If you work in the gaming industry, you know the immense potential Gamescom 2023 holds. After countless hours of preparation and perfecting your presentation, you’re ready to make an impact. You even picked out your outfit the night before and meticulously scheduled your day for maximum organization.

Morning arrives with butterflies in your stomach and nerves that make putting on a tie a challenge.

But you show up on time, coffee in hand. You take a deep breath, look up at the building, and it hits you—this is Gamescom 2023, one of the largest and most influential trade shows in the video game industry.

Did all of the above sound familiar to you? Because Gamescom feels exactly like the most important job interview of your life. You are not there to present what you offer to your target audience and sell yourself to the video game industry.

From gamers to developers, publishers to investors, Gamescom has it all. So, it’s essential to take every bit of information to heart and to sell yourself to the best of your ability while in Germany, and that’s precisely what we, GameRebellion, did at Gamescom 2023.

From the start, we knew GameRebellion needed a clear mission for the event. We crafted a pitch and a story to introduce ourselves to the market. Our team was prepared to engage with everyone who visited our booth. We chatted with dozens of developers, from independent creators to those working with major publishers. We also met publishers, investors, marketers, and gamers.

Seeing the entire industry come together was incredible. By talking to them, we gained a better understanding of their needs and confirmed we’re on the right track. Attending trade shows is crucial for realizing the value they add to any product or service.

Gamescom is the ultimate trade show for studios seeking visibility, whether B2B or B2C. This event is a “must” for all game developers, studios, publishers, and marketers due to the vast opportunities for global exposure.

It connects the entire industry in one place, leveling the playing field for independent developers and major players. Gamescom offers feedback engagement, partnerships, free press, media advertisement, and gameplay announcements.

Essential Tips for Success with Publishers

Going to that kind of event requires a budget that some of you might still need. Still, if you’re under the lucky kids getting to travel the world to showcase your masterpiece, well, you want to read the points we’ve identified. By talking to fellow industry professionals over there, we had some insights that were an actual opening eyes experience, and we’d like to share them with you.

Defining a clear goal before talking to publishers is fundamental. Many studios go to trade shows looking for publishers for their games. Still, they often need to prepare to pitch their ideas and lose the opportunity. So here’s a tip for all the studios looking at attending the following events of the industry: 

Embrace the Excitement: Preparing for Gamescom 2023

Before talking to publishers, you must understand your game and have a clear goal. There are some questions you can answer before meeting up with key people:

• What is your goal for attending trade shows? (Why are you investing such a budget on this?)
• What is the goal you have for your game? (Where do you want to arrive with your game?)
• What is your game about? (It is good to add details about your game, such as genre and gameplay mechanics.)
• What are you looking for as a publisher? (What are your expectations for your publisher? Which are the ones that best fit your game?)
• How can the publisher help you to achieve your goals? (What can they do to help you achieve your goals?)

You can reply to those questions by compiling a compelling story about your project. This will give your audience an idea about your objectives and show a sense of passion and commitment to opportunities.

Publishers will likely work with you if they see you’re organized, committed and accountable. If you show them you have clear goals and vision for the project, they’ll take you seriously. Chances are, a passionate project with a lot of focus on creativity and formality from both the developer and its creation will grab opportunities around the market.

Think of this opportunity as going to a job interview; you must know what to say about yourself and your background. You should also research and learn details about the company you’re applying for. We’ll come back with more content about how to approach publishers by providing more insight on preparing and introducing yourself for these meetings.

Maximizing Visibility for Indie Studios at Global Gaming Events

If you’re a small studio, the best option is in the indie arena. However, it usually doesn’t offer access to the business area, which can be an obstacle to your networking.

It happened to us when we had some meetings booked, but the studios scrambled to get to the business area. We know the costs are high, but getting a pass that allows free access to the different areas of the event is essential. Ensure your booth is in the right area to attract your biggest customers. A quick tip if you are still determining whether you are in the right place is to sign up to go with your country’s delegation. 

Luckily, in Canada, we have the Canadian Delegation and the Quebec Delegation. Both have constant missions to gaming trade shows worldwide, and the visibility you get is enormous. Every year, we count on the support of Invest Quebec | Investissement Québec International, which is well-positioned and provides a great spot to exchange with different companies, delegations, and individuals.