This year’s Gamescom event is underway in Cologne, Germany, and now the country’s president, Frank-Walter Steinmeier–speaking at the event itself–warned people to consider the downsides to gaming. He also said gaming is great and has lots of positive effects on people and society.
As reported by DPA International, he said video games have “become so ubiquitous,” so it’s only prudent to “discuss the downsides of this development.” He said people should look at video games “objectively, honestly, and in a nuanced way.”
Steinmeier pointed out how the World Health Organization has warned of the dangers of gaming addiction, and he went on to say some video games expose people to “brutality and raw violence, to sexism, racism, inhuman thinking, and extremist ideologies.”
Also during his speech, Steinmeier said it’s an outdated way of thinking to believe a “gamer” is someone who plays video games 24/7, eats junk food, and drinks energy drinks in a dark room. This “does not do justice to reality,” he said.
“Games have long since found their place at the heart of our society,” he said, adding that advancements to gaming technology have helped various other industries, including medicine, architecture, and motor vehicle design.
Gamescom 2026 kicked off with Geoff Keighley’s Opening Night Live event, where a lot of announcements were made. The show itself is underway now, and for more, you can read GameSpot’s interview with the organizers about how the biggest gaming event in the West continues to grow.