Updated August 29, 2026, at 1:54 p.m. BST

CD Projekt RED (via the Cyberpunk 2077 X account) has offered to replace the equipment stolen from Ryan Laley, the developer of Mimic.

"We are very sorry this happened to you. We hope you know you’re not on your own with this. And while it won’t help right this second, we’ll check the Arasaka hardware archives and see if we can send a few things your way. No choom should have to start from zero."

Original Article

In 2025, Gamescom welcomed approximately 357,000 visitors over five days. It is the world’s largest gaming event for the general public. Unfortunately, incidents of theft were reported during the 2026 edition, which will end this Sunday, August 30.

Ryan Laley, the developer of an asymmetrical horror game called Mimic, explained that his laptops were stolen overnight. The booth was broken into, and the developer is therefore no longer able to showcase his game to the public.

Subsequently, the publisher iam8bit reported similar incidents. The laptops used to demonstrate the games to the press had simply vanished. Other cases of theft were also mentioned on social media. We do not know the true extent of the problem.

As a result, the Gamescom organizers finally spoke out to address this thorny issue. They noted, in particular, that while the organization is responsible for the event’s overall security, individual booth security must be arranged separately. Exhibitors are also encouraged to insure their equipment against theft.

The police have been notified of these incidents, and investigations are underway. The Gamescom statement refers to "individual cases", adding that at an event of this scale, "there will always be individuals attempting to take advantage of the situation."