Declaration on accessibility

Koelnmesse GmbH endeavors to make its websites accessible in accordance with the legal provisions.

This declaration on accessibility applies to all websites (exclusively https://www.gamescom.global as well as to independent websites under this domain (subdomains)) operated by Koelnmesse GmbH as the organizer.

1. Status of compatibility with accessibility requirements

These websites are partially compatible with the requirements due to the following incompatibilities and exceptions.

2. Non-accessible content

Despite our efforts, the following content is not yet accessible:

a) Alternative texts (WCAG 1.1.1)

• Several images do not contain alternative texts or texts that do not sufficiently describe the content of the image (e.g. social media icons in the footer).

b) Structure and semantics (WCAG 1.3.1, 2.4.6)

• Headings do not always follow a logical hierarchy.
• Some sections are not marked as landmark rolls.
• Clear page titles are missing on individual pages.
• h1 tags are not used correctly for page identification.
• Notes (e.g. section on fraud attempts) are not marked as headings.

c) Contrasts (WCAG 1.4.3)

• Texts and UI elements (e.g. buttons, input fields, icons, links) sometimes have insufficient color contrasts.

d) Scaling and pagination (WCAG 1.4.4, 1.4.10)

• At 200 % zoom, the logo wall control disappears.

e) Keyboard operation (WCAG 2.1.1)

• The tab bar and the function for adding exhibitors to the watch list cannot be operated without a mouse.

f) Focus order and visibility (WCAG 2.4.3, 2.4.7)

• The focus sequence deviates from the visual structure (e.g. search field before navigation).
• Some areas and functions are not accessible via the keyboard.
• The visible focus is not always clearly recognizable.

g) Link purpose (WCAG 2.4.4)

• Some links (e.g. language switcher, social media, pagination) are not clearly labeled or do not contain any perceptible link text.

h) Technical barriers (WCAG 4.1.1, 4.1.2)

• Article teasers are nested and unreadable for screen readers.
• Interactive elements such as buttons, links and tooltips are not clearly or correctly labeled.
• Incorrect or invalid ARIA attributes are used.
• Form fields are incorrectly nested or not clearly labeled.

i) Consistency (WCAG 3.2.4)

• The tab name in the browser is not consistent with the actual page name.

j) PDF files

• The PDF files checked do not contain any semantic tags for structural markup. It is therefore not possible to carry out a more extensive accessibility check at this point.

3. Creation of this declaration on accessibility

This declaration was prepared between 20.05.2025 and 23.05.2025. The declaration is based on a self-assessment and was last reviewed on 16.06.2025.

4. Feedback and contact details

Have you discovered barriers on our website?

Please let us know so that we can take action. Ideally, you should name a specific page (with URL) on which the problem is occurring, your browser version (e.g. Firefox, Chrome etc.) and your operating system (e.g. Mac OS, Windows, iOS, Android).

Contact: barrierefreiheit@koelnmesse.de

5. Possibility of lodging a complaint with an enforcement body

If Koelnmesse GmbH does not respond to your request within the legally stipulated period, you can contact the ombudsman's office for barrier-free information technology of the state of North Rhine-Westphalia.

The ombudsman's office for accessible information technology in the state of North Rhine-Westphalia is assigned to the state government's representative for people with disabilities in North Rhine-Westphalia. The ombudsman's office can be contacted on 0049 211/8553451 or by e-mail: ombudsstelle-barrierefreie-it@mags.nrw.de