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Homo ludens @Gamescom 2012 – Day .5

Spending 1 hour at this years Gamescom 2012 in Cologne before they close for the day. So it does not really count as a whole day. Today the fair opened for the public until Sunday. Will go tomorrow, just stopped by on the way home.

Last year it was really (too) crowded. It usually is already quite full on Thursday and the last two years it got even more crowded until Sunday. Worst time is around noon. After 3-4 pm it gets a little better.
Arrived around 7 pm-ish to use the chance to take some pictures.

Swimming against the current. A steady stream of gamers flows to the train station.

P1070103

Staging area where they hand out the bracelets. Don’t be fooled, it will not be this empty tomorrow morning.

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Main entrance. At this time rather the exit. They learned something from last year and are opening another entrance at hall 11 for those who already have a ticket. The hall 11 entrance is right next to the main entrance.

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Some gamers queuing up for Borderlands 2. Thought the first one was a surprise hit. Release date: September 21st. Might be faster to just wait than to wait in line.

P1070118

Last year the Diablo III area at Blizzard was walled of. Now post release there is nothing to hide.
A rare sight to see no lines and only a few gamers actually playing.
Again, I do not expect it to look like this before 5 pm.

P1070120

Neither will the SC2 part of Blizzards’ booth be so idle:

P1070121

Nor the WoW expansion part – Mists of Pandaria:

P1070127

RaiderZ across the isle:

P1070119

This one gives an impression of how empty the halls are in the evening.

P1070123

Public transport simulations:

P1070125

EA manages to retain visitors’ attention even at closing time. Isles are already empty. But do not be fooled, there are really a lot of visitors around, slowly moving to the exits.

P1070128

EA brought some cars along for NfS Most Wanted

P1070130

FIFA ## never fails to attract fans

P1070131

Apart from the fenced-off part the area was empty. Not really sure about their motivation to wait in line for … what?

P1070133

More NfS hardware

P1070137

Of all sports title I had actually not seen a handball game before. Might try this tomorrow.

P1070140

If you squint you can read “My Body Coach 3” on the glass

P1070143

Body Coach 3 in action

P1070145

Have your picture taken – in defiance

P1070144

The “case king” or “caseking” (see above) ruling supreme over some contest.

P1070151

It.is.back!!! In 2010 I raised my brow ().
In 2011 Landwirtschafts-Simulator 2012 made it’s way to the 3DS.
Now it is not only back:

P1070155

They built a controller for it!!!

P1070157

This puts Steel Battalion to shame

P1070160

Strictly speaking you need to have one of those age indicating bracelets to play any game not rated “0” at Gamescom. They should be handed out here I was told at the info stand. But someone already had left his/her post. It was almost closing time so this is understandable. Would have saved the time picking one up tomorrow, one queue less.

P1070161

Nintendo and Microsoft are notably absent this year. But Sony is still around, wich is a good thing.
2010 and 2011 Sony had put up the best showing I thought. Many games, most could be played with reasonable queuing time.

P1070162

Also like the visual style of their (huge) booth.
Little Big Planet Karting:

P1070163

P1070164

Many beanie bags with PS Vitas to play around

P1070166

The move based games were popular. Some do not like move. It just does not make the gaming experience better for most “classic” games. When there are games where the concept fits, I actually prefer it to the controller-free Kinect. But I think I can count my move and Kinect games on one hand.

P1070182

Ubisoft and Konami booths. PES has a similar attraction level as FIFA.

P1070169

PES 2013

P1070171

Hitman: Absolution and Sleeping Dogs murals. Would like to play both tomorrow. But need to find out if there are playable demos or just video trailers before standing in line.

P1070173

More Ubisoft. I would really like Splinter Cell Blacklist to be good.

P1070175

Farcry 3

P1070176

Konami promising Metal Gear Rising: Revengeance.

P1070178

But I did not see it at their booth. Walked around it once. They do have their own broadcast studio, though.

P1070180

World of tanks seems to be getting some media attention lately. The booth was already closed apart from the large video wall:

P1070182

Next door: End of Nations

P1070185

Across: FireFall. Will try to play it tomorrow, both was already being shut down for the day.

P1070189

League of Legends was a huge hit last year. This year they moved to hall 8.

P1070192

Unobstructed view over some competition seats.

Spending 1 hour at this years Gamescom 2012 in Cologne before they close for the day. So it does not really count as a whole day. Today the fair opened for the public until Sunday. Will go tomorrow, just stopped by on the way home.

Last year it was really (too) crowded. It usually is already quite full on Thursday and the last two years it got even more crowded until Sunday. Worst time is around noon. After 3-4 pm it gets a little better.
Arrived around 7 pm-ish to use the chance to take some pictures.

Swimming against the current. A steady stream of gamers flows to the train station.

P1070103

Staging area where they hand out the bracelets. Don’t be fooled, it will not be this empty tomorrow morning.

P1070106

Main entrance. At this time rather the exit. They learned something from last year and are opening another entrance at hall 11 for those who already have a ticket. The hall 11 entrance is right next to the main entrance.

P1070206

Some gamers queuing up for Borderlands 2. Thought the first one was a surprise hit. Release date: September 21st. Might be faster to just wait than to wait in line.

P1070118

Last year the Diablo III area at Blizzard was walled of. Now post release there is nothing to hide.
A rare sight to see no lines and only a few gamers actually playing.
Again, I do not expect it to look like this before 5 pm.

P1070120

Neither will the SC2 part of Blizzards’ booth be so idle:

P1070121

Nor the WoW expansion part – Mists of Pandaria:

P1070127

RaiderZ across the isle:

P1070119

This one gives an impression of how empty the halls are in the evening.

P1070123

Public transport simulations:

P1070125

EA manages to retain visitors’ attention even at closing time. Isles are already empty. But do not be fooled, there are really a lot of visitors around, slowly moving to the exits.

P1070128

EA brought some cars along for NfS Most Wanted

P1070130

FIFA ## never fails to attract fans

P1070131

Apart from the fenced-off part the area was empty. Not really sure about their motivation to wait in line for … what?

P1070133

More NfS hardware

P1070137

Of all sports title I had actually not seen a handball game before. Might try this tomorrow.

P1070140

If you squint you can read “My Body Coach 3” on the glass

P1070143

Body Coach 3 in action

P1070145

Have your picture taken – in defiance

P1070144

The “case king” or “caseking” (see above) ruling supreme over some contest.

P1070151

It.is.back!!! In 2010 I raised my brow ().
In 2011 Landwirtschafts-Simulator 2012 made it’s way to the 3DS.
Now it is not only back:

P1070155

They built a controller for it!!!

P1070157

This puts Steel Battalion to shame

P1070160

Strictly speaking you need to have one of those age indicating bracelets to play any game not rated “0” at Gamescom. They should be handed out here I was told at the info stand. But someone already had left his/her post. It was almost closing time so this is understandable. Would have saved the time picking one up tomorrow, one queue less.

P1070161

Nintendo and Microsoft are notably absent this year. But Sony is still around, wich is a good thing.
2010 and 2011 Sony had put up the best showing I thought. Many games, most could be played with reasonable queuing time.

P1070162

Also like the visual style of their (huge) booth.
Little Big Planet Karting:

P1070163

P1070164

Many beanie bags with PS Vitas to play around

P1070166

The move based games were popular. Some do not like move. It just does not make the gaming experience better for most “classic” games. When there are games where the concept fits, I actually prefer it to the controller-free Kinect. But I think I can count my move and Kinect games on one hand.

P1070182

Ubisoft and Konami booths. PES has a similar attraction level as FIFA.

P1070169

PES 2013

P1070171

Hitman: Absolution and Sleeping Dogs murals. Would like to play both tomorrow. But need to find out if there are playable demos or just video trailers before standing in line.

P1070173

More Ubisoft. I would really like Splinter Cell Blacklist to be good.

P1070175

Farcry 3

P1070176

Konami promising Metal Gear Rising: Revengeance.

P1070178

But I did not see it at their booth. Walked around it once. They do have their own broadcast studio, though.

P1070180

World of tanks seems to be getting some media attention lately. The booth was already closed apart from the large video wall:

P1070182

Next door: End of Nations

P1070185

Across: FireFall. Will try to play it tomorrow, both was already being shut down for the day.

P1070189

League of Legends was a huge hit last year. This year they moved to hall 8.

P1070192

LoL tournament theater. 15 minutes before closing time.

P1070195

Directly next to the LoL theatre the SC2 high level play still pulls a crowd

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P1070198

P1070202

So to sum up 1 hour of Gamescom 2012:
Refreshingly calm in the evening. Still a few lines for the big titles. For theaters: Still unclear most of the time if there is a playable demo or just some video reel. Which I could watch from my smartphone – waiting in line somewhere else. Where there IS a playable demo.

Riding into the Cologne sun set until tomorrow.

P1070205