Topic: Games Convention Moves to Cologne

[NWR_Karlie]

The Leipzig Games Convention, held annually since August 2002, will be moving to Cologne in 2009 and rebranded GAMESCom.
 http://www.nintendoworldreport.com/newsArt.cfm?artid=15403

 The German Federal Association for Entertainment Software (BUI), creators of the Games Convention, have announced there is to be no further support for GC Leipzig from 2009,  with the creation of a new consumer show based in Cologne in the East of Germany as replacement. This would allow the show to further expand, as it has been over the years to become the largest consumer show in the world.    

GC 2007 was the largest yet at 185,000 visitors, a larger number than those for Tokyo Game Show. Projected figures for last year however, were 200,000, and the lack of available hotel rooms in Leipzig and the surrounding area, plus international flights to the area being inconvenient, were blamed for the lower-than-expected attendee numbers. A move to Cologne would provide better international transport links and accommodation provision for visitors.    

Rather than paying for the license fee to Messe Leipzig for the Games Convention brand, the BUI is  taking the GAMESCom name for the consumer show from the Cologne-based organiser Koelnmesse. There is a possibility for Messe Leipzig to go ahead with GC 2009, but the show will be unsupported by BUI.