Cosplay and queues at Gamescom

Armour-clad warriors mixed with cosplaying Super Marios and monster hunters on Thursday, as gamers braved hours of queuing at the sector's biggest trade show, Gamescom in Germany's Cologne.

"We'll have to run," said Mark Nass, a 20-year-old German who queued from 6:30 am outside the glass and steel Koelnmesse convention centre.

Nass was among many aiming to be first in line to play "Monster Hunter Wilds", one of the most popular games at the annual Gamescom gathering.

The event serves as a celebration for fans, who get sneak peaks at new releases and chats with developers while spending time with like-minded folk.

But it is also a massive deal for the industry.

Although Microsoft is dominating this year's event, hundreds of smaller companies are battling for a share of the attention.

 'A bit like Cannes'

Marina Diez from German independent studio BTF was showing off the game "The Berlin Apartment".

"We're showcasing it in a big event for the first time, before releasing the next year," she told AFP.

She said getting opinions from players at the conference was vital to feed into the game design.

The stakes are getting higher for smaller studios, who rely on making deals with publishers to get their games out into the world.

But publishers are also struggling as major financial backers shift their focus to AI and other sectors.

Thousands have been laid off and many studios have shut down.

Gamescom gives creators a chance to do deals and secure vital funding.

"It's a bit like the Cannes Film Festival in terms of business," said David Rabineau, director of the Parisian independent studio Homo Ludens.

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