Gamers are voters, too. At least the ones over 18. Now shortly before a general election, top policymakers in Germany have discovered the digital gaming community and are sitting up and taking notice.
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The motto of this year's Gamescom fair in Cologne is "just play together." But the world's largest trade fair for the industry is more than just a meeting place for the gaming community. With a huge annual turnover - more than 1 billion euros ($1.17 billion) in the first half of 2017 alone - politicians have also discovered the digital gaming world.
As a consequence, German Chancellor Angela Merkel will be at the opening for the first time this year and the heads of all the other parties also want to be seen there. They want to present themselves and their political messages to as many Gamescom visitors as possible at different events, some moderated by web bigwigs such as YouTuber LeFloyd.
Felix Falk is pleased about the interest being shown by politicians, and the managing director of the German Games Industry Association (BIU) has concrete ideas about what can be done in Germany to ensure that the industry grows dynamically in the future.
"The visit of the chancellor and many other politicians is a very important signal and makes clear the importance of gaming as a cultural and economic asset. It also shows the importance of the game industry as an innovation factor," said Falk in an interview with DW.
'More producers instead of just consumers'
At the same time, however, German policymakers are not yet doing enough for the industry according to Falk: "We are happy that we have the world's most important event here in Germany, but as a place for developers, we are just not that good."
Countries like Canada, France, England, Italy or Poland are far ahead of Germany in this respect. And nearly all major sites for developers abroad receive some sort of state subsidy. "At the federal level, not one single euro has been invested in the promotion of development in Germany," criticizes Falk.
Favorable conditions are not only important for the industry and the German economy in general, but they also make good business sense. "For every subsidy euro, the finance minister receives additional tax revenue and investments, so for the state it makes sense."
The negative effects of a lack of funding are now clearly visible, according to the BIU and another gaming industry association, Game.
Germany is still one of the largest sales outlets in the world, but as a production site it is "losing the connection." Recently in Germany, sales of German-developed games fell to 6 percent of the total.
If Falk had his wish, a new course would be set as soon as possible so that Germany can really get more involved in the gaming industry - not just in consumption, but more importantly, in creation.
Additionally, the gamers are not the only ones to profit from the creativity of the developers. The entire economy has benefited from new standards such as 4K in graphics or the development of more powerful processors and virtual reality imaging - for example, in autonomous driving. Which means that digital entertainment is no longer a marginal issue for top politicians.
eSports the new biggest thing
One of the biggest trends this year is eSports. These events have filled arenas worldwide - often with more than 10,000 spectators and huge amounts of prize money.
Teams of gamers play live against each other and spread frenzy throughout auditoriums. Major eSports events are even streamed live online and more and more eSports clubs are emerging.
"Companies such as Audi and Vodafone are really engaged in digital sports, especially in their efforts to reach this young, digital-savvy target group, which is hard to approach via classic advertising," enthuses Gerald Böse, the boss of Cologne fairgrounds, where Gamescom is taking place.
Overall organizers are expecting more than 300,000 visitors again this year. In total, more than half a million people are expected at the show and the various sideline developer conferences, congresses and events throughout the city.
The fact that many of the 910 Gamescom exhibitors come from abroad speaks for the global importance of the event. But for industry lobbyists this makes it clear that more governmental backing is needed in Germany; perhaps they can convince some of their political visitors.
Gamescom puts on a record-breaking show
With over 800 exhibitors and nearly half a million visitors, Gamescom 2016 has raised the bar for rival video game events in the US and Japan. Organizers say the Cologne video game expo is now the biggest in the world.
Image: picture-alliance/Citypress24/Boenisch
Gamescom puts on a record-breaking show
Around 345,000 people visited the main event at Cologne's trade fair center, with many thousands more attending smaller events across the western German city. Video game fans swarmed the city, easy to spot due to their striking outfits.
Image: Philip Kretschmer
Pokemon are forever
Cosplayers draw inspiration from their video game heroes, and this group has decided to honor the Pokemon franchise. The augmented reality game "Pokemon Go" took the world by storm only weeks ago and sent Nintendo's stock sky-high.
Image: Philip Kretschmer
View from 'Overwatch' stand
Hundreds of thousands of people from 97 countries roamed the Cologne venue during the five-day event. Many of them decided to check out the stand promoting this year's multiplayer hit "Overwatch."
Image: DW/N. Peters
Focus on phones
Video game sales in Germany will total $4 million this year, according to analysts with the industry information service Newzoo. A major part of this is games for smartphones and tablets, with the classic PC and console markets on the back foot worldwide.
The character of Morgana from the game League of Legends also found her way to Cologne. The game, often abbreviated to LoL, is immensely popular and many of the world's best players compete for high cash prizes.
Even before Gamescom opened its gates, the gamers were looking forward to testing new virtual reality devices, which are praised as the next big leap in gaming. VR systems such as Oculus Rift, HTC Vive and Samsung's Gear VR are slowly finding their way to buyers. This gamer is testing Sony's VR headset, expected to be released in October.
Image: picture-alliance/dpa/O. Berg
Falling in place
Exhibitors also showcased their new VR technologies by offering a simulated parachute jump, or a rollercoaster ride with moving chairs to immerse the players in racing through loops at incredible speeds.
Image: picture-alliance/dpa/O. Berg
'Leave your guns at the bar'
Organizers upped security at the massive event in the wake of Islamist terror attacks in France and Germany. Visitors were asked to hand over their imitation weapons at the entrance. At the same time, employees working at the stands could be seen carrying fake guns and rifles as a part of their costume.
Gamescom has grown in size and reputation since it was first held in 2009. This year, the city authorities decided to light up Cologne's iconic cathedral and the central bridge over the Rhine in honor of the event. The motto of Gamescom 2016 is "Heroes in New Dimensions."
Super Mario Bros. is one of the most beloved video games ever made. Young gamers in Cologne can also try out Nintendo's 1985 classic and see why their parents play it to this day.
Image: Philip Kretschmer
Mafia rules
This old-timey cinema invites gamers to play Mafia III, the latest sequel to 2002's gritty masterpiece. Reportedly set in the 1960's New Orleans, the game is expected to tackle topics such as racism and the Vietnam War, with a black protagonist climbing through the ranks of organized crime.
Image: picture-alliance/Pacific Press/M. Boenisch
Symbol of Germany
Another beloved Japanese franchise, Gran Turismo, is promoting its upcoming installment with this BMW M6. The Sony PlayStation exclusive needs to beat the high bar set by its six predecessors. The Bavarian carmaking giant is there to lend a hand.