Gamescom Crime Spree? Three Exhibitors Report Their Laptops Were Stolen (tomshardware.com)
- Reference: 0185309772
- News link: https://yro.slashdot.org/story/26/08/31/0043226/gamescom-crime-spree-three-exhibitors-report-their-laptops-were-stolen
- Source link: https://www.tomshardware.com/video-games/pc-gaming/at-least-three-exhibitors-got-robbed-at-gamescom-2026-laptops-and-handhelds-with-unfinished-game-builds-stolen-from-locked-cabinets
> Game developer and consultant Ryan Laley traveled to Cologne, Germany from Essex, England to showcase his upcoming horror social deduction game [2] Mimic at the annual Gamescom event. He paid "thousands of pounds" to get a booth at the show, where other game developers and press could try the game ahead of its October release. But Laley's Gamescom was cut short when he realized Friday morning that his brand new Alienware laptop, purchased for the event, was missing. The laptop was stored in a cupboard in the booth, and Laley started asking nearby vendors to see if someone had moved it. That's when he realized it was stolen — and that he wasn't alone. Laley's booth in Gamescom's business area, specifically in the International Game Developers Association Lounge, had been hit in what appears to be a string of thefts at the convention center. The business area of the convention is not open to the public, only press and others with specific tickets. Laley said Gamescom advertised this area as having 24/7 security and limited access after hours...
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> Publisher and merchandiser iam8bit, in a nearby booth showcasing Escape Academy 2: Back 2 School and Petal Runner , had two laptops with game builds stolen Thursday night from its booth, a representative confirmed to Aftermath.
"Meanwhile, Tessera Studios had two laptops and a Steam Deck taken from its cabinet," [3]reports Tom's Hardware :
> Gamescom organizers responded to the issues, saying that although they have arranged for uniformed guards to provide general security, individual booth security must be booked separately. They've also advised exhibitors to have insurance against theft, and said these warnings are noted in the terms and conditions for participants, as well as in the event's technical guidelines. "All cases have been reported to us and to the police, and investigations are already underway," the organizers' statement read. They also said that security is one of their priorities at the event, but also added, "At an event of this size, however, there will always be individuals attempting to take advantage of the situation."
[1] https://aftermath.site/gamescom-laptop-theft-spree-iam8bit-mimic/
[2] https://store.steampowered.com/agecheck/app/2606850/
[3] https://www.tomshardware.com/video-games/pc-gaming/at-least-three-exhibitors-got-robbed-at-gamescom-2026-laptops-and-handhelds-with-unfinished-game-builds-stolen-from-locked-cabinets
Re:Never heard of cameras? (Score:5, Informative)
I would depend on my own hands and not someone else's camera to secure the laptop away from the show floor
Re: (Score:3)
I would too but a few cheap cameras beats security guards in this situation.
Re: (Score:2)
I don't see how an event like this doesn't have event security cameras scattered around?
They are blocking police reports... (Score:2)
I have seen at least one post online that claims Gamescom has told exhibitors not to report thefts to the police because it "makes Gamescom and the city look bad". If they don't want police reports, could there be something dodgy going on?
Re: (Score:2)
> ... something dodgy ...
They don't want vendors demanding more security which will reduce GamesCon's profits. They don't want vendors realizing their merchandise isn't protected and refusing to pay (and participate).
It's a simple "fuck you, I got mine" response after GamesCon provided contradictory assurances about event security. Although, to be fair, vendors should have assumed the lower standard would be supplied.
What were these guys thinking? (Score:2)
Anyone who's ever worked a conference ought to know you don't leave anything worth stealing on the exhibitor floor. Doesn't matter if you have a security guard: Things get legs.
I got no tears.
Re: What were these guys thinking? (Score:2)
From TFA and quoted in the story, it wasn't the convention floor.
> The business area of the convention is not open to the public, only press and others with specific tickets. Laley said Gamescom advertised this area as having 24/7 security and limited access after hours
maybe the low paid rent a cops took them. You know (Score:2, Redundant)
maybe the low paid rent a cops took them. You know that gpu / ram has big ebay value. Nice that Gamescom covers their ass by saying Individual booth security must be booked separately. They've also advised exhibitors to have insurance against theft, and said these warnings are noted in the terms and conditions for participants, as well as in the event's technical guidelines.
Re:maybe the low paid rent a cops took them. You k (Score:5, Insightful)
Or maybe it was a competitor who wasn't interested in stealing the laptop so much as stealing the game before its release?
In any event, "The laptop was stored in a cupboard in the booth." The whole point of a laptop is its portability. While the venue and convention organizers could certainly have done a better job, anybody who leaves something that valuable in the booth at night is a fool.
Re: (Score:2)
... if they don't have some sort of tracking/recovery mechanism built into or attached to the hardware. Or even the software.
Re: (Score:2)
tracking/recovery mechanism built into or attached to the hardware maybe but if you rip the ram / ssd / gpu that can be useless.
Re: (Score:2)
Or just not let it connect to the internet.