Gamescom dev 2026 reveals first program details!

The first details of Gamescom dev's 2026 program have been released, and it has been confirmed that the keynote speaker for this year is Amir Satvat of Tencent Games. This annual developer event will be held from August 23 through 25 in the Confex Center of Cologne and will act as the official pre-gamescom conference.

Satvat is known for his community effort ASGC (Always Supporting the Games Community), and he will speak on "The Games Industry Reset: What Happened and What Comes Next?" In the keynote speech, he will explore the changes in the industry after 2022 and will shed light on some problems like labor shortages, funding issues, changes in player behavior, and future opportunities in the industry.

This year's program of the developer conference will feature many other content tracks which were not included before. For example, a Level Design track is going to be introduced for the first time in the conference, and it will feature developers from Guerrilla Games, CD PROJEKT RED, Double Fine, Insomniac Games, and Pearl Abyss.

A significant addition comes in the form of a track dedicated entirely to AI, where developers can explore the role of artificial intelligence not only in gameplay but also in game creation. Some of the people who will join industry professionals in presenting their work include representatives from Electronic Arts, Wargaming, JetBrains, and Room 8 Group.

The list of the first speakers also includes Seth Rosen from Pacific Drive, Fleur Marty from Gearbox, Kim Belair from Sweet Baby Inc., Fiona Cherbak, and representatives of Riot Games. More names will be announced shortly before the event.

Apart from various talks and panel discussions, gamescom dev is also going to pay close attention to networking opportunities through activities such as the Leadership Summit, the gamescom dev Awards, business mixers, and 'Pitch It!' sessions.

Gamescom dev enjoyed great success last year, when it had an attendance of over 5,400 participants from 89 countries. Following gamescom dev, which ends on August 25, gamescom itself will begin, starting with Opening Night Live and followed by the exhibition which will take place from August 26 to 30.