The Bundeswehr draws a positive balance in a press release published on Tuesday about its appearance at Gamescom 2026 in Cologne. More than 60,000 visitors, both women and men, used the world’s largest trade fair for computer and video games as well as consumer electronics this year to visit the Bundeswehr stand, to learn about the diverse military and civilian career opportunities on offer.
Since 2016 the Bundeswehr has been represented at Gamescom. In the “gamescom Jobs & Career” area, according to the press release, it presented itself in its tenth year as a modern and versatile employer. On a stand area of around 260 square meters, visitors gained insights into different areas of responsibility and career profiles of the Bundeswehr.
Gamescom Was a Resounding Success for Recruitment
The organizer, Köln Messe, reports a new attendance record. Also positive is the balance from the head of the Bundeswehr’s recruitment organization, Brigadier General Walter Schulte: “For us Gamescom 2026 was again a complete success. With our newly refined stand concept, featuring even more authentic information, conversation and participation formats—from personal conversations to the flight experience in the immersive space—we were able to enthuse more people than last year.”
Over 60,000 people visited the stand and learned about the Bundeswehr in general and the diverse development and career opportunities. In the process, it was possible to establish contact with around 2,000 people for further personal engagement. “Thus, the tenth anniversary at Gamescom marks a special milestone and shows that we are right with our offering to experience the Bundeswehr authentically,” said Brigadier General Schulte.
Be Where Our Target Audience Is
Among the most popular exhibits and interactive offerings this year were, among others, the military vehicle Caracal, a live-hacking station from the Center for Cyber Operations, a simulator of the Army’s military air-traffic control, and a VR experience where visitors could, via a VR headset, experience a 360-degree impression of a frigate of the German Navy. The offering was complemented by additional stations and a career lounge where career counselors conducted personal counseling conversations.
“We simply have to be where our target audience is and show what it means to stand up for the freedom of our country as a soldier or in civilian service,” said Lieutenant General Robert Sieger, President of the Federal Office for Personnel Management of the Bundeswehr and Chief of Personnel of the Bundeswehr. Explaining the Bundeswehr and the various career fields is, for him, a central argument for having a Bundeswehr stand at Gamescom: “We are a completely natural part of the nation’s life insurance.”
