Thefts at Gamescom 2026: Thieves Steal Laptops and Steam Decks from Indies

Thieves broke into the Indie Arena and business area at Gamescom 2026 and stole laptops and Steam Decks from smaller studios, as reported by Game Developer on August 31. The heist directly hit independent developers showcasing their projects at the event held in Cologne, Germany. Among those affected is solo developer Ryan Laley, creator of the asymmetric horror game Mimic, who lost all his laptops. The publisher and merch company iam8bit also reported the disappearance of two notebooks. Tessera Studios, responsible for The Zibbo Show, had two laptops and a Steam Deck taken from a locked cabinet.

Security cameras did not stop the action, and the thieves operated quickly and surgically. According to reports, the equipment was in locked booths, but they were forced open. In Laley's case, the thieves left the charging cables behind and took only the notebooks, including a personal Alienware and several Razer units used to demo Mimic. The developer posted a video on social media lamenting the incident and stating that the loss ended his participation in the fair. "As a solo indie dev, this is expensive," he vented, adding that he filed a police report with local authorities.

In an official response, Gamescom said it is aware of the thefts and takes the reports seriously. The organization explained that uniformed security guards provide general surveillance of the venue, but individual booth protection can be hired separately, and exhibitors are advised to secure their equipment against theft. All cases were reported to the police and investigations are ongoing. Gamescom described the incidents as "individual cases" but regretted that indie developers were targeted. Still, the episode raised questions about security at one of the world's largest gaming events, especially for small studios that rely on limited equipment to present their projects.

The financial and emotional damage to those affected is significant, but the solidarity shown highlighted the positive side of the community. While investigations continue, developers are trying to recover and, in some cases, are already planning their next fair appearances. For Laley, however, the blow was too hard: "A huge financial and mental setback," he wrote. The expectation is that Gamescom will review its security protocols to prevent new cases in future editions.