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 independent, smaller‑scale studios now represent the most significant growth potential in the video‑game market. "You can achieve more with a lean team, yet business responsibilities remain essential," Hammes explained to GamesIndustry.biz.
"Even if your studio consists of just three people, someone still has to handle the administrative and commercial side of things. I like to think of Gamescom Dev as a one‑stop hub where creators can access everything they need—production insights, programming expertise, development best practices, creative direction, design guidance, and also education on running a sustainable business. No matter how advanced the technology becomes, the fundamentals of business management stay crucial." The event, originally known as Devcom, was rebranded to Gamescom Dev in August 2025, effectively extending the larger Gamescom festival into a full week of dedicated industry programming. Hammes believes this alignment brings clear advantages.
"The case for tying our event closer to Gamescom is compelling," he said. "We now have a powerful partner behind us, which simplifies matters for attendees. Previously we ran two separate conferences with distinct ticketing systems and little synergy.
Today it’s a single ticket portal: you purchase one pass and gain access to everything from Monday through Friday, seamlessly moving between Gamescom Dev sessions and the broader Gamescom exhibition." This year’s schedule is ambitious, featuring 390 speakers and 220 sessions spread across 17 stages. Yet Hammes cautions against treating the event as a numbers game. "We shouldn’t chase arbitrary attendance targets. It’s always about matching supply with demand, and we’re seeing the market become more specialized," he noted.
A practical limitation, however, is the venue itself. The Confex Center at Koelnmesse currently accommodates the conference, but Hammes admits the space offers "limited room to grow." Should the industry continue its rapid expansion, the organisers may need to consider moving closer to the main Gamescom site or finding a larger facility. "We’re not planning a massive scale‑up right now because that would require a more complex logistical shift, possibly relocating nearer to Gamescom," he explained.
"If the democratization of game development continues—if smaller studios keep proliferating—we’ll eventually need more capacity to serve everyone." Gamescom Dev traces its roots back to 2017, when it was launched to fill the void left by the departure of GDC Europe. While the San Francisco‑based Game Developers Conference (GDC) targets a similar audience and covers comparable topics, Hammes does not view the two events as direct rivals.
"There’s a strong sense of community behind the scenes," he said. "We’re separate organisations, each trying to make a profit, but the competition isn’t cut‑throat.
The industry is like a global circus—people travel from one conference to another, sharing knowledge and networking. If all the conferences thrive, the whole sector benefits." He also expressed empathy for GDC’s current challenges, noting that external factors beyond their control have created a difficult operating environment.
"I hope conditions improve for them, because a healthy GDC is good for everyone," Hammes added. A notable new feature at Gamescom Dev is the introduction of Leadership Summits—single‑day gatherings where top executives can converse without the presence of journalists, microphones, or recordings. Hammes believes such a "safe space" is vital given the turbulent market conditions.
"It’s less about listening and more about speaking up and exchanging ideas," he said. "When we launched the summits, we asked the room how many had delivered bad news over the past year—every hand went up. We then asked how many had heard bad news about their own companies—again, everyone raised their hands.
The environment is undeniably tricky right now. Leaders are accustomed to projecting confidence, but we need a forum where they can be candid about challenges." The speaker survey also revealed a split opinion on artificial intelligence. While 47 % of speakers anticipate AI will be the most transformative development for the industry over the next three years, only 11 % consider AI literacy the top skill to cultivate.
Hammes interprets this disparity as a signal that technical expertise alone won’t drive success. "You could argue we’re either over‑estimating AI’s impact or under‑preparing for it," he said. "In reality, the most critical skill according to the survey is leadership, cited by 27 % of respondents. That tells us we recognize change is coming, but we’re not looking for a technological silver bullet.
We need leaders who can guide teams through uncertainty and help them adapt." Overall, Hammes envisions Gamescom Dev as a catalyst for smaller developers to thrive, offering them the tools, knowledge, and networking opportunities required to compete in a market increasingly dominated by agile, innovative studios. By fostering collaboration, providing educational resources, and creating environments where industry leaders can discuss both successes and setbacks openly, the conference aims to support the next wave of game creators and ensure the sector’s continued growth and resilience.