The Gamescom in Cologne will take place from 19 to 23 August next year. The new games fair at the Koelnmesse will therefore take place at the same time as the Games Convention in Leipzig.
Initially, Gamescom was scheduled for early September, but the organization has chosen an earlier date, so that the two major German game fairs will now take place at the same time. The organization says that the date was not chosen to compete directly with the Games Convention. According to the Koelnmesse, some companies that are members of the trade organization BIU had pushed for a more favorable date in order to receive higher visitor numbers and more support from the games industry. September would not be suitable then.
Nevertheless, the date change means that BIU companies have to choose between Leipzig and Cologne. Cologne seems to have an advantage in this; although both the Games Convention and Gamescom can still count on official support from the BIU, Cologne has a better chance of receiving definitive support from the games companies. Many publishers criticize the accessibility of Leipzig, especially with regard to air traffic, so writes Gamasutra. Moreover, there was already talk of the games companies opting for the Cologne stock exchange.