Dr. Mario Tobias: Berlin is the ideal location for the gaming scene

Interview with Dr. Mario Tobias, Chairman of the Management Board & CEO of Messe Berlin

Berlin will be the gaming capital again! On May 14, 2025, the German Computer Game Award (DCP) will return to the Palais am Funkturm in a new and glamorous setting. The most important award for games “Made in Germany” will be presented in the listed ballroom on the grounds of Messe Berlin. Dr. Mario Tobias, Member of the Board of Management and CEO of Messe Berlin, is looking forward to the upcoming event.

Dr. Mario Tobias: My last game was more analog – we had a Carrera track at our fintech festival FIBE and a miniature golf course the year before. I’m always up for a game, time permitting. But when you have the first name of a superhero, you have to like games.

We fought hard to bring the German Computer Game Award to our exhibition grounds. We are therefore delighted to be able to offer a festive setting for the DCP award ceremony in our Palais am Funkturm. Berlin is the ideal location for the gaming scene, but also for many other creative minds. We notice this time and again at our events – whether start-ups, developers or international investors – many appreciate the “Berlin vibe”.

Our exhibition grounds are the playground – they can be used for any purpose and staged accordingly. At the Riot Games e-sports event, for example, teams from all over the world competed against each other. Our exhibit hall was transformed into an e-sports arena. At the droidcon conference, our CityCube became the place to be for the international app developer community. And at IFA, the entire exhibition grounds become a stage for tomorrow’s technology trends – with its own Computing & Gaming show area. From high-performance PCs to immersive gaming technologies, everything that makes gamers’ hearts beat faster will be on display.

Tech events like IFA, Gitex Europe, droidcon and our fintech festival FIBE bring the tech community to Berlin. They showcase the latest trends and discuss current issues, from AI to cybersecurity. Berlin’s tech and gaming industry also benefits – through new impetus, professional exchange and the opportunity to network with the global community.

In my opinion, one of the main reasons for Berlin’s growing reputation as a global hub for game development is the continuous support for mobile and cross-platform application developers. Our subsidiary Mobile Seasons organizes events like droidcon Berlin and fluttercon EU, providing a platform for the Android and Flutter communities. In the future, Mobile Seasons will also expand its focus to mobile gaming and immersive technologies such as XR, VR and AR. For 2026, we are preparing a new event format that will bring together the entire mobile development ecosystem – from app and game developers to XR pioneers.

One aspect is always the same, regardless of the industry: personal interaction. We are social beings, people want to meet face to face. And that’s what we offer at our events – an experience that people want to be a part of. Depending on the industry, that experience can look very different. At our Fintech Festival FIBE, for example, we are breaking new ground: the top speaker will be available to answer participants’ questions in an exclusive setting in a replica of the Berlin Späti. Between the sessions on stage, you can take a spin on the Carrera track, and in the evening you can go out together to a Berlin club.

Our exhibition grounds are so special, not just “off the shelf” – we are versatile and adaptable: We can stage any gaming event here – whether it’s a festive awards ceremony or an e-sports tournament that is streamed around the world.

The gala will hopefully take place here again – and it will be as creative, festive and innovative as the participants want it to be. I am convinced of one thing: we will meet in person. After all, the greatest joy of winning an award is when other people are happy with you.