Home Gaming Chancellor of Germany, Angela Merkel to open Gamescom 2017

Chancellor of Germany, Angela Merkel to open Gamescom 2017

2 min read
9

Merkelgames

E3 is done and dusted. The biggest video game event on the planet isn’t actually the biggest at all. E3 sees an annual attendance of around 50 000 people every year. That number was bolstered by public attendance this time to just under 70 000 visitors. Even with that surplus, it all pales in comparison to Gamescom, which regularly sees attendance of around 350 000 people. That’s a lot of people packed in to the Koelnmesse Exhibition Centre’s halls.

I’ve always loved Gamescom. For starters, it’s not hosted in Los Angeles, which is one of the most horrible cities I’ve ever been to. Cologne is a lovely place, not least for its abundance of beer and deep-fried pork products.

This year’s Gamescom is especially notable, for two very different reasons. Firstly, it’ll be opened by Germany’s chancellor, Angela Merkel. Essentially the boss of Germany, she’ll kick off Gamescom 2017.

“The participation of the Chancellor is a sign of great appreciation for us,” Gamescom organiser-in-chief Gerald Böse says in a press release.

“With her visit she honours the development of gamescom into one of the most successful and largest events in the German trade fair system. Gamescom is today the world’s largest event for computer and video games. She emphasises the position of Koelnmesse as one of the leading trade fair organisers worldwide in the digital media and entertainment segment.”

It could, symbolically, mean quite a bit. Germany’s had a terrible habit of censoring games for the violence – blaming homicides on “killerspiele”: Games that teach people how to kill. By having the country’s head honcho open a gaming festival, it could mean that country is ready to accept that games aren’t responsible for mass murders. Or it could just be election-time posturing. Either way, it’s a big thing – and it would be akin to our own President opening rAge, as an example.

The other notable thing is that for the first time, South Africa will have official presence at Gamescom. So says lawyer, Make Games SA founding member and bearded bossman of Interactive Entertainment South Africa, Nick Hall.

We’ll have more info on that once we have it.

Need more Gamescom in your life?
Check out our Gamescom 2017 portal powered by Megarom Games

Last Updated: June 22, 2017

9 Comments

  1. Original Heretic

    June 22, 2017 at 13:15

    Is there any kind of huge gaming convention in Russia? Cause if Putin had to open that up, I’d freakin’ sell my…my….(mental tally processing…..kidneys already booked…..left nut already spoken for….right nut to remain where it is…..selling my child is frowned upon…..)…. crap I don’t know what I’d sell, but I’ll make a bloody plan to be there!

    Reply

    • Geoffrey Tim

      June 22, 2017 at 13:19

      There is Igromir, whch chappens at arrooooound the same time as rage, It’s HUGE.

      http://igromir-expo.com/

      Reply

      • Original Heretic

        June 22, 2017 at 13:21

        Gaaaah! I was being rhetorical! I have nothing to sell, not even my soul!

        Reply

  2. Magoo

    June 22, 2017 at 13:30

    JZ opening rAge… Now that is a portrait of unfathomable cringe.

    Reply

    • miaau

      June 22, 2017 at 15:20

      JZ and rage quite often appear in the same sentence though

      Reply

    • Lu

      June 22, 2017 at 16:03

      Don’t think he can spell rAge……

      Reply

  3. Skittle

    June 22, 2017 at 13:50

    Is she going to let the refugees into the event first?

    Reply

    • Skyblue

      June 22, 2017 at 16:01

      Should be the safest place in Europe on that day given that she’s Syria’s First Lady.

      Reply

  4. Matthew Figueira

    June 22, 2017 at 14:22

    Omg header WIN!

    Reply

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Check Also

Co-op Starcraft 2 just keeps growing – introducing Dehaka

Starcraft 2 co-op mode is being enhanced even further following Blizzard's decision to foc…