gamescom: Cologne is ready for the next generation of interactive entertainment

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From August 21st-25th, the Koelnmesse is staging the world's largest trade fair and event highlight for interactive games and entertainment for the fifth time: gamescom. A few weeks before the start of the trade fair, all the signs indicate we are going to be able to experience the next generation of interactive entertainment and games live in Cologne.

The who's who of the industry present the "Next Generation of Gaming"
More than 600 exhibitors are expected to present the next generation of interactive hardware, software and entertainment to the games community in the Cologne exhibition halls this year. An estimated 275,000 visitors can look forward to testing the novelties at their heart's intent before they are launched onto the market. As such, the gamescom continues to be the decisive driving force for the upcoming pre-Christmas and Christmas business. The best hardware and software of the gamescom 2013 will be evaluated again this year by an international jury of experts and distinguished with the most coveted gaming prize, the gamescom award 2013. This year the gamescom is pleased to welcome bild.de as a new media member of the jury.

Microsoft, Sony and Nintendo are heading the ranks of the who's who of exhibitors including Activision Blizzard, Bethesda Softworks, Bigpoint, Deep Silver/Koch Media, Electronic Arts, Konami, NCSOFT, Riot Games, Ubisoft, Wargaming and Warner Bros. AK Tronic, astragon, Bigben Interactive, bitComposer, Caseking, CD Projekt, Fishlabs, flashpoint, Gaya Entertainment, Kalypso Media, Korea Creative Content Agency, Mad Catz, Medion, NVIDIA, Razer, Roccat, UKIE and Turtle Entertainment have also confirmed their participation.

As a result of the in some cases huge expansions of the exhibitors' worlds of experience, the Koelnmesse had to more or less completely replan the halls. The surface area of the fan shop area of the gamescom in Hall 9 has doubled. In hall 8 the online world of the gamescom is located with exhibitors such as NCSOFT, Riot Games, Wargaming or Bigpoint. Following tradition, Sony Computer Entertainment will be accommodated in Hall 7. Microsoft and Ubisoft will be presenting their product line-ups in Hall 6, which is also the venue for the premiere of Electronic Arts and LG Electronics, which promises to deliver new impulses.

The newcomer Nvidia will be receiving visitors in Hall 8, Nintendo and Koch Media will be assembling their stands in Hall 9. In addition to the novelties and exhibitors' presentations, the interactive entertainment at the gamescom 2013 will be rounded off by the electronic sport - eSport - in Hall 8. Once again this year the best players will be battling against each other for prize-money, fame and honour at Turtle Entertainment's stand in Hall 8. The entertainment area of the gamescom will thus become the Mecca of all players in the interactive gaming and entertainment sectors. This is where the industry will get the worldwide unique consumers' feedback to its novelties within a very concentrated space.

Starting point partner country: More international business and new themes
The business area of the gamescom (Halls 4/5) promises the industry players new impulses, high-quality contacts and successful business. After the partner countries Canada, Great Britain and Korea, who were demonstrably all able to profit from the impulses of the gamescom, France, which is presenting itself in Hall 4.2 on the initiative of the Syndicat National du Jeu Video (SNJV), is the partner country for 2013. With 28 million players and a turnover of 2.8 billion Euros, the French games market is one of the biggest games markets overall. The French exhibitors at the joint national stand are heading the ranks of the 15 joint national stands. Finland, France, Great Britain, Hong Kong, Iran, Korea, Mexico, the Netherlands, Scandinavia, Austria, Poland, Spain, Singapore, Hungary and USA/Canada will be presenting their companies to the approximately 24,500 trade visitors. Great Britain's community stand, which is being organised by the UKIE, is a further reflection of the huge interest being shown in this year's gamescom. Significantly more companies are exhibiting here than in 2012, as a result the stand will be double the size this year. The gamescom organisers went on tour on their international roadshow from February to June to inform the media and trade visitors in Europe, Asia and America about the gamescom 2013 and they too registered increased interest. Hence, Cologne will become the central business hotspot of the European games trade in August, where orders will placed in the business area and the Christmas business will officially get underway. New themes will also be addressed in terms of contents in Halls 4 and 5, which will unite the industry and the trade visitors.

The gamescom 2013 will be presenting offers and services, among others on the themes "Licensing Business" and "Recruitment Skilled Personnel" under the title "gamescom tomorrow". Furthermore, in collaboration with the Enterprise Europe Network there will be a European cooperation exchange at the gamescom, the aim of which is to support small and medium-sized companies with cooperations, technology transfer and strategic partnerships. With almost 600 member organisations in over 50 countries throughout the entire EU and beyond, the Enterprise Europe Network is the biggest network of its kind in Europe. The member organisations include Chambers of Industry and Commerce, technology centres, economic development agencies and universities. The European cooperation exchange is located in Hall 4.2 in collaboration with the City of Cologne at the stand of the Mediencluster NRW.

Best service for a high sojourn quality
Thanks to the trusted ticketing process of the gamescom, both private and trade visitors from all over the globe can book entrance tickets in advance simply and directly from their own homes. The tickets are also valid for the Rhein-Sieg and Rhein-Ruhr local transport services. Anyone, who purchases an advanced sale ticket (up to 25% discount), will gain immediate access to the exhibition ground and thus to the world's largest event and entertainment highlight. Hall 11 will be used once again as an exclusive lobby for the holders of presale tickets. And so that the anticipated 275,000 visitors can continue to enjoy the highest sojourn quality in the exhibition halls, the organisers of the Koelnmesse have stepped up their visitor management measures. The main aisles of the fully air-conditioned exhibition halls have been made wider and additional catering and lounge surfaces have been created so that the visitors can enjoy the gamescom entertainment experience to the full. Over 45, 000 tickets had been sold up until June 1st, which corresponds to almost three times the amount of entrance tickets sold in 2012.

GDC Europe and city festival round of the "games week" in Cologne
Once again this year, the two further pillars of the gamescom in Cologne, the game developers conference GDC Europe (www.gdc-europe.de) and the gamescom city festival (www.gamescomfestival.de) duly round off the trade fair and event highlight for interactive entertainment. Furthermore, a high-quality supporting programme additionally offers further stimuli on the exhibition grounds. The gamescom congress on Thursday, 22.8. in the Congress Centre North and the gamescom campus (Hall 10.1.) are without doubt the central information areas for the cultural, scientific, media educational and social aspects of gaming. But also the Cosplay Village in Hall 10.1. for all fans of role-playing games, fancy dress or the eagerly awaited eSport tournaments of the European Sports League and Turtle Entertainment in Hall 8 invite the colourful gaming fan community to take part. The gamescom offers further fringe events beyond monitors and consoles in Hall 10.2, the event level of the gamescom, or in the outdoor area next to Hall 8.

Sunday is Family Day
The last day of the fair, the Sunday of the gamescom, is once again the official Family Day. Thanks to the slightly lower number of attending visitors, we use the Sunday as an opportunity to invite families with children to get to know the world of interactive entertainment. Families can purchase the strongly reduced family ticket for 20 Euros (max. two adults/guardians and up to 3 children aged between 7 and 17), which not only entitles them to enjoy the whole range of games, fun and entertainment, but also the entire fringe programme, both indoors and out. Starting with exhibitors such as Nintendo, who are providing fun and entertainment with their novelties in the family entertainment sector, through to surfing, the gamescom beach or the event level in Hall 10, where the whole family, both young and old, are guaranteed to have plenty of fun.

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