Leipzig: Dead Or Alive?

[Andy Chalk]

Leipzig: Dead Or Alive?

Here's an interesting plot twist: Despite the unprecedented success of the 2008 Games Convention [http://www.gc-germany.com/english] in Leipzig and plans to expand the show to North America, Germany's videogame publishing association says the show is over, declaring Gamescom in Cologne the big industry event for 2009.

The Leipzig Games Convention, which has grown into the premier European videogame trade show since its launch in 2002, Leipziger Messe GmbH [http://www.escapistmagazine.com/news/view/85875-Games-Convention-Coming-To-North-America] CEO Wolfgang Marzin to declare, "The GC - Games Convention will be back in Leipzig again in 2009."

However, the Bundesverband Interaktive Unterhaltungssoftware [http://www.biu-online.de/] (BIU), the industry association representing videogame publishers in Germany, had previously announced plans to withdraw its support for the Leipzig show in favor of a new event, Gamescom, to be held in Cologne, and while Marzin may have been hoping that the tremendous success of Games Convention would pressure the group into a change of plans, the BIU is apparently sticking to its guns.

"It was to be expected that the Leipzig trade fair would try to keep the topic in its 2009 program as well by announcing its date," said Oliver Kuhrt, managing director of Koelnmesse [http://www.koelnmesse.com/], organizer of GamesCOM. "But they will have to do it without the industry for the most part. The lead trade fair will take place in Cologne in 2009 and beyond."

"From Leipzig we are bringing the clear message that the games industry will be exhibiting in 2009 in Cologne at Gamescom," he continued. "We have met with broad approval, and the industry is looking forward to gathering in Cologne. Whatever happens in Germany in 2009 outside of Cologne cannot claim to represent this sector."

Sudden, major changes to a hugely successful videogame trade show for no obvious reasons? Sounds vaguely familiar, and given the great sucking sound that accompanied the gutting of Tokyo [http://www.e3expo.com/].

Organizers for the Leipzing Games Convention said the 2009 show would take place August 19-23, while Gamescom is scheduled for September 9-13.

Source: MCVUK [http://www.mcvuk.com/news/31590/Leipzig-is-dead-says-Gamescom-organiser]


Permalink

 

[Virgil]

So, in other words, the Germans are insisting that the industry needs to focus more on cologne?

 

[Andy Chalk]

Always a bastion of sophisticated humour.

 

[Andraste]

So, in other words, the Germans are insisting that the industry needs to focus more on cologne?

Nice. I definitely just LOL'd.

 

[One Mad Muppet]

The reason for this is very simple - EA are in Köln, and what EA says, the BIU does.

GC was great this year, much better than E3, with the exception of the missing Nintendo.

How much will they try to move to Gamescom? GCDC? Can't take the name. The press & trade events? They'll go to Leipzig anyway. The great unwashed? 75% are still in school - September doesn't suit them, also Leipzig is so much cheaper then Köln...

...I just can't see it doing well.

 

[Royas]

The trade association can say whatever they want, I guess, but in the end they don't decide jack squat. The publishers, the fans, the press, etc, will go wherever they want to go. If E3 demonstrated one thing, it's that "official" events don't necessarily mean "successful" events.

 

[Frybird]

What goes completely unmentioned here is that Cologne has many territorial advantages: Cologne has a better infrastructure, the Airport is much bigger and Cologne is connected to the most populated territories in germany AND is much closer to France, Switzerland and Italy (who probably spend more money on videogames than Poland does). Also the Koelnmesse Halls are larger (third largest in the country) and located within the city.

Of course Leipzig wants to keep the Games Convention because they don't want to lose potential customers and hotel guests (especially since there's not much about Leipzig thats worth to go on vacation to), but ultimately, Cologne makes a better spot for a Games Expo than Leipzig (despite for those living close to Leipzig, of course)


...whats really stupid about all this is that both conventions will take place within a month. If there would be a half year or so between them, they could both exist, but as it stands, one Convention will "die". And since Companys like EA and Sony will support only the new Gamescom, it does not look to good for the GC

 

[Arbre]

This is absurd, both events have strong arguments in their favour, and Leipzig is not exactly turning into an E3 one year before the collapse.
I don't even think the industry will like to bother going to Germany twice a year either, no matter if there's an eight months gap between both events.

One is a working success with its fans from all boards, the other clearly represents a better geographical solution and has big publishers moving there.

Köln doesn't really need that convention as much as Leipzig does.
The intervention of the German government, notably regarding credits, would probably swing the bat one way or the other, only if they spent less times with stupid bans.

Before moving booths, we should wonder if Leipzig has reached its full potential and if it's that limited.

 

[Murrah]

So, in other words, the Germans are insisting that the industry needs to focus more on cologne?

Nice. I definitely just LOL'd.

Same