Last week's vast GamesCom event (this year's replacement for Leipzig's Games Convention) has been hailed a glowing success by organisers at the Cologne Messe - who staged the five day show - which opened it's doors to the last Wednesday (the public were given ticketed access from Thursday).

According to the latest statistics, the show attracted a whopping 245,000 attendees, more than the 200,000 originally predicted.

According to bosses at the messe, next year's event is also guaranteed, and will take place August 18th to the 22nd, 2010. This year's vast turn-out makes it the world's biggest games show.

"We are very proud of the premiere of gamescom. It fulfilled all our objectives right away and is the largest game trade fair in the world. Computer and video games are so attractive that our industry is breaking all records despite the economic crisis," says BIU (the German trade body) boss Olaf Wolters.

By Luke Guttridge