Solo indie developer Ryan Laley said his gamescom appearance was cut short after thieves stole laptops from his booth during the night, prompting an outpouring of support from across the gaming industry. Laley, who was showcasing his upcoming asymmetrical horror game Mimic at the Cologne, Germany event, posted a tearful video on X explaining that his equipment was taken despite the presence of event security.
«All our laptops have been stolen,» Laley said, describing the incident as «heartbreaking» and a «huge blow financially and mentally.» He noted that police reports had been filed, but he did not expect the gear to be recovered. «As an indie, solo dev, this s**t's expensive and hard to do all by yourself,» he added. «I don't know what I'm going to do now. I can't do my job.»
Gamescom kicked off with Opening Night Live on Tuesday, August 25, leaving developers several days to demo their projects. Laley's loss came with more than two days of the show still remaining, making the timing especially painful for the developer who had brought Mimic to the event to connect with potential partners and players.
His story quickly gained traction online, reaching developers who stepped in to help. CD Projekt Red, the studio behind The Witcher 3 and Cyberpunk 2077, responded to Laley's post, apologizing for the circumstances and promising to «send a few things» his way. «No choom should have to start from zero,» the studio wrote. Gaming industry expert and Don't Scream developer Joe Henson, known as Indie Game Joe, also posted a video message offering support and later donated money to replace Laley's stolen hardware.
Laley thanked the community in follow-up posts, saying he would remain at gamescom without a booth and would still be wearing his Mimic shirt. «Words can't describe how much I'm grateful for everyone's support,» he wrote. He also reflected on his work as a mentor and trainer in Unreal Engine, telling students about the industry's warmth. «Today is just evident of that. Proof that you guys are amazing.»
Laley was not the only developer affected. Publisher iam8bit reported that two laptops were stolen overnight from its business area station, which were being used to demo titles Petal Runner and Escape Academy 2. The company warned that the theft could put unfinished builds of those games at risk of being leaked. Tessera Studios, working on The Zibbo Show, also published a video saying it had been «robbed at gamescom,» with a cabinet forced open and two laptops and a Steam Deck taken. The studio said the devices contained personal, company, and critical information, calling the damage «pretty huge.»
Gamescom organizers had not publicly commented on the theft reports at the time of publication.