Gamescom has issued a public apology for its initial response to a spate of hardware thefts affecting indie developers at the Cologne event, admitting its first statement "did not strike the right tone" and lacked empathy for those affected. Several exhibitors, including developer Ryan Laley, iam8bit and Tessera Studios, reported laptops and other equipment stolen from their booths, with Laley saying the loss effectively cut his show short. The organiser's original comments, which merely acknowledged awareness of the thefts, drew further criticism from attendees at the time.

In a follow-up statement posted on 4th September, Gamescom apologised directly, saying it understood "what this has cost you" and should have said so immediately. It outlined plans to hold a dedicated security review for indie exhibitors, convene a roundtable with organisers of shared indie booths, and urged affected exhibitors to report incidents to both Gamescom and police to help identify possible links between thefts. The statement also acknowledged support from the wider industry, including CD Projekt Red and Indie Game Joe, who have offered help to those affected.