Games and Empathy: IU to have its own stand at gamescom 2026 for the first time

Cologne, 21 August 2026. IU International University of Applied Sciences will be represented at gamescom for the first time in 2026 with its own university stand. Under the theme ‘Games and Empathy’, the Game Design degree programme invites visitors to Hall 10.1, Stand F013, from 26 to 30 August, not just to view games but to play them, try them out and engage in conversation with students, lecturers and researchers.

The focus is on projects that have emerged directly from study, teaching and research at IU. Visitors can play analogue and digital games created by students, build their own spaceship and battle their way through a tiny universe full of space debris, arrive as a revamped Grim Reaper just in time for a performance review with Sir Death, search for a missing sister in a remote village, or search suspicious vehicles at the German border for curious contraband: These are just some of the games that IU students are presenting at gamescom and making available to play on site.

Among them is the card game “Runenschmettern”, developed as part of the ‘Analogue Game’ study project. Also on offer are XR applications such as “VR Charlie” from the AR/VR degree programme, an interactive terraforming installation, Dungeons & Empathy, micro-jams, workshops and other interactive formats.

Even the design of the exhibition stand itself became a teaching project: Prof. Marion Plank and Mycha Schekalla worked with students to develop the graphic concept for the IU’s exhibition. In a collaborative design process, the students explored how an initially abstract concept such as empathy could be translated visually. This resulted in a variety of character concepts – ranging from an RPG-inspired blob to modular puzzle figures and an angular action character.

At the stand, visitors will meet, amongst others, Prof. Dr Armin Grasnick and Steven Koch, who will provide insights into the medical XR application VR Charlie, as well as lecturers and researchers from the fields of game design and game studies, including Prof. Jörg Burbach, Dr Stefan Simond and Benedikt Schüler. The stand thus also serves as a meeting place for exchange and networking between students, academia, the games industry and the interested public.

From Gamepathy to gamescom: Games as a subject of design and research

Another key focus is Gamepathy, which has been bringing together game studies, gaming culture and student game jams since 2023. The very first Gamepathy event in 2023 combined an academic conference on games with a game jam organised by IU students; the contributions were subsequently published in academic journals. At gamescom, results from the game jams and other projects in this field will be presented.

The exhibition stand thus builds on an approach that characterises the Game Design degree programme: games are not only designed, but also played, analysed, researched and discussed as a cultural medium. The question of how games can foster empathy, encourage a change of perspective and connect players with one another links student projects with contributions from game studies and design research.

Twitch livestream and digital coverage

Anyone unable to attend in person can follow parts of the programme online: on Sunday 30 August, there will be a live stream from gamescom on Twitch at: twitch.tv/gamesbavaria. The stream will also be available as video on demand at any time after the event. Further insights, projects and impressions from the trade fair will be published via Gamepathy’s social media channels.

“Designing with Empathy” at gamescom dev

IU will also be represented at gamescom dev – formerly devcom – during gamescom Business Week. This international developers’ fair brings together “top-notch” experts from the fields of game development, design, technology and research.

Prof. Nadine Trautzsch will be speaking there on Tuesday on Stage 11 on the topic of “Designing with Empathy”. The talk combines perspectives from design research, game design and game studies, and explores how empathy can be understood not only as a theme within a game, but also as a concrete creative skill and method. This approach builds on research from the IU’s Game Design degree programme and on the academic examination of ‘Gamepathy’ in the conference proceedings gamepathy#2.

The appearance at gamescom and gamescom dev thus highlights how closely teaching, creative practice, student projects and research are intertwined at IU: from initial concepts through playable prototypes and game jams to academic reflection and international professional exchange.

Come and visit us at gamescom 2026

26–30 August 2026
Hall 10.1 | Stand F013 | Cologne

Further information on the programme, the IU stand and Gamepathy

https://www.iu.de/gamescom-26/ 
https://www.instagram.com/reel/DbVNM0lApnO/?hl=de  
https://www.youtube.com/@Gamepathy 
https://iu-gamedesign.itch.io/