Thieves hit multiple Gamescom booths overnight, stealing laptops and dev hardware

Several developers exhibiting at Gamescom 2025 in Cologne have reported overnight thefts from their booths, with laptops and other equipment taken while the halls were closed. Indie developer Ryan Laley, showing asymmetrical survival horror game Mimic, posted an emotional video to X saying his booth was broken into overnight — and that he wasn't the only one hit.

Laley said the thieves specifically left chargers behind and took only the laptops, suggesting targeted, deliberate theft rather than opportunistic grab-and-go. He reported the incident to Gamescom's central management, its security team, and the police, but doesn't expect to see the hardware again. "As an indie solo dev, this shit's expensive. And hard to do all by yourself. And to have this happen is beyond frustrating. It's heartbreaking," he said. Publisher and events company iam8bit confirmed two of its laptops were also stolen from the business area hall overnight, despite Koelnmesse security being present. Those machines were being used to demo Petal Runner and Escape Academy 2, and iam8bit warned the theft has potentially put unfinished game builds at risk of leaking. Tessera Studios, developer of The Zibbo Show, reported its booth in the Indie Area was broken into earlier in the week — robbers forced open a cabinet and took two laptops and a Steam Deck containing personal and company data. Tessera said it had also heard of thefts at the Games from Spain booth and several more across the fair.

The situation has drawn out older grievances too. Ukiyo Studios said a PC was stolen from its booth two years ago, but that Gamescom actively blocked the studio from filing a police report, reportedly saying it "makes Gamescom and the city of Cologne look bad." The studio noted that out of more than 15 events it attends globally each year, Gamescom is the only one where it packs up all hardware into a dedicated locked storage room at the end of every day — a telling indictment of the venue's security reputation among exhibitors. CD Projekt Red, studio behind Cyberpunk 2077, responded to Laley's post with a message of support, promising to "check the Arasaka hardware archives" and send replacement equipment his way.

Gamescom has since acknowledged the thefts publicly, saying it is "aware of stolen hardware" and understands the frustration of those affected. The full extent of the incidents is still emerging as more studios come forward, and the episode has reignited questions about exhibitor security at one of the world's largest gaming events.