adminJohn Romero will headline the business conference at Gamescom Asia x Thailand Game Show in Bangkok. His keynote, titled “Why We Still Make Games,” will explore a career shaped by game development, industry change and professional setbacks. For visitors planning their schedules, the announcement offers an early look at the conference’s speakers and the wider event.
Image credit: Yijia Zhang
John Romero at Gamescom Asia: keynote details
Romero, co-founder of id Software, is set to discuss a lifetime of making games and how the industry has changed over the decades. The keynote is part of the business-area conference, so it may be especially relevant to developers, publishers and others interested in the business and creative realities of game production.
Romero currently runs Romero Games with his wife, Brenda. The studio experienced layoffs after an unnamed publisher withdrew funding for a big-budget first-person shooter in 2025. The project was widely reported to be associated with Microsoft, although the publisher was not named in the announcement. Romero Games has since shifted its focus to a smaller independent shooter.
Other announced speakers and event dates
The conference lineup also includes speakers from game development, publishing and technology. Announced participants include:
- Nick Herman and Dennis Lenart, co-founders of AdHoc Studio, the developer of Dispatch
- Zhen Fang, Roblox vice president and head of international
- Jane Lau, head of creative production at Tencent
- Emilio Coppola, executive director at Godot
- Yoan Fanise, creative director and founder of DigixArt
The event is scheduled to run from October 29 to November 1 in Bangkok. Visitors considering which sessions to attend should check the final programme closer to the event, as the speaker list and schedule may be updated.
A larger Bangkok event following its 2025 partnership
Gamescom Asia joined forces with Thailand Game Show in 2025, following its first four years in Singapore. The organisers say this year’s show will expand its floor space by 20%, reaching 35,000 square metres. The previous edition drew 206,169 attendees, giving visitors an idea of the scale of the event, though attendance can vary from year to year.
Confirmed exhibitors include Nintendo, Capcom, Sega, The Pokémon Company, Bandai Namco and AMD. Attendees can use the exhibitor list to plan which areas to visit, while keeping in mind that booth details and activities may be announced separately.
“Last year we proved that Bangkok is ready to host a world-class gaming event at scale,” said Prakash Ramajillu, General Manager of Asia-Pacific at Koelnmesse. He said organisers aim to build on that response with more space, brands and experiences, alongside Romero’s appearance.
With an expanded exhibition floor, a broad speaker lineup and Romero’s keynote, John Romero Gamescom Asia is shaping up as a notable part of the Bangkok event. Check the official programme before travelling to confirm session times, exhibitor information and any schedule changes.
Image credit: Gamescom Asia x Thailand Game Show
