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 clear evidence that today’s most promising growth avenue lies with smaller development studios. In his conversation with GamesIndustry.biz, Hammes emphasizes that even a three‑person team must still allocate resources to business management, underscoring that the creative and technical side cannot exist in isolation from commercial duties.
"You can achieve more with a lean team, yet business responsibilities remain essential," he explains. "Even if you’re just three people, someone still has to handle contracts, budgeting, and marketing. I like to think of Gamescom Dev as a one‑stop hub where developers can access production expertise, programming know‑how, creative input, design guidance, and also learn the fundamentals of running a sustainable business.
No matter how advanced the technology becomes, the business side stays crucial." The event, which was renamed from Devcom to Gamescom Dev in August 2025, now effectively stretches the larger Gamescom festival into a full‑week experience. Hammes believes this integration offers tangible benefits for attendees and partners alike.
"Aligning more closely with Gamescom makes a lot of sense," he says. "We now have a powerful partner behind us, which brings many practical advantages. Previously, there were two separate conferences, two ticketing systems, and little synergy between them. Today, everything is consolidated into a single ticket portal.
Visitors can purchase one pass and attend both the Gamescom Dev sessions and the main Gamescom exhibition from Monday through Friday." This year’s program features an impressive lineup: 390 speakers delivering 220 sessions across 17 distinct stages. Yet Hammes cautions against treating the event as a mere numbers game. "It’s not about hitting a specific quota of speakers or sessions. The market is becoming more specialized, and we must match supply with genuine demand," he notes.
Space constraints, however, pose a challenge. The current venue, the Confex Center at Koelnmesse, comfortably accommodates the event for now, but Hammes acknowledges that its capacity is finite. "There isn’t much room for expansion within the existing halls," he admits. "If the industry continues its rapid growth, we may need to consider moving closer to the main Gamescom site or finding a larger venue to serve the expanding community of indie and small‑studio developers." Looking back, Devcom was launched in 2017 to fill the void left by the departure of GDC Europe.
While the San Francisco‑based Game Developers Conference shares a similar audience and covers comparable topics, Hammes does not view it as a direct competitor. "There’s a strong sense of community behind the scenes," he says. "We’re separate organizations, each aiming to make money, but the atmosphere isn’t cut‑throat.
The industry functions like a global circus—people travel from one conference to another, and the success of one event benefits the whole ecosystem." He also comments on the current challenges faced by GDC, noting that external circumstances have created difficulties for their organizers. "I hope their situation improves soon.
When all conferences thrive, the entire industry gains," Hammes adds. A notable new feature of Gamescom Dev this year is the introduction of Leadership Summits. These one‑day gatherings provide senior executives with a private environment—no press, no microphones, no recordings—where they can speak candidly about the turbulent market conditions.
Hammes stresses the importance of such safe spaces: "It’s less about listening and more about speaking up and exchanging ideas. When we opened the first summit, every participant raised their hand to admit they had delivered bad news that year, and the same hands stayed raised when asked if they’d heard bad news about their own companies. The climate is undeniably tricky, and leaders need a venue where they can be vulnerable without the pressure to project constant stability." The speaker survey also reveals 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 to cultivate. Hammes interprets this gap as a sign that technical expertise alone won’t suffice.
"You could argue we’re over‑estimating AI’s impact or under‑preparing for it, but the data suggests the real priority is leadership," he explains. "Twenty‑seven percent of respondents identified leadership as the most critical skill.
That tells us the industry recognizes change is coming and is looking for people—not just technology—to guide them through it." In summary, Hammes paints a picture of an industry at a crossroads: smaller studios are emerging as the engine of innovation, the conference ecosystem is consolidating for greater accessibility, and the need for strong, transparent leadership is more pressing than ever. As Gamescom Dev continues to evolve, its role as a central hub for knowledge, networking, and business education will likely become even more vital for developers of all sizes navigating the fast‑moving gaming landscape.