Koelnmesse CEO: Investing in Expansion to Secure Exhibitors' Economic Success

5 minutes Julian Haag

Koelnmesse’s leadership is doubling down on expansion and infrastructure to strengthen the economic outcomes for exhibitors—an approach that could reshape how major gaming shows deliver experiences and drive ROI. For players, that means smoother queues, more playable demos, and better tech on the floor. For studios and brands, it’s a promise of smarter layouts, stronger networking, and data-driven results that make a week at a trade show more than just a visibility play.

If you’ve ever walked a show floor until your feet protested, you already know the difference great infrastructure makes. Wider aisles keep the hype flowing instead of bottlenecking it. Solid connectivity means multiplayer demos don’t hiccup just as you’re about to clutch. Better hall design equals more hands-on stations and less time waiting. That’s the practical story behind talk of expansion: it’s not about shiny new buildings for their own sake, but about building measurable value for exhibitors and better memories for attendees.

Why expansion matters to exhibitors

  • Return on investment: Publishers and indies alike judge events by leads captured, meetings held, coverage earned, and community impact. When venues scale capacity intelligently, booths can run more demos per hour, creators can stream without tech woes, and partner meetings can happen in quiet, purpose-built spaces.
  • Predictability: Exhibitors plan months ahead. Reliable power, cooling, and network capacity reduce risk, making it easier to justify bigger builds and exclusive reveals.
  • Data and flow: Smarter layouts and better traffic analytics help exhibitors place hero demos and optimize staff schedules so the right beats land at the right times.

What attendees could feel on the floor

  • Faster, fairer access: More demo stations and improved queuing logic mean shorter waits and fewer “line capped” moments.
  • Better visibility for indies: Expansion can carve out curated zones where smaller teams don’t get overshadowed by megabooths, making it easier to discover hidden gems.
  • Stronger creator presence: Dedicated areas for livestreaming and meet-and-greets reduce cross-traffic jams and keep lines organized without eating the entire hall.
  • Accessibility and comfort: Wider aisles, more seating, clear signage, and quiet rooms aren’t small luxuries—they decide whether a day at the show feels magical or draining.

The tech behind the show magic

  • Network resilience: Multiplayer demos, cloud streaming, and live broadcasts demand robust, segmented networks. Infrastructure investments translate to fewer drops and smoother content creation.
  • Power and thermal planning: High-end rigs, VR pods, and LED walls pull serious juice and produce heat. Expanded capacity and better HVAC management reduce downtime and keep experiences consistent.
  • Acoustic design: Thoughtful sound baffling and staged zones prevent audio bleed that can ruin presentations and creator content.

Hybrid is here to stay Even as in-person attendance rises, digital reach remains essential. Upgrade plans that include broadcast-ready stages, improved uplink capacity, and modular set designs make it easier to beam demos, panels, and esports to global audiences. For exhibitors, that means every minute on stage can produce clips, recaps, and social-ready content that extends the show’s lifespan far beyond a single week.

Sustainability is part of the business case Expansion doesn’t have to mean excess. Smart investments lean into:

  • Reusable, modular booth components to cut waste.
  • Energy-efficient lighting and cooling to keep costs and emissions in check.
  • Logistics planning that reduces freight touches and speeds up build-in and teardown. These aren’t just nice-to-have optics. Exhibitors increasingly judge venues by sustainability metrics that align with their corporate goals.

What this means for developers and publishers

  • Better meetings: Quiet, enclosed rooms near the floor help teams run back-to-back partner sessions without sprinting between halls.
  • Measurable results: When the venue supports footfall analytics, lead capture, and creator integrations, exhibitors leave with dashboards instead of guesses.
  • Higher ceiling for spectacle: If a venue can safely handle heavier rigs and taller builds, headliners can stage more ambitious reveals without compromising safety or flow.

Tips for showgoers as venues level up

  • Plan with the map: Use official apps and floor plans to route your day. New hall configurations can save you hours if you plan your path by time slots rather than crisscrossing.
  • Hit off-peak windows: Larger venues spread the crowd. Late afternoons on weekdays often mean faster access to big booths.
  • Mix your schedule: Anchor your day with one tentpole demo, then spend blocks exploring indie pavilions and creator zones where surprises live.
  • Respect the lines and the crew: More space helps, but good etiquette—following signage, using designated queues, and listening to staff—keeps everything moving.

How to judge success over the next cycles

  • Wait times: Are lines moving faster year over year for the same headline demos?
  • Playtime throughput: Are booths reporting more completed sessions per hour?
  • Creator output: Do onsite streams and content drops increase without major technical issues?
  • Discoverability: Are smaller teams reporting more foot traffic and press hits?
  • Comfort metrics: Are there more rest areas, better air flow, cleaner wayfinding, and improved accessibility options?

The big picture When a venue commits to expansion and continuous development, it’s betting on the long game: bigger stages, smarter systems, and shows that feel both epic and efficient. For the gaming community, that promise translates into more hands-on moments, better storytelling, and a fairer spotlight for projects of every size. For exhibitors, it’s the foundation that turns a costly week on the calendar into concrete wins—leads, sales, partnerships, and players who leave excited to keep the conversation going.

Investing in the bones of the experience is how the spectacle stays sustainable. If the next wave of improvements lands as planned, the show floor of tomorrow won’t just be larger—it’ll be sharper, kinder to your time, and far better at turning excitement into outcomes. That’s good business for exhibitors and great news for anyone who loves lining up for the next big game reveal.