colorful program including street food stands.

In the next article we will show you how you don't have to stand in line at gamescom.