Gamescom 2026: The Mobile Mavens discuss rising competition, the indie opportunity and the changing face of games

• “Certainly one of my greatest takeaways from Gamescom was that the video games business continues to develop, however so does the extent of competitors.” – Claire Rozain.
• “Roblox was a serious focus at this yr’s gamescom, however my greatest takeaway wasn’t in regards to the platform itself; slightly, it was about the place its creators will go subsequent.” – Gordon Thornton.
• “Should you’re constructing an indie recreation proper now, don’t underestimate how a lot of the business is you.” – Mor Aviram.

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Gamescom 2026 welcomed 368,000 guests from 131 nations, because the occasion continued to increase its international footprint this year. 

Throughout the present flooring, business professionals gathered for one of many greatest occasions on the worldwide video games calendar and there was loads to see and focus on all through the week. PocketGamer.biz was on the bottom all through the occasion and you may learn our personal takeaways.

With the occasion wrapped up, we additionally reached out to the Cell Experts who attended Gamescom to ask what stood out to them and what wider business tendencies they noticed.

Right here’s what they needed to say.

Claire Rozain

Founder SisterSoundFR & CEO

at RZAIN consulting

Certainly one of my greatest takeaways from Gamescom was that the video games business continues to develop, however so does the extent of competitors. The standard bar has by no means been increased: studios are launching more and more polished video games, whereas competing for a similar gamers, consideration and acquisition channels.

The following main UA problem will due to this fact not merely be discovering extra customers, however figuring out the environments most probably to supply high-value payers at a sustainable payback. Even with AI-optimised promoting algorithms, advertisers nonetheless want higher intelligence in regards to the high quality of the stock by which these algorithms are spending.

That is additionally what I’m presently constructing: a Payment Propensity Score that connects to MMP and benchmarks device knowledge to measure which supply video games and apps constantly generate payers and IAP income. The purpose is to provide UA groups a list intelligence and governance layer, serving to them distinguish stock that produces installs from stock that produces long-term paying customers.

Gordon Thornton

CCO

at ZBD

Roblox was a serious focus at this yr’s gamescom, however my greatest takeaway wasn’t in regards to the platform itself; slightly, it was about the place its creators will go subsequent. 

As Roblox builders inevitably increase into native cell, PC, and console platforms, the query is whether or not conventional gaming areas are prepared for the potential tradition shock.

For instance, the modding scene has traditionally been pushed by neighborhood kudos and free labour. Roblox, although, has constructed an ecosystem the place monetisation is customary, and creators are anticipated to generate income for his or her user-generated content material. I spoke with some modding platforms, and they’re already experiencing this shift: this incoming technology views customized content material creation as a paid profession, immediately difficult long-held business norms.

As an business, we have to deal with their expectations and behaviours and be able to embrace them – they’re an extremely inventive neighborhood/cohort that may possible structurally have an effect on the business. The business must welcome them and create a development path from Roblox that satisfies their creativity and expectations of reward.

Mahmoud Ziater

Commercial Lead

at Quacks

 

This yr’s gamescom was a extremely sturdy one for indie builders. I spent most of my time within the commerce space, talking with builders on the worldwide pavilions reminiscent of Thailand, Qatar, and Morocco.

These areas provided an attention-grabbing have a look at how completely different nations are positioning themselves within the international video games business to create alternatives for native firms and studios. Within the final decade, we’ve seen the stability of the business shift barely away from the Americas and Japan to provide voice to a wider vary of areas, and gamescom actually confirmed this modification off.

Certainly one of my private highlights was getting the possibility to play 1001 Threads of Mizan from MBC Video games Studio. The sport has attracted appreciable consideration as the primary AAA-scale online game from the MENA area, and seeing a undertaking of this scale representing the area at one of many world’s greatest gaming occasions was particularly significant to me as somebody working within the MENA gaming business.

The Indies space itself was crowded, as traditional, however seeing so many individuals lining up and getting excited to strive video games made by impartial builders was nice. Assembly a number of the builders and listening to in regards to the video games immediately from the folks behind them was one of the vital pleasurable components of the occasion.

Sadly, the expertise was additionally affected by the information of apparatus theft affecting some indie builders and creators. Contemplating how a lot effort and funding impartial groups put into showcasing their work at occasions like gamescom, it was notably disappointing to listen to about these incidents.

Louise Wooldridge

Research Manager – Games

at Ampere Analysis

One fairly apparent level is the rise in stands (and common presence) from Chinese language firms. It is attention-grabbing how targeted they’re on aesthetics – the stands are typically fairly stunning and ethereal, and themes like romance are dropped at the fore, in order that they stand out fairly starkly subsequent to most of the Western choices which generally centre on fight or horror.

They’re successfully capitalising on this surge in curiosity from predominantly feminine shoppers in romance, or ‘romantasy’ – as seen throughout media, reminiscent of with the success of many ebook sequence not too long ago, like ACOTAR.

On the Love and Deepspace stand, hordes of younger ladies have been gathered round a handful of cosplayers, dressed because the characters from the sport.

Some who gained a contest have been rewarded with transient one-on-one interactions with the cosplayers, the place they might maintain arms and take images collectively. It was one of many busiest stands.

I really feel like prior to now, there was a way of disgrace across the style of romance, however now it’s virtually mainstream – and recreation firms in Asia are delivering on this in spades. 

There was an explosion within the industrial and cultural visibility of romance in video games. We see it additionally in Western titles, like Baldur’s Gate 3, Cyberpunk 2077, however as a pillar slightly than the core basis.

GTA was clearly lacking, however Take-Two haven’t had a client stand at Gamescom for fairly a while – not since pre-pandemic, so this was a continuation of that strategy.

Additionally, the potential affect of an occasion like Gamescom, by way of advertising, is a lot broader now than ever earlier than. Nearly 380,000 folks attended. Lots of these have been strolling round filming the stands, the cosplayers/actors, the bodily installations and elaborate shows, after which sharing these movies and pictures on-line.

The present flooring has primarily change into a advertising channel. Digital discovery is more and more crowded, and so publishers are turning bodily experiences into digital advertising property.

And this then reads as natural discovery – shared by content material creators via private channels. 

Plenty of publishers at the moment are spending enormous quantities to get folks offline as a result of that is more and more probably the greatest methods to generate consideration on-line.

Mor Aviram

Chief of Staff

at Ludeo

Gamescom 2026 jogged my memory the place the vitality in gaming is. I left Gamescom with one very clear thought: if you happen to’re constructing an indie recreation proper now, don’t underestimate how a lot of the business is you.

I spent three packed days transferring between indie occasions, cubicles, publishers, traders and builders. The neighborhood was unimaginable. The Indie Enviornment alone introduced collectively 180+ builders and 17 publishers. However what actually stood out was the place the eye, and more and more the cash, goes.

Q2 2026 was the strongest quarter for gaming financings in 12 months, with greater than 10+ new gaming funds representing $2B+ in capital have been introduced, together with new funds particularly targeted on indie developer financing. And you would really feel it on the bottom.

I met traders, publishers and funds actively in search of smaller groups with one thing completely different. The cash is taking note of indies once more. Why? As a result of the definition of a “massive recreation” has modified.

Latest indie recreation breakouts have proven that you just don’t essentially want the most important crew or price range. You want one thing folks discover, expertise, speak about and need to share. However extra alternative additionally means extra competitors for consideration.

So my greatest takeaway for indie builders is straightforward: don’t simply construct the sport and hope folks discover it. Begin early. Construct your neighborhood. Meet creators. Discuss to publishers and traders. Present up. Create moments folks need to share. The chance is there. Go struggle for it.