The 8 types of people you meet at Gamescom

Philipp Rüegg

24.8.2017

Translation: machine translated

Gamescom is the world's biggest video game trade fair. You meet all sorts of people there - you're bound to come across the following eight types:

1. Veterans

You can recognise the veteran by his calmness and ability to plan. He knows exactly where to queue at all costs and which places are absolutely to be avoided. Of course, he wears comfortable shoes, because he knows that queuing for hours and walking is tiring. Because he knows that all the great games go hand in hand with a long wait, he's brought along plenty to keep himself entertained: Nintendo Switch, 3DS, mobile phone with battery backup, etc. And as he doesn't fancy waiting standing up, he's of course also brought a folding chair.

2. The collectors

The collector is easily recognised by his dozen or so oversized bags with huge logos of the various game producers. No matter where he queues, he doesn't leave without receiving a souvenir: a T-shirt that's far too big, a filthy cap or at least a very poor quality sticker - that's the minimum. The consequence: barely a few hours after the doors open, he's already loaded as a mule and wandering the halls with a well-stocked inventory.

3. The non-gamers

The non-gamer most of the time doesn't even know what Gamescom is, but still managed to get a ticket. To annoy the real gamer, most of the time he's even already at the media day. He goes there and walks through the large halls at random, staring in amazement at all the visitors who are often dressed very extravagantly. If he ventures to try a game, he's often surprised that it can be so much fun.

4. Gamescom virgins

He finally made it to the trade show of trade shows. Four days of video games, video games and more video games. The first disenchantment was already upon entering: people as far as the eye could see and all wanting to pass through the same narrow entrances at the same time. Before you can enter the highly coveted halls, you first have to wait. Once inside, a new disappointment mixes with the immense joy of seeing all these games, illuminated monitors and pounding speakers: hundreds of visitors are already waiting in front of each blockbuster game. The people working the stands put up signs announcing a three or four hour wait. Of course, the virgin doesn't wear comfortable shoes that will get him through the daily half-marathons without his feet hurting. And finally, he gets lost all the time and always arrives back in the same hall, the Farming Simulator hall.

5. The security guards

This year has seen a whole new kind of person in large numbers: the security guard. For unfortunately obvious reasons, since last year there have been more security checks at Gamescom. This year, the number of security guards has been increased because of Mrs Merkel's visit to the show. As a result, hordes of men dressed in the same way were seen making their way through the poorly-lit halls. Those who initially thought it was a group of gamers wanting to draw attention to their website or Youtube channel because of their identical outfits realised who they were dealing with at the latest when they saw the mountains of muscle up close - it's not really the gamer's physiognomy.

6. Cosplayers

A video game show wouldn't exist without one: the Cosplayer. There are a thousand of them swarming the halls of Gamescom with their carefully tailored outfits and presenting their masterpieces with great pride. Even if they suffer most of the time under their costumes, they leave nothing to be seen and remain true to their roles.

6.1 Special note: "Assassin's Creed"

Cosplayers.
Most Cosplayers have chosen the "Assassin's Creed" theme. No matter how successful the latest game was, or even if there was one, you're bound to come across dozens of Altair, Ezio and so on. Even if their outfits are mostly less original than the others, they're as much a part of Gamescom as overpriced food and visitors who find the trip to the bathroom superfluous.

7. Booth Babe fans

Perhaps it's precisely because there are fewer and fewer Booth Babes over the years, that the Booth Babe fan always has to go the extra mile to get his photo taken with them. Admittedly, the Booth Babes are nothing like the ones at car shows, but at Gamescom, fans never miss an opportunity to have their photo taken with them. The photo will then be posted on as many social networks as possible with the hashtags: #MyNextGirlfriend #SieHatMichGefragt and #BeautifulPeople

8.the lazy

Why walk when there's a solution that requires much less effort? The e-mobility groups are the latest to make an appearance at Gamescom. They're whizzing through the halls of the show with their scooters and other electric contraptions - at least on the press day, the other days, with the crowds there, it must be less fun having to lug these things everywhere.

Have I missed anyone? What kind of people have you already bumped into at Gamescom? Write it down in the comments section.

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Philipp Rüegg

Senior Editor

Philipp.Rueegg@digitecgalaxus.ch

Being the game and gadget geek that I am, working at digitec and Galaxus makes me feel like a kid in a candy shop – but it does take its toll on my wallet. I enjoy tinkering with my PC in Tim Taylor fashion and talking about games on my podcast http://www.onemorelevel.ch. To satisfy my need for speed, I get on my full suspension mountain bike and set out to find some nice trails. My thirst for culture is quenched by deep conversations over a couple of cold ones at the mostly frustrating games of FC Winterthur. more