gamescom has provided a second response regarding the theft of developers’ equipment during its event, offering an apology for its initial reaction to the ordeal.
On August 28, 2026, indie developer Ryan Laley uploaded a video to X/Twitter claiming that all of his laptops had been stolen at gamescom. He wasn’t the only one affected; several other developers spoke out with similar stories, saying their equipment had also been pilfered at the event.
gamescom responded to the ordeal on August 29, writing that while it was “very sad” about the situation, it “would like to inform [attendees] about general security regulations.”
My #gamescom cut short. Our equipment was stolen last night from the booth.
Police reports have been filed.
At a loss for words to describe the feeling. Just defeated. Gonna do my best with what’s left of the week.
But a huge blow financially and mentally pic.twitter.com/dKpp3Of6df
— Mimic | Ryan Laley (@RyanLaley) August 28, 2026
“Individual stand security can be booked separately, and exhibitors are advised to insure equipment against theft. This is noted in the terms and conditions of participation and the technical guidelines,” it said. “…At an event of this size, however, there will always be individuals attempting to take advantage of the situation. Our security measures are designed to minimize such risks as effectively as possible.”
This statement didn’t go over well. A swath of fellow exhibitors, attendees, and onlookers online felt that gamescom’s reply placed blame on victims of the theft, slamming the event for its “unacceptable response.”
Today, September 4, gamescom posted a follow-up statement on social media, in which it apologized for its initial post. It also announced plans to improve security moving forward, promising to host a roundtable discussion with developers who had indie booths at the event.
You can read the statement in full below:
“Over the past few days, we have received a great deal of criticism for the way we communicated about the theft of hardware belonging to several indie developers. That criticism is justified. Our first response did not strike the right tone, and it did not show the people affected the empathy they deserved. We are sorry. A theft like this is far more than a material loss. It can ruin an entire gamescom for the people it happens to, and it can destroy work that took months or years to build – work that, for a small studio, can be almost everything.
“To everyone affected: we understand what this has cost you, and we should have said so from the very first moment. We have already begun talking with those affected – about the theft, about its consequences, and above all to listen. We have also been moved by how this industry responded. Within hours, people offered help – unconditionally, and without being asked. That says a great deal about this community, and we are grateful for it. What it does not do is relieve us, as the organizers, of our own responsibility to work together with our exhibitors and partners to create the best possible environment for everyone.
“We are therefore committed to jointly reviewing and further improving security. Here is what we are doing: Alongside our regular post-event review and our evaluation of exhibitor feedback, we will carry out a dedicated review of security for indie exhibitors. In the coming weeks, we will invite organizers of shared indie booths to a roundtable, so that we can develop concrete measures together.
“We also urge every exhibitor who has experienced an incident to report it – to us and to the police – even if it happened some time ago. Only then can incidents be documented, possible connections between them investigated, and appropriate action taken. You can reach us at [email protected]. gamescom is made by the industry, for the industry. It lives on the passion of the people who build it, and that includes the many small studios who matter to us enormously. Our commitment has always been to keep making gamescom better – together with the community, not just when things go well. That is exactly what we will do here. Thank you to everyone who is helping us.”
— gamescom (@gamescom) September 4, 2026
Luckily, several good Samaritans have stepped in to help the developers affected by the thefts in the aftermath. Most notably, The Witcher and Cyberpunk 2077 developer CD Projekt Red reached out to Laley on social media, promising to “send a few things” his way. Don’t Scream dev Joe Henson, AKA Indie Game Joe, also offered to help out, transforming a tragic situation into a heartwarming show of support and community effort.
Virginia (she/her) is IGN’s News Editor. With ten years of experience reporting on games and entertainment, she’s got a storied background in the fighting game community, influencer news, and viral online trends. Find her on Twitter at @TheeMissGlaze.
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