Multiple indie developers have reported that equipment was stolen from their booths during Gamescom 2026 in Cologne, Germany. Ryan Laley, the solo developer behind the game Mimic, posted a tearful video on X on August 28 saying his equipment was stolen overnight from the show's 'Business' area, which was supposed to have 24/7 security and restricted access. Laley said police reports were filed, that he believed at least seven or eight laptops were stolen in the incident, and that 'the whole area has been raided.'
Other exhibitors soon came forward with similar stories. Publisher and merch company iam8bit said two of its laptops were stolen overnight 'despite the presence of Koelnmesse security,' with the machines containing unfinished builds of Petal Runner and Escape Academy 2. Tessera Studios said its booth cabinet in the Indie Area was found forced open, with two laptops and a Steam Deck missing that contained its Gamescom demo along with personal, company, and critical information. PR company Ukiyo Studios also said equipment was stolen from its booth at a previous Gamescom, two years earlier, and claimed event personnel had tried to discourage it from reporting the theft to protect the show's image; Ukiyo said Gamescom is the only event out of the many it attends where it feels the need to lock up equipment overnight.
Amid the fallout, other members of the games industry stepped in to help affected developers. CD Projekt Red's Cyberpunk 2077 account publicly offered to check its 'Arasaka hardware archives' to send Laley replacement equipment, and developer Playtonic also reached out. A member of the community, IndieGameJoe, donated money so Laley could replace his stolen gear. Laley said he did not want to set up a fundraiser, asking instead that people wishlist his game.
Gamescom issued an official statement on X on August 29 addressing the reports. The statement said organizers were 'aware of stolen hardware' and took the reports 'very seriously,' but it also noted that uniformed guards provide only general venue security, that individual stand security can be booked separately, and that exhibitors are advised to insure their equipment against theft — details it said are outlined in the event's terms and conditions and technical guidelines. The statement added that security is a high priority for the event and that the situation 'makes us very sad,' but said that 'at an event of this size... there will always be individuals attempting to take advantage of the situation.'
The response has been criticized as underwhelming and seen by outlets as an attempt to avoid direct responsibility, since it did not indicate any compensation would be provided to affected exhibitors. Coverage has noted that exhibiting at Gamescom is already costly for indie developers — a basic 12 square meter stand costs roughly €2,100 (about $2,350) before additional fees such as security, on top of travel and accommodation expenses — making the thefts a significant financial and emotional blow for developers who scraped together resources to attend.