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 most promising chance for expansion lies with smaller development studios. "You can accomplish a great deal with just a handful of people, but the commercial responsibilities don’t disappear," he explained to GamesIndustry.biz. "Even if your team is only three individuals, someone still has to handle contracts, budgeting, marketing and all the other business‑related tasks.
I like to think of Gamescom Dev as a one‑stop hub where creators can access production expertise, programming know‑how, creative direction, design insights and, crucially, guidance on running a sustainable business. No matter how advanced the technology becomes, solid business fundamentals remain vital." The event, originally known as Devcom, was rebranded to Gamescom Dev in August 2025, effectively extending the larger Gamescom festival into a full‑week programme. Hammes believes that aligning the two events brings clear advantages.
"The case for bringing Dev closer to Gamescom is compelling," he said. "We now have a powerful partner behind us, and that opens many doors. From a practical standpoint, it simplifies things for attendees who may not have been familiar with the separate conferences before. Previously there were two distinct ticketing systems, two sets of prices and little synergy between the programmes.
Now everything is consolidated into a single ticket portal. You purchase one pass and you can move freely between the Gamescom business week from Monday to Friday and the Dev sessions without any extra hassle." This year’s schedule features 390 speakers delivering 220 sessions across 17 stages.
Hammes cautions, however, that success shouldn’t be measured purely by numbers. "It isn’t a numbers game," he remarked.
"We don’t need to hit arbitrary attendance targets. The market is naturally becoming more specialized, and the right balance of supply and demand will dictate growth." One practical limitation he acknowledges is the physical space of the venue – the Confex Center at Koelnmesse. While the current layout accommodates the event, Hammes notes that there is "limited room to grow" within those walls.
Should the industry continue its rapid expansion, the conference may need to consider relocating or physically integrating more closely with the main Gamescom site. "Our immediate plan isn’t to balloon the event dramatically because that would require a major logistical shift, possibly moving nearer to Gamescom itself. If the democratization of game development continues – with ever more indie and micro‑studios entering the field – we will inevitably need more space to serve that broader community," he said.
Devcom was launched in 2017 to fill the void left after GDC Europe ceased operations. Although the San Francisco‑based Game Developers Conference targets a similar audience, Hammes does not view it as a direct competitor. Instead, he emphasizes a collaborative spirit within the industry.
"We’re separate organisations, each trying to make a profit, but the atmosphere isn’t cut‑throat. The global game development scene feels like a big, friendly circus where people travel from one conference to the next. It’s not about eliminating rivals; it’s about all of us thriving together. Right now GDC is facing some challenges due to the environment they’re operating in, and I sincerely hope those issues improve.
When one event does well, it lifts the whole ecosystem." A fresh feature on the Gamescom Dev agenda is the series of Leadership Summits. These one‑day gatherings provide senior industry figures with a private environment – no press, no microphones, no recordings – to discuss the current turbulence in the market.
"It’s less about listening and more about speaking openly," Hammes explained. "During the first summit I attended, we raised our hands to acknowledge how many of us had to deliver bad news that year, and every hand went up. When we asked who had heard bad news about their own company, the same result occurred. The climate is undeniably tricky right now.
Leaders often feel pressure to project confidence, but we need a safe space where they can be candid about the challenges they face." The speaker survey also revealed a split view on artificial intelligence. While 47 % of presenters believe AI will be the most transformative development over the next three years, only 11 % consider AI literacy the top skill to cultivate. "What does that tell us? It suggests we might be over‑estimating AI’s impact or under‑preparing for it," Hammes said.
"My takeaway is that the most critical competency isn’t a technical one at all – it’s leadership. 27 % of respondents identified leadership as the key skill. In other words, we recognize that change is coming, but we’re not looking for a technological silver bullet. We’re looking for people who can guide teams through uncertainty, set a clear vision, and help the industry navigate the coming wave of innovation." Overall, Hammes envisions Gamescom Dev as a growing yet thoughtfully managed platform that supports the rising tide of small studios while fostering the leadership needed to steer the industry through rapid technological and market shifts.