While most players know gamescom for major game reveals and Opening Night Live, the week also includes gamescom dev, a dedicated conference where industry professionals share insights into game development, technology, and the future of the medium.
gamescom dev has expanded its 2026 conference lineup with another major keynote, additional industry sessions, and the debut of the gamescom dev Awards. The developer-focused event takes place from August 23-25 at the Confex Center in Cologne, Germany, ahead of gamescom itself.
Subnautica 2 and the gamescom dev Awards Take Center Stage
Joining previously announced opening keynote speaker Amir Satvat, Anthony Gallegos, Creative Director at Unknown Worlds, will headline the conference with a presentation titled The Perils and Freedoms of Making a Sequel to ‘Subnautica 2.’ Drawing from his experience leading development on Subnautica 2, Gallegos will discuss the challenges of evolving a beloved franchise while meeting player expectations and balancing innovation with familiarity.
Before he joined Unknown Worlds, Gallegos earned significant experience across the games industry in media, consulting, and contributing to premium and free-to-play titles on multiple platforms. It’ll be interesting to hear what he has to say during the keynote itself.
The conference has also confirmed two additional sessions. Fleur Marty, an Executive Producer at Gearbox Entertainment, will be presenting Be the Tank: The Leadership Dev Teams Deserve. It’s expected to focus on leadership, trust, and accountability when it comes to modern-day game development.
Duygu Cakmak, the R&D Director at Creative Assembly, will also be speaking and exploring the role of AI-assisted programming in Careful What You Wish For: Shipping Games in the First Era of Coding Agents.
What’s really exciting is the addition of the gamescon dev Awards, which will be presented on August 24 during the Main Stage programming. The awards will recognize the outstanding indie games that were showcased at the gamescom dev indie expo, as well as individuals and teams who have made significant contributions to the games industry.
To get an idea of what you could expect, categories include Visual Excellence, Most Innovative Game, Most Promising Game, Best Sound Design, Ambassador of the Year, and Excellence in Game Design.
This year’s gamescom dev already features more than 200 confirmed speakers, with additional announcements expected in the weeks leading up to the event. Gamescom itself will follow from August 26-30, with Opening Night Live kicking off on August 25.
The Nerd Stash was invited to attend gamescom 2026 in Cologne, Germany, and will be providing you with coverage bout about and at the event itself.
