When gamescom takes over Cologne from August 20–24, Cologne Game Lab will once again be right in the thick of things. From student showcases to groundbreaking research and alumni on stage, CGL is bringing the full range of its creative energy to the world’s largest games event.
A stage for new talent
At the RAW TALENT Booth, CGL presents one of the biggest student showcases in Europe. Under the guidance of Prof. Dr. Greta Hoffmann, around 50 teams from 11 universities across Germany and Austria will fill a 63 m² space with fresh ideas and experimental game projects. Visitors can explore concepts that might just hint at the future of gaming.
More info: https://rawtalentbooth.com
From classroom to publishing
What started as a student initiative has now become a professional platform: Broken Paternoster Games, CGL’s own publishing label, will officially introduce itself at the Film- und Medienstiftung NRW booth. In the talk “Made in Cologne. Designed for the World”, students-turned-publishers share how they are opening doors for their peers – and showcase their very first titles, including Between Sky & Earth, Dead Letters, Pic-Geon, and You’re It.
More info: https://broken-paternoster-games.itch.io/
Strengthening the industry
CGL is also present when it comes to bigger industry questions. As strategic partner of the Games Syndicate Cologne, Director Prof. Björn Bartholdy joins the panel “Nachhaltige Stärkung der Gameswirtschaft durch regionale Initiativen” to discuss how local collaborations can create long-term impact for Germany’s games economy.
More info: https://games-syndicate-cologne.com/
CGL’s Research on stage
Two major EU projects at CGL are making their mark at the gamescom congress.
- The ISEDA project will present its interactive training simulator for police officers dealing with domestic violence cases – a tool designed to combine academic research with real-world application.
- CGL researcher Ruth Dorothea Eggel contributes with her talk “From Eco-Anxiety to Action: Strategies for Sustainable Game Making”, exploring how developers are rethinking production in times of climate change.
Alumni in the spotlight
CGL graduates continue to shape the industry and will be visible throughout gamescom. At the NRW booth, Linda Kruse (The Good Evil) speaks about using games against disinformation, Casilda de Zulueta highlights women in games, and Leonie Wolf co-hosts several sessions during the week. Their presence underscores how CGL alumni are driving conversations that matter.
Behind the scenes
In the lead-up to gamescom, Prof. Dr. Greta Hoffmann and students Erik Nitsche and Xeno Boecker shared insights on the RAW TALENT Booth in a special episode of the TH Köln podcast “Hör mal, wer da forscht”. They reveal what it takes to put together such a large-scale project – and why visitors shouldn’t miss this year’s showcase.
Tune in here: https://www.th-koeln.de/hochschule/podcast_110804.php