There will be increased safety precautions at gamescom this year

A necessary inconvenience

The world’s largest video game convention is stepping up its security measures in light of the recent terrorist attacks in Europe. At this year’s gamescom, every attendee (general public, press, and exhibitors) will be subject to safety precautions before entering the convention center.

We received an email that outlines the process. Starting at 7:00am every day, safety authorities will begin conducting bag checks. The gamescom team expects long queues and asks that visitors help expedite things by leaving any unnecessary bags and rucksacks at home.

Cosplayers are additionally affected, as there are stricter rules this year. According to the email, “All imitation weapons or weapon-like elements will not be permitted at gamescom 2016.” The email also asks that people refrain from carrying fake weapons around the city of Cologne.

While this will all be an inconvenience, it’s certainly a necessary one. Last year, more than 345,000 people attended gamescom. That’s a lot of folks. Ensuring their safety has to be top priority for the convention organizers. If that means waiting in line a little longer, well, that’s perfectly fine.