Indie Games Showcase at Gamescom 2025: Students Display Nearly 50 Unique Game Creations
The "RAW TALENT" booth, a significant platform for showcasing the work of student game designers, is returning to Gamescom 2025. This year, the booth will be larger, occupying a 63 square meter space in the Indie Area (Stand number: D042g - D044g) of Hall 10.2.
The "RAW TALENT" booth is a collaborative effort between 11 public universities from Germany and Austria, including the Cologne University of Applied Sciences and the University of Bayreuth, HTW Berlin, TU Chemnitz, Darmstadt University of Applied Sciences, Furtwangen University, TU Graz, TH Köln, Mittweida University of Applied Sciences, Technical University of Munich, Neu-Ulm University of Applied Sciences, and the University of Siegen.
Around 50 student teams from these universities will present their indie games at Gamescom 2025. Last year, 19 student teams presented their projects in the "Home of Indies" (HOI). This year, for the first time, student projects will have their own stage in the Indie Area at gamescom.
Prof. Dr. Greta Hoffmann from the Cologne Game Lab of TH Köln is the initiator and organizer of the "RAW TALENT" booth. TH Köln promotes social innovation, addressing the challenges of society, and is among the most innovative universities of applied sciences, providing an inspiring learning, working, and research environment.
The Indie Area at gamescom offers a high level of visibility and proximity to the community that is important for the development of young talents. It is a bustling and intense environment, with hundreds of visitors giving feedback and discovering potential bugs. The Indie Area at gamescom serves as a reality check for these student teams, as they must compete for attention among numerous other excellent indie games.
The Indie Area at gamescom is known for independent game developments and potential hidden gems. By situating student projects in this environment, the "RAW TALENT" booth provides student developers a rare opportunity to exhibit their projects to a large, international audience, gain visibility, and connect with industry professionals during one of the largest gaming events worldwide.
TH Cologne offers over 21,000 students approximately 95 bachelor's and master's programs. The university is involved in Gamescom 2025, and the "RAW TALENT" booth is sponsored by TH Köln. The booth aims to empower the next generation of game developers through direct public and professional engagement at a major international event.
In sum, the "RAW TALENT" booth serves as a vital incubator and showcase for student creativity and game design skills from German and Austrian universities, amplifying their presence within the global games industry ecosystem at Gamescom 2025.
[1] Gamescom [2] RAW TALENT [3] TH Cologne [4] Indie Area at Gamescom
- The "RAW TALENT" booth, located in the Indie Area at Gamescom, is a collaboration between 11 German and Austrian universities, including TH Cologne, to showcase student game designs and promote education-and-self-development in the field of technology.
- At Gamescom 2025, student teams from these universities will present their indie games on a dedicated stage, utilizing technology to bring their creative visions to life for entertainment purposes, fostering connections with industry professionals and international audiences.
