What's a European gamer to do? With the once enormous Leipzig Games Convention fractured, two new gaming conventions are popping up around the same time to take its place.
Technically, the Leipzig Games Convention still exists, but the folks putting it on just announced that they've decided to refocus the gaming event on just online and mobile games. Seriously. This new, seemingly horrible, convention will run from July 31 to August 2.
But the thing is, it was so, so, so great before that it's hard to just turn our backs on it cold turkey.
Unless there's another draw... say in Cologne.
This morning the Cologne Gamescom (yes, with an M) sent out an email reminding everyone just how great their new, first-time-ever show is going to be. Never mind that there's not more camping at the venue, or the hijinks of the "beach" or that Cologne, I'm told, is crowded and hard to get around even without the help of an international convention.
The Gamescom, which runs from August 19 through the 23, has the backing of quite a few big companies like Ubisoft, Electronic Arts and the German Trade Association of Interactive Entertainment Software.
So yes, this is exactly what it sounds like: A pissing match with gamers caught in the middle, full stream.