Gamescom 2025 was hot, packed, and full of energy. With more than 335,000 visitors and over 1,500 exhibitors, it felt like the whole gaming world was under one roof. The mood was upbeat, much brighter than GDC earlier this year, and you could sense that optimism across meetings, panels, and show floors.

The big reveals delivered plenty of excitement. Familiar series dominated the spotlight with Call of Duty: Black Ops 7, Resident Evil Requiem, Ninja Gaiden 4, and the long-awaited Hollow Knight: Silksong. Horror had a big moment, with everyone from Capcom to Konami investing in the genre.

Crossovers were also everywhere, with Amazon teasing season two of its Fallout show, another LEGO Batman based on Christopher Nolan’s Dark Knight series, and more Indiana Jones, arriving as DLC. It’s clear publishers are betting on the power of established IP, keeping players engaged through sequels, spin-offs, and live-service updates that stretch far beyond launch week.

However, Gamescom is more than stage shows. It’s about the conversations that happen in between. This year, I noticed a real shift in where those conversations went. Executives were speaking less about casual games and much more about how social media is changing player time and discovery. The talk was about how younger audiences are spending more time on TikTok, Twitch, and YouTube, and how games have to meet them where they already are. At the same time, startups focused on AI and operational platforms were everywhere. These tools aren’t flashy, but they’re important. They’re about helping studios stay lean, agile, and smart when budgets are tighter and timelines shorter.

Mobile’s presence stood out as well. I met more executives from mobile publishers than ever before, which says a lot about how dominant mobile is becoming in the industry. In many ways, it’s becoming the most flexible and resilient part of the ecosystem, able to adapt quickly when market conditions change. What’s also interesting is how Chinese publishers are pushing marketing in bold new directions.

Their campaigns are loud, colorful, and high-production—cross-industry partnerships with fast-food chains, cinematic trailers, and even virtual concerts. It’s a very different approach compared with the West’s now leaner style, but it’s proving effective in their markets. For me, it’s a lesson in balance. We don’t need to copy that model, but there’s room for Western publishers to learn from it and find a middle ground.

Of course, none of this comes cheap. Opening Night Live's spectacle came with sky-high advertising costs: €140,000 for a 30-second slot, €335,000 for two minutes, and nearly half a million for three. That puts a big spotlight on one of the industry’s ongoing challenges: how do you build sustainable business models when the costs of reaching players keep climbing?

That question kept surfacing in my meetings. Developers are looking for new ways to generate revenue that don’t break the player experience, lower the costs of player acquisition, and more and more of them are turning to in-game advertising as part of the answer. The interest this year wasn’t just in principle; it was in the practical side. These conversations reminded me that monetization isn’t just about adding another revenue stream; it’s about giving studios a path to grow while keeping the focus on what matters most, making great games.

Beyond the blockbuster trailers and packed halls, there was a clear sense of an industry pushing forward, exploring new technology, experimenting with marketing, and searching for smarter ways to sustain itself. And that’s what makes events like this so exciting: you don’t just see where games are today, you get a glimpse of the future, where they’re heading, and if this year’s event was anything to go by, we’re all in for a very exciting future.