Gamescom attracts a diverse audience, from casual and hardcore gamers to content creators, and esports participants. Many attend to experience new game releases, play demos, engage with the cosplay community and merchandise. Game developers and tech companies use the event to showcase their latest projects while influencers and journalists cover the top gaming news. Esports fans and pro players participate in tournaments while families and casual attendees enjoy the interactive entertainment. Statista (2022) found the age demographic of Gamescom’s audience is predominantly younger, with 9-24 year olds accounting for 72% of global social media discussions on the event. 25-40 year olds also form a significant portion of the audience with 22%, reflecting the event’s appeal to younger audiences.
After conducting research, the key stakeholders of Gamescom have been mapped into an interest- influence grid, outlining their level of involvement and interest in the event:
The Gamescom website primarily caters to gamers, with the majority of visitors aged 18-24 according to Similarweb (2025). To enhance usability, the site will be designed with accessibility in mind, ensuring it is inclusive for for everyone. This includes those with certain disabilities may that be physical, cognitive, or sensory. Key features such an an accessibility statement, minimal timed features, autofill functionality will improve navigation. Furthermore, the websites information architecture (IA) will be organised for easy navigation, with a use-friendly ‘TAB’ order to help users have a pleasant experience.
A Hierarchal Task Analysis (HTA) was created to show how Gamescom’s Website would be used:
After completing the HTA for Gamescom’s website, there can be some confusion in navigating the site which can lead to users finding it difficult to attend the festival, these pain points include:
- There is no clear tickets menu present on the home page, leading to users having trouble with navigation.
- The website is lacking accessibility options.
- Cluttered UI- can be overwhelming, making it hard to find key details.
- Confusing ticketing system which leads to difficulties understanding ticket categories and making purchases.
- Poor search functions- searching for specific exhibitors or events isn’t always intuitive, leading to navigating the cluttered home page.
Positive aspects of the website that the HTA highlighted that can be included in the Scythedge gaming festivals website:
- Including helpful information for exhibitors planning to attend the event.
- Having information pages about hotels and arriving at the event.
- Including many videos showing what to expect at the event, which helps users understand without reading extensive amounts of information.
- Labelled buttons to help identify their purpose.
Based on the previous research of the festival, six personas were created including relevant and appropriate information for attending the gaming festival. This also includes location information based on how people attend from all over the world; showing its an international event. User journey maps were then created to show how they feel while using the London Games Festival (another competitor) website and the process of purchasing tickets.
The six different personas and the user journey maps provide helpful information in creating a smooth and accessible experience for future users of the gaming festival website. To create a user friendly experience for the website and companion app a USD (user centred design) should be taken. This will ultimately improve the users experience and the data from these personas should be analysed to improve the tasks and information provided to purchasing tickets.
References:
Statista (2022) Distribution of global social media audiences discussing video game convention Gamescom as of August 2022, by age grouphttps://www.statista.com/statistics/1338278/gamescom-social-media-audience-age [Accessed 10/3/25].
Nimisha, M. (2022) Stakeholders in the Esports Ecosystem. https://medium.com/@nimishakmodi/stakeholders-in-the-esports-ecosystem-657faa10a330 [Accessed 10/3/25].
Gamescom (2025) https://www.gamescom.global/en [Accessed 10/3/25].