Ryan Riley is the indie developer behind October’s Mimic, an asymmetrical multiplayer survival horror game that has shown impressive potential. This week, he traveled to Gamescom in Cologne, Germany, to promote his new title, only to post on X that his laptop, along with those of several other developers, had been stolen from the event's business area. In an emotional statement detailing the painful loss, he said, "My Gamescom trip ended early." We reached out to Riley a few hours later; he shared that he was still deeply affected but "overwhelmed by the support."
Gamescom is the world's largest gaming convention, combining the industry networking aspects of the former E3 with the public exhibition features of PAX, attracting over 350,000 attendees to Cologne, Germany, each year. The Opening Night Live broadcast kicks off the event with great fanfare, after which the various exhibition areas officially open to the public. For developers, especially indie developers, this is not only an opportunity to showcase their games to players but also a crucial platform for connecting with publishers and expanding industry resources. Ryan Riley was among the exhibitors, with his booth located in the event's "Business Area," which purportedly offers round-the-clock security, allowing items to be stored safely. However, according to reports, on the morning of August 28, multiple developers entered the area to find their equipment had vanished overnight.
"All our laptops were stolen," Riley wrote in his post on X, holding back tears. "Not just mine—others weren't spared either."
"As a solo indie developer, these devices are expensive, and I already bear the full burden of development on my own. What happened wasn't just devastating—it was heartbreaking," he added. "The entire area was ransacked."
The victims have reported the incident to both the event organizers and the police, but Riley holds little hope of recovering the devices. When someone asked in the comments, "No security? No cameras?" Riley replied, "Supposedly, there should be 24-hour security, with restricted access at night. So I completely can't figure out how this could have happened."
We have contacted the organizers of Gamescom regarding the theft to inquire about the cause of the incident, whether the event is insured, and if compensation for equipment losses is available to exhibitors. We will provide updates as soon as we receive a response. Meanwhile, Riley stated, "Kindness and support from everyone have come flooding in."
Game publisher and merchandise company iam8bit also confirmed that multiple laptops were stolen at Gamescom, containing two unfinished game builds: Petal Runner and Escape Academy 2.
"This is a huge blow to us, as well as to the development teams at Nano Park studio and Coin Crew Games. Everyone put countless hours of effort into preparing for this event."
We contacted Riley for the latest updates on the incident. He stated that, to his knowledge, at least seven or eight laptops were stolen in this incident, and reiterated his disbelief at what had occurred. "The Business Area was supposed to be safer. We were previously told there was 24-hour security, and no equipment could be taken out without authorization."
Many industry professionals reached out to offer help to Riley, including Playtonic, a game development team he greatly admires. Recently, CD Projekt also expressed condolences via the official Cyberpunk 2077 account. When we asked him how he was feeling at that moment, he said, "It's been an emotional rollercoaster. I felt terrible this morning, called my wife, had a good cry, and then slowly pulled myself together." He uploaded a related video to his YouTube channel (where he usually posts Unreal Engine tutorials), saying, "After that, the support kept pouring in."
"Honestly, I don't even know how to respond," Riley said with a laugh, expressing that he was "truly grateful for all the support and kindness from everyone, both onsite and online."
When asked if he would launch a crowdfunding campaign or similar appeal, the developer replied, "Thanks, bro, but no need. Just adding my game to your wishlist and sharing the page is enough."