“We understand what this has cost you, and we should have said so from the very first moment”<\/p>\n
Image credit: GamesIndustry.biz <\/p>\n
Gamescom has apologised for its initial response to theft reports at this year’s event, acknowledging it “did not strike the right tone” or “show the people affected the empathy they deserve.”<\/p>\n
“We have received a great deal of criticism for the way we communicated about the theft of hardware belonging to several indie developers,” the organisers wrote on social media. “That criticism is justified.”<\/p>\n
“A theft like this is far more than a material loss. It can ruin an entire Gamescom for the people it happens to, and it can destroy work that took months or years to build \u2013 work that, for a small studio, can be almost everything. To everyone affected: we understand what this has cost you, and we should have said so from the very first moment.”<\/p>\n
Gamescom initially stated it was aware of stolen hardware at this year’s event, noting “at an event of this size, there will always be individuals attempting to take advantage of the situation. Our security measures are designed to minimise such risks as effectively as possible.”<\/p>\n
This statement also referenced its “general security regulations” and advised “individual stand security can be booked separately,<\/p>\n