Gamescom 2026 turned into a complete nightmare for numerous game developers. Exhibitors arrived at their booths only to discover thieves had stolen their critical equipment. Consequently, this massive financial and mental blow forced some attendees to cut their planned activities short.
On August 28, game developer Ryan Laley reported that thieves stole all his team’s computers overnight. Laley immediately contacted the police. The solo developer struggled visibly with the monetary loss in a video he shared online. Fortunately, CD Projekt Red reached out via the official Cyberpunk 2077 account to offer excess hardware. They firmly stated that “no choom should have to start from zero”.
My #gamescom cut short. Our equipment was stolen last night from the booth.
Police reports have been filed.
At a loss for words to describe the feeling. Just defeated. Gonna do my best with what's left of the week.
But a huge blow financially and mentally pic.twitter.com/dKpp3Of6df
— Mimic | Ryan Laley (@RyanLaley) August 28, 2026
Developers Report Stolen Laptops at Gamescom 2026
Unfortunately, Laley was not the only victim over the weekend. Tessera Studios found their cabinet pried open on Wednesday in the Indie Area. Thieves walked away with two laptops and a Steam Deck. Moreover, these stolen devices contained their Gamescom demo, alongside critical personal and company information.
Similarly, publisher iam8bit reported two laptops stolen overnight from their business area station. They lost machines used to demo Petal Runner and Escape Academy 2. Consequently, this theft severely disrupted their schedule and put unfinished game builds at a massive risk of being leaked.
Meanwhile, event security staff allegedly ignored serious complaints. Eric Pope, the senior community director of Dead by Daylight, claimed guards dismissed their inquiries about after-hours security. Furthermore, an Insider Gaming senior editor alleged children freely roamed secured areas without any intervention.
Gamescom Deflects the Blame
Instead of taking direct responsibility, Gamescom shifted the burden onto the developers. Organizers stated that uniformed guards only provide general venue security. Therefore, they expect individual exhibitors to hire separate security officers and independently insure their equipment. The event simply claimed that individuals will always attempt to take advantage of such a large gathering.
Shockingly, this is not an isolated year. Ukiyo Studios faced a similar PC theft back in 2024. Furthermore, the studio reported another theft on August 30, losing drinks, food, and an Xbox controller right from their booth.
