Frederik Hammes, who stepped into the role of managing director of Gamescom Dev after Stephan Reichart earlier this year, points to the latest Gamescom Dev speaker survey as evidence that today’s gaming market offers its greatest potential to smaller development studios. Hammes explains that while a compact team can punch above its weight in terms of creative output, the need for solid business management does not disappear. "You can achieve more with a lean team, yet business responsibilities remain essential," he told GamesIndustry.biz.
"Even if you’re just three people, someone still has to handle contracts, finances, and the day‑to‑day operations. I like to think of Gamescom Dev as a one‑stop hub where you can soak up production know‑how, coding tricks, design insights, and creative inspiration, while also learning how to run a sustainable business. No matter how advanced the technology becomes, the business side stays crucial." The event, which was rebranded from Devcom to Gamescom Dev in August 2025, now effectively extends the main Gamescom festival into a full‑week programme.
Hammes believes that aligning the two events creates a stronger, more coherent experience for attendees. "There are solid arguments for bringing the two events closer together," he said.
"We now have a powerful partner in Gamescom, which brings a host of practical benefits. For newcomers, the combined ticketing system is far simpler – previously there were separate tickets, separate purchase processes, and little connection between the two conferences.
Now it’s a single ticket shop, offering everything you need from Monday through Friday. If you buy a ticket for Gamescom Dev, you can also wander over to the main Gamescom floor without needing another pass." This year’s schedule is impressive, featuring 390 speakers and 220 sessions spread across 17 stages. Yet Hammes cautions that success shouldn’t be measured solely by numbers.
"It shouldn’t be a numbers game," he emphasized. "We’re not chasing arbitrary targets; it’s about matching supply with demand. The market is becoming more specialised, and we aim to reflect that in the content we curate." One logistical challenge Hammes acknowledges is the capacity of the current venue, the Confex Center at Koelnmesse. While the space comfortably hosts the present edition, there is limited room for substantial expansion.
"At the moment the venue fits our needs, but there’s only so much we can grow within those walls," he noted. "If the industry continues on its current trajectory, we may eventually need to move closer to the main Gamescom site or find a larger facility. The future could see us needing more square metres to accommodate the democratisation of game development, where even the tiniest studios require a platform to showcase their work." Gamescom Dev traces its roots back to 2017, when it was launched to fill the void left by the departure of GDC Europe.
Although the San‑Francisco‑based Game Developers Conference (GDC) targets a similar audience, Hammes does not view it as a direct competitor. Instead, he highlights a collaborative spirit that runs behind the scenes. "We’re separate organisations, each with our own goals and revenue models," he explained.
"The industry isn’t a zero‑sum game. When one conference thrives, it lifts the whole ecosystem. Right now GDC is dealing with some venue‑related challenges, and we hope those issues resolve quickly.
In the end, a healthy, diverse conference landscape benefits everyone." A fresh addition to the Gamescom Dev agenda is the Leadership Summit series. These one‑day, invitation‑only gatherings give senior executives a private space—free from press, microphones, and recordings—to discuss the sector’s most pressing challenges.
"It’s less about listening and more about speaking up and exchanging ideas," Hammes said. "When we first launched the summits, we asked participants to raise their hands if they had delivered bad news that year.
Every hand went up. We then asked who had heard bad news about their own company, and the hands stayed raised. It’s a tough climate right now, and leaders often feel pressure to project confidence.
These summits provide a safe environment to be candid, to share setbacks, and to collectively brainstorm solutions." The speaker survey also revealed a split opinion on artificial intelligence. While 47 % of speakers believe AI will be the most transformative development over the next three years, only 11 % consider AI literacy the top skill developers need to acquire. "How do we interpret that gap?
It could mean we’re over‑estimating AI’s impact, or under‑preparing for it," Hammes reflected. "In reality, the most critical skill, according to 27 % of respondents, is leadership.
That tells us the industry recognises change is coming, but we’re not looking for a technological silver bullet. We need leaders who can guide teams through uncertainty, make strategic decisions, and foster a culture that can adapt to new tools and market shifts." Overall, Hammes’s message is clear: the future of gaming lies not only in cutting‑edge technology or massive studios, but in empowering small teams with the knowledge, resources, and leadership they need to thrive. By integrating Gamescom Dev more tightly with the broader Gamescom ecosystem, simplifying ticketing, expanding educational offerings, and providing confidential forums for senior executives, the event aims to support that vision and help shape a more inclusive, innovative industry.