gamescom congress 21.08.2025 #gcc

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Our speakers 2025

Renowned personalities from around the world will reveal the diverse potential of computer and video games from a wide variety of perspectives. Y-Lan Boureau, Celia Hodent, David Helgason, and Jukka Laakso are the first speakers to be announced. Tickets for the gamescom congress are available here .

The gamescom congress is unique worldwide and in high demand far beyond the gaming industry. Using current examples from practice, the congress shows how education, culture, business, and science can benefit from the gaming industry. This year's event will focus on the topics of “Games and Well-Being,” “The Next Level of Immersion,” and “Games and Responsibility.” With over 150 experts, the gamescom congress 2025 guarantees a diverse program with exciting talks and panel discussions. Among others, the following are expected on stage at the new Confex congress center on the Koelnmesse grounds:

Y-Lan Boureau (Founder & CEO ThrivePal)

Y-Lan Boureau (Founder & CEO ThrivePal)

When technology makes life ever more convenient - how can games promote real well-being? Y-Lan Boureau addresses this question. Because there is often a gap between short-term fun and long-term well-being. After 18 years of research in neuroscience and AI, Y-Lan Boureau is working with ThrivePal to strengthen social cohesion with the help of scientifically sound tools.

Celia Hodent (Game-UX-Strategy)

Celia Hodent (Game-UX-Strategy)

Games inspire billions around the world, but we all need to work together to protect them: against toxic communication, exploitative monetization and unsafe working conditions. This is why Celia Hodent is campaigning for ethical guidelines in the games industry. She explains how a code of ethics protects both players and developers and strengthens the industry in the long term.

David Helgason (Founder & CEO Unity Technologies)

David Helgason (Co-Founder Cleanplay & Unity Technologies)

What if gaming's energy consumption wasn't just a problem, but the key to the energy transition? David Helgason shows how the energy used by gamers worldwide can become a driver for real climate protection. As a member of the founding team of CleanPlay, a platform that directly links gaming activity with demand for renewable energy, Helgason makes it clear that games can become the infrastructure of the future far beyond entertainment. The aim is to bring gamers, studios and platforms together as a driving force for the energy transition.

Jukka Laakso (CEO Soihtu DTx)

Jukka Laakso (CEO Soihtu DTx)

How can video games help treat severe depression when conventional therapies fail? Jukka Laakso presents how digital games can specifically address neurocognitive deficits - such as concentration and memory problems that persist in depression even after the mood has improved. After more than 15 years in the games industry, Jukka Laakso has dedicated the last five years to developing games “beyond entertainment” for therapeutic use.

Further speakers will follow shortly.