Gamescom: We’re only show with ‘360-degree coverage’ of games

Gamescom 2012 will offer ‘360 degree’ coverage of the established and emerging games industry, organiser Koelnmesse has said at its International Press Conference this afternoon.

Other trade shows have been criticised for not catering to all areas of the market but this years Gamescom promises to be the only conference for the whole sector, showcasing what it calls 360-degree coverage”.

Its 370 exhibitors from 31 countries will have an expanded 140,000 square meters of exhibition space with several of last year’s exhibitors returning with larger areas than before.

Newcomers to the show include social giants GREE, an arrival that along with the presence of LG and Samsung highlights the trade fair’s new focus on mobile and social gaming.

With 50 per cent of the contributors coming from outside Germany, Gamescom will showcase a greater foreign contingent thanks to this year’s country partnership with Korea whose own games industry continues to grow year on year.

This move will see visitors able to visit the Korean pavilion and meet a range of guests from the Korean gaming industry.

Visitors will see over 300 new games and will also be able to enjoy premiere screenings of game trailers in a the brand new 500 people capacity Trailer cinema. A Cosplay village complete with activities, events and karaoke will cater for fans of costume play and complete the festival’s fringe programme.

In another first, this year’s Gamescom Congress will run for two days and include panels, lectures, and workshops on a range of topics including cultural value, copy right, protection of minors, digitalisation and cybermobbing.

The awards show also returns with contenders for the Gamescom awards announced just prior to the start of the show; the ten categories awarded by a jury consisting of 20 specialist media editors.