Indie Horror Developer Mimic Had All His Equipment Stolen Directly from His Booth at gamescom
The perpetrators also stole equipment from other exhibitors.
Indie developer Ryan Laley, who is working on the horror game Mimic, became a victim of theft directly at gamescom. His booth was located in the business area of the exhibition, where the developer showcased his game to visitors and partners.
According to Laley, the theft occurred between Thursday evening and Friday morning. When the developer returned to the exhibition, his equipment was gone. However, his booth was not the only one affected — the perpetrators also stole equipment from other exhibitors.
There was a theft here last night. Not only was I robbed, but other developers were too. All our laptops are stolen. I don't even know what to say.
Laley noted that for an independent developer, such a loss is particularly painful, as acquiring equipment requires significant expense.
As an indie developer working alone, all of this is very expensive for me. And when something like this happens, it's incredibly frustrating. My heart bleeds.
After the incident, police reports were filed. Laley himself admitted that what happened effectively ended his participation in Gamescom prematurely.
It is reported that at least eight laptops were stolen.