Gamescom issues apology for initial response to hardware thefts: "It did not show the people affected the empathy they deserve"

Gamescom issues apology for initial response to hardware thefts: "It did not show the people affected the empathy they deserve" "We understand what this has cost you, and we should have said so from the very first moment" Gamescom has apologised for its initial response to theft reports at this year's event, acknowledging it "did not strike the right tone" or "show the people affected the empathy they deserve." "We have received a great deal of criticism for the way we communicated about the theft of hardware belonging to several indie developers," the organisers wrote on social media. "That criticism is justified." "A theft like this is far more than a material loss. It can ruin an entire Gamescom for the people it happens to, and it can destroy work that took months or years to build – work that, for a small studio, can be almost everything. "We are therefore committed to jointly reviewing and further improving security." Iam8bit was also affected, with two laptops used for game demos stolen "despite the presence of Koelnmesse security." "This is hugely disappointing for us and our development teams at Nano Park Studios and Coin Crew Games, who worked tirelessly to prepare for this show," the company said.