Gamescom 2011 Sees Record 275K Attendees

Cologne, Germany-based consumer-facing games convention Gamescom saw a record number of attendees last week, with over 275,000 people entering the exhibition over the course of five days. There were 557 exhibitors in total, compared to last year's 505, with more than 300 games on show from nearly 40 countries worldwide. The total number of attendees was up 8 percent compared to last year, which saw 254,000 people. There were over 5,000 media representatives from more than 50 countries in attendance. Gerald Bose, CEO of Koelnmesse, said in a statement, "By regulating the admission, we were able to ensure that there was never any overcrowding in the hall, and the safety of the games community was therefore guaranteed." GDC Europe, which ran from August 13-15 at the same complex, saw a final attendee count of more than 2,100 game professionals representing 57 countries. In 2012, GDC Europe will run from August 13-15, while Gamescom 2012 will run from August 15-19.