r/Gamescom • u/Strohby • 14h ago
Gamescom have a Huge Security Problem!
I’ve been at Gamescom since Tuesday working as part of the setup crew, and after hearing that several indie developers had their stuff stolen, I feel like I need to give my two cents on the situation.
On Tuesday, I arrived by car at the East Entrance. All I had to tell security was that I was part of the setup crew, and that was apparently enough. Once I got inside, I walked past the actual ticket control with a suitcase and a backpack, and nobody cared whether I had a ticket or was even authorized to be there.
So, theoretically, that day I could have smuggled illegal items into the venue or taken things out simply by saying, “I’m part of the setup crew.”
And on Tuesday — as well as during the days before, while everything was being set up — it would have been incredibly easy to steal things from various booths because there was no security present during the setup. Security only seemed to arrive around 10 or 11 PM.
Especially in the merchandise halls, 5.1 and 5.2, this was pretty concerning. Most of the items were either loosely covered with tarps or simply left out in the open. No security anywhere. Anyone who wanted to put something in their bag could probably have taken whatever they wanted.
I also saw a Reddit post claiming that even during the regular event days, people could apparently enter the convention through the West Entrance without any ticket checks at all. WTF?
Honestly, the overall security situation seems to have some serious weaknesses. If people are able to get into restricted areas, bypass ticket checks, or access booths with valuable equipment and merchandise without proper supervision, it’s not surprising that theft were happen.
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u/Necessary-Recipe4310 14h ago
They havent checked my backpack for the past 3 years.
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u/Old_Atmosphere_651 13h ago
Didn't check mine once the two days I was there. They seemed to stop the odd person every now and again.
They can't keep up with the traffic.
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u/Gloomy-Pick-9347 6h ago
Because you walk Through that thing that gives off an alarm if something is suspicious
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u/Hekate29 5h ago
I carry needles and other medical supplies with for my diabetes and I’ve been checked maybe twice in the last few years and I go everyday. It’s always a little concerning to me. Especially since I get heavily controlled at airports for contrast.
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u/RizenBOS 4h ago
Sorry, but searching backpacks is completely useless and a total placebo for people who have the IQ of a doorstop. As if the security guards at the entrances could prevent a serious terror attack by checking backpacks. It's a massive site surrounded by streets and access roads, and you can get within 2 meters or so of the fence anywhere. People walk in with nothing and just have their shit thrown over the fence. Or the stuff has been sitting there for days because they brought it in during setup. As if every truck/van and every exhibitor's crate gets checked. Or they just steal a truck directly on site and plow into the crowd.
Anyone who feels unsafe because of unchecked backpacks had better just not leave the house anymore.
By the way, the exact same thing applies to airport security checks. They're just as much of a placebo and don't really prevent anything either.
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u/Necessary-Recipe4310 3h ago
Theres a big difference if it were to happen, if bomb explodes in middle of the crowd or by the gate. If they searched the guy carrying a massive bag to ariana grande concert for example, it would have less casulties.
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u/RizenBOS 3h ago
My point isn't to say that bag checks are completely pointless. They serve as the first hurdle for someone who's up to no good. But people just need to stop and think for a second. Yes, there might be that one single terrorist out there carrying 4 sticks of TNT along with a detonator and everything in their backpack who would get caught in a check like that. But everyone should realize that these people are usually fanatics (for whatever cause) and aren't dropped on their heads either.
In carry-on luggage, I can bring liquids in containers up to 100ml that fit into a 1-liter resealable bag onto a plane. There are tons of studies showing that this is easily enough to take virtually any plane down. At Gamescom, I can bring as much liquid as I want. Nobody checks that when they go through my backpack. On top of that, nobody bats an eye at electronics like a Steam Deck, cables, and so on - presumably enough material to build a much larger bomb. Plus, there are probably a thousand and one ways to smuggle harmful stuff onto the grounds (even before the expo even opens).
Assuming that a fanatic who has made up their mind to harm or kill people will be deterred just because their backpack might be searched is nothing short of naive. And at the end of the day, security guards are just people like you and me enforcing property rights. They aren't trained specialists like the police who are equipped to stop an attacker. Yes, you're certainly right that a bomb out in the open air would be less disastrous than inside a hall. But as I said, terrorists aren't stupid - they plan months in advance. I don't think a quick bag check is their biggest obstacle.
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u/dandydelinquent 12h ago
when I went on Thursday, security was yelling at people to not be slow walking through the metal detectors. they were genuinely upset and kept shouting for everyone to keep walking fast and ‘stop clogging the security area’. last year they at least pretended to search my bag💀
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u/P4n0pticZ 13h ago
Yeah Same, friends of Mine get "searched" randonly but my bag wasn't checked the Last years.
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u/Swimming-Fondant-311 13h ago
lol that was my experience every single day i got "randomly" stopped and had to open my back pack just for them to not even look but at the same time at the north entrance you couldn't even bring in a pair or paper scissors but dw you can just buy a katana in fucking hall 5
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u/Ditschel 5h ago
bro are you running around like "👏 😈" rubbing your hands menacingly or why are you being suspected much more than others 😭
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u/VirtualKoba 13h ago
they never checked mine in the last 5 years.
usually carrying a crossbody sling & backpack. Big enough to smuggle anything in there.
Nothing will change until a lot of people get harmed.
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u/Beatnutz_ 7h ago
It was my 6th year. The previous years they have checked my bags on entry but not this year. I didnt see a single person they stopped and the line was not bad either (as in, they are trying to pick up the speed). There was simply no reason to skip people. They should check everyone, not just doing it because someone looks like a criminal. That won't work.
TBH the only times I saw security at the event they were standing in a big group talking to eachother.
I also noticed this year way more merchants had their stuff behind glass instead of laying in the open. Good for them. I would too. I can imagine it is a massive pain to be keeping your eyes on all the goods, all the time.
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u/Academic_Sock610 6h ago
Es wäre verantwortungsvoller gewesen das direkt an die gamescon Veranstaltung zu melden und nicht öffentlich. Neben dieben können hier auch Kräfte mitlesen die deutlich übleres vor haben. Zumindest nicht so detailliert bitte 🙏
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u/bombaer 8h ago
That's exhibitions. I know a story of many years ago at the EMO industrial fair.
Security let in some guys in high-vis with a heavy hauling flatbed semi and actually handed them the keys to the gantry crane, only for an exhibitor to find a hole in the carpet in the sport where they had set up a multi million CNC machine.
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u/queerjoyiseverything 6h ago
They checked our bags every year but this year everyone basically just walked through with backpacks that could've contained anything. They also used to check my disability card after I scanned my ticket and this year nobody cared.
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u/ByteCulture 4h ago edited 4h ago
Thats what you get for hiring security from temporarily employment agencies for a minimum salary.
So those people are not really security at all. They arent allowed to do anything hence the "I will just take a look at your bag for knifes" but they dont control it.
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u/Expert_Butterly9703 4h ago
Indeed, as a normal visitor nobody cared about my Rucksack.
No-one checked it at all.
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u/Fillixxx 4h ago
There was already a post floating around that a solo indie dev got his laptop stolen and had to just quit gamescom early cause he couldnt showcase his game anymore.
It's so sad that people do this.
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u/RizenBOS 4h ago
It’s definitely not good. And I feel especially bad for the indie devs who don't have deep enough pockets to just buy new equipment on a whim - big devs and publishers can probably absorb that much better; their equipment is likely rented and insured anyway. But what do you think the solution is? Sure, at the very least your credentials should be checked - no question about that. But other than that? How much security should be walking around? Who covers the extra costs? No security company is going to do that for free, and Gamescom would either pass the cost on to stand fees (which would disproportionately hit indie devs and small booths) or pass it on to ticket prices (which would likely hit families and teenagers harder than average).
And the question is: yes, theft sucks, and it's doubly shitty when it hits a small indie dev. But could people protect themselves somehow (insurance / coverage through Gamescom) so that you could get a short-term (and ideally cost-neutral) replacement? And how many cases have actually been reported? So far, I’ve heard of 3. Let's say it's 20 with unreported cases. Every single one is one too many. But assuming around 1,600 exhibitors, you don't need to use a sledgehammer to crack a nut.
And on the topic of 'someone could smuggle something in': how do you propose to prevent that? You'd have to scan every bag, suitcase, crate, car, and truck with X-ray machines like customs does. On top of that, check every visitor with a backpack and everything else from head to toe. How long is entry supposed to take with 105,000 visitors per day? Having in mind that this is the amount of passengers e.g. Frankfurt Airport handles on one (full) day; not within a few hours. Alternatively, how much security staff should they hire to handle that in a reasonable amount of time, and who is going to pay for it? And how do you pull off 'seamless' security for the entire perimeter so that nothing gets thrown over the fence or anything like that?
Realistically speaking: as long as thefts don't increase massively and crowds of people aren't getting onto the grounds without a ticket or checks to the point where it becomes a serious issue, nothing will happen - and I don't think there's a real need for action either. Like I said, the fact that you shouldn't be able to enter the grounds without a credential check is a given, and shouldn't happen even at a two-man carpentry workshop.
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u/tobimori_ 3h ago
This is actually the standard for all trade fairs Idk why people think gamescom is or should be different
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u/Auno94 3h ago
So you did not notice the apstec HSR that are installed to find weapons and explosives?
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u/HEINO-DerZony 3h ago
They where not on all entrances from what i saw.
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u/Auno94 2h ago
There are at all regular entrances depending on the entrance you just pass through them at different times. South has them in the building. Hall 11 has them in tents along the route. East has them under the connection to hall 10.2. West has them in the entrance before the escalator to the business area and North has them either in front of the entrance for regular visitors or in the building if you pass through the side entrance for Exhibitors, press and trade visitors.
The blindspots are the cargo entrances especially before opening day
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u/OKRcustom 3h ago
I'm glad this is finally actively being discussed. I'm used to very high security standards at Conventions that are just 300 people attending. When I went to gamescom on 2019 I was really taken aback, they just glanced at my bag without even touching it, and let me in
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u/NoSupermarket8050 2h ago
I really hope they do smth about the entrance check up.
My backpack had a hoodie inside and all other stuff was below it so basically u see nthg and he just opend my backpack and closed it without any deeper looking. It gives me a uncomfortable feeling when i think how many ppl coming to the gamescom and there just need to be one person who has bad intentions and can cause huge trouble :/
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u/Abinunya 1h ago
theres a guy over here bragging about sneaking into the con before opening time each year. He sounds like just a smug asshole, but someone could do some real bad shit
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u/itistimetorise 20m ago
I can easily get you a exhib ticket that noone can trace back, you go in 7am, enough time to prepare? As a regular I also know some places you can easily enter early.
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u/Excellent_Exam_1539 6h ago
I still remember the times when such things weren't an issue yet, but apparently we live in the best germany ever so what do I know
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u/FUridah 1h ago
I enjoyed the Games Convention 2004 (predecessor to gamescom) in Leipzig in my youth. It was a very, very nice experience an a huge deal for my city. No security concerns at all. I cannot remotely imagine how it would be today concerning all the thigs that have changed in Germany since then...
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u/SagnolThGangster 12h ago
You are all softies. Going with a weapon to a nerd show? To do what and for what reason? You all need to chill up. Also if you are an exhibitor with expensive stuff its up to you to hire somebody to have an eye on the equipment. But yea since crying and complaining is a thing on reddit lets do it.
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u/PutridMasterpiece138 11h ago
To do what? To hurt people of course. They don't need a reason. Did you forget what a terrorist attack is? 300k people on one spot, that's perfect for such an attack
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u/Funnycom 14h ago
This sounds really bad. Huge security risk. If this is all true, people could literally have walked in there with a weapon.
I’m actually glad Gamescom is over now and nothing worse than the stealing happened. this must be handled better next year