When the grand kick-off show “gamescom Opening Night Live” begins on the evening of 20 August 2024, thousands of visitors on-site in the gamescom event arena in Cologne, Germany and millions of video game players online worldwide will once again witness the highlights of this year’s gamescom first-hand. Just how strongly games connect people across all continents will be made clear not only in the opening show, but everywhere at the world’s largest games event – which is why gamescom 2024 is taking place under the banner “The biggest community in the world”. Along with the trends being spotlighted at this year’s gamescom, this theme was presented at a press conference jointly organised by game – The German Games Industry Association and Koelnmesse.

Games are the most social medium of our time. Whether enthusiasts are playing them together or engaging in active exchange about them, computer and video games connect over 3 billion people worldwide – a number that is steadily growing. Together, players build entire worlds, put their skills to the test and overcome great dangers. Lifelong friendships take root and grow, across all borders. This makes games the best antidote to loneliness and isolation. Nowhere else do people work together as intensively, exchange ideas with such excitement or celebrate with such enthusiasm. The games community is especially open, creative and passionate, and this is nowhere more evident than at gamescom – the biggest event for “The biggest community in the world”. From esports tournaments in the event arena, to the cosplay village and old games in the retro area, to such new highlights as the cards & boards area and the artist area – everywhere at gamescom, people from all over the world celebrate game culture together. All of which demonstrates what a strong and unique community games create around the globe.

“Anyone who has ever been to gamescom themselves knows the unique feeling. You immediately recognise the joy, curiosity and passion in people’s faces. Long-standing friendships are celebrated and new friends are made – because games connect people in an incomparable way, creating the biggest community in the world. This social component of games is still overlooked far too often, yet it’s so valuable. In times when isolation has become a serious societal challenge and there’s more and more focus on what divides rather than unites us – in these times, games connect billions of people around the world every day in a special way. At gamescom this year, we therefore decided on a theme that highlights this unique community – the players of video games,” said Felix Falk, Managing Director of game – The German Games Industry Association, a co-organizer of gamescom.

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Germany’s Vice Chancellor and Federal Minister for Economic Affairs and Climate Action Robert Habeck will attend the official opening of gamescom 2024. Koelnmesse and game – The German Games Industry Association announced that Germany’s cabinet member responsible for computer and video games will be present when the world’s biggest games event officially opens its doors on 21 August in Cologne. Habeck took part in the opening ceremony of gamescom last year as well, and on the following day viewed current developments and trends in the game industry during a guided tour of the event.

Flexion, the games marketing company has signed an agreement with Fun Formula, a global developer and publisher of cutting-edge casual games, to publish the developer’s successful game Zombie Waves on the alternative app stores.

Flexion will distribute the game on the following platforms: Amazon Appstore, Huawei AppGallery, Samsung Galaxy Store, Xiaomi GetApps, DT Hub and ONE store. Zombie Waves is expected to launch on these platforms in September 2024.

Flexion is adding an average of 10% to a game’s Google Play revenue by taking it to the alternative app stores.

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“We look forward to bringing our expertise, experience and technology to build revenue and audiences for Zombie Waves and making it fly in a broad range of markets,” says Jens Lauritzson, CEO of Flexion.

Zombie Waves is a 3D shooter game set in a post-apocalyptic world overrun by zombies. Players need to master shooting, upgrade their weapons and learn survival skills to defeat the relentless undead.

Fun Formula is just the latest top developer to see the benefits of using Flexion to expand its markets. In the last 12 months alone, Flexion has partnered with King, Kabam, Vizor, Big Fish and Jam City to market games through alternative channels.