Theft Problems At Gamescom And CD Projekt Red To The Rescue

Image Source: Game Developer

Tragedy and community both reigned at Gamescom 2026. The tragedy was a string of thefts, lifting valuable equipment from a few booths through the night. Ryan Laley, an Indie developer, posted on X, “My #gamescom cut short. Our equipment was stolen last night from the booth. Police reports have been filed. At a loss for words to describe the feeling. Just defeated. Gonna do my best with what’s left of the week. But a huge blow financially and mentally.” Laley wasn’t the only victim at the event. Tessera studios, another Indie developer, reported stolen controllers, a Steam Deck, and two laptops that contained Gamescom demos and personal, crucial company information.

The community stepped in when CD Projekt Red, the developers behind Cyberpunk 2077, replied to Laley’s post. They wrote, “We are very sorry this happened to you. We hope you know you’re not on your own with this. And while it might not help right this second, we’ll check the Araska hardware archives and see if we can send a few things your way. No choom should have to start from zero.” Another developer, Indie Game Joe, donated money to Laley to cover the cost of the stolen hardware. Laley thanked both of the game developers, and what started as a tragedy turned into a heartwarming show of support from his competitors in the industry. Indie Game Joe even recommended that players add Laley’s upcoming game Mimic to their wishlists.

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Source(s): PC Gamer, GameSpot

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