It's game on in Cologne, Germany

Summary

Marketplace Morning Report: “It's Game On in Cologne, Germany”

Date: August 20, 2025
Host: Lyanna Byrne (Marketplace, BBC World Service)
Special Guest: Laura Kress (BBC Reporter, Gamescom in Cologne)

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Episode Overview

This episode opens with a live update from the world’s largest gaming convention, Gamescom, in Cologne, Germany, highlighting the current state of the video game industry. The episode also includes key business updates from global markets, a look at China-India relations via renewed direct flights, and the captivating story of moving a massive church in Arctic Sweden for mining expansion.

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Main Segments & Key Discussion Points

1. Gamescom 2025: Video Game Industry's Pulse Check

[00:32–03:05]

• Live from Gamescom, Cologne:
  Lyanna Byrne introduces Laura Kress reporting live from the bustling floor of the Kohl Messer Expo Center.

  • Industry Stats & Scope:

    • Gamescom features 1,500 exhibitors from over 72 countries; over 400,000 attendees expected.
    • “The games industry, of course, [is] much bigger [than] the film industry, the music industry. This is where it all happens…” – Laura Kress [01:19]

  • Market Challenges Post-Pandemic:

    • After pandemic-driven growth, the industry now faces a slump and consolidation.
    • Gamers shifted to only playing one or two games per year, tightening the market for publishers.
    • “There was this massive, massive growth during the pandemic…Now…a lot of people are just playing, playing one or two games possibly a year.” – Laura Kress [01:47]
    • Resulting financial pressures lead to layoffs and studio closures. Recent example: Xbox’s staff cuts at several smaller studios.

  • Gamescom’s Importance:

    • Offers visibility for both blockbuster and indie titles, crucial in a competitive market.

  • Notable Quote & Moment:

    • “I just played Resident Evil Requiem, which is quite a scary survival horror game…that series has been going for about 30 years now. That was pretty terrifying.” – Laura Kress [02:44]
    • Lyanna Byrne laughs: “Try not to terrify yourself on the job, Laura.” [02:58]

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2. Business & Markets Update

[03:05–03:40]

• Headlines:
  • Pop Mart (China) reports net profits up nearly 400%.
  • SoftBank Group shares fall over 7% after $2B investment in struggling Intel.
  • China and India to restart direct flights after a five-year pause, signaling efforts to thaw economic and diplomatic relations.

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3. China-India Direct Flights Resume

[03:40–04:08]

• Context:
  • Pre-ban: 500+ monthly flights; restrictions and tight visa rules hurt both economies.
  • Resumption driven partly by US tariff pressures on China.
• Agreements:
  • Both sides to finalize an air services agreement, ease visa rules, and continue border talks.
• Quote:
  • “Now, with pressure mounting from US tariffs, Delhi and Beijing are trying to reset ties.” – Davina Gupta, BBC Correspondent [03:48]

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4. Sweden’s Kiruna Church on the Move

[04:08–06:52]

• Story:

  • The historic 600-ton Kiruna church is being physically moved to allow the expansion of the world’s deepest iron ore mine.
  • The building is placed on a specially built, 24-meter wide road and rolled three miles at 500 meters/hour—broadcast live on Swedish TV.
  • The move protects irreplaceable interiors, including a 1,000-pipe organ and royal painting.

• Project Management:

  • “We have built a road…lifted it all up with jacks…and put all the trails underneath.” – Hel Ulufsson, Project Manager [05:13]

• Wider Context:

  • The entire town of Kiruna has gradually shifted over two decades due to mining.
  • “When we went underground in the 50s, what happens is that gravity makes the land want to fall into where we mined out the iron ore.” – Niklas Uhanson, mining company [06:10]

• Symbolism:

  • The church move is framed as a symbolic step from past to future, reflecting the town’s resilience and adaptability.

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Notable Quotes

• On Industry Scale:

  • “The games industry, of course, [is] much bigger [than] the film industry, the music industry. This is where it all happens.”
    – Laura Kress, 01:19

• On Gaming During the Pandemic:

  • “There was this massive, massive growth during the pandemic…Now…a lot of people are just playing, playing one or two games possibly a year.”
    – Laura Kress, 01:47

• On Kiruna Church Move:

  • “While many people find going to church moving, this one actually is.”
    – Stephanie Prentice, 04:56

• Mining Impact:

  • “When we went underground in the 50s, what happens is that gravity makes the land want to fall into where we mined out the iron ore.”
    – Niklas Uhanson, 06:10

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Timestamps for Key Segments

• Gamescom/Gaming Industry Discussion: 00:32–03:05
• Business & Markets Headlines: 03:05–03:40
• China-India Flights Update: 03:40–04:08
• Kiruna Church Move in Sweden: 04:08–06:52

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Recap

In less than 10 minutes, this Marketplace Morning Report delivers snapshots of the global economy: a live pulse check from Gamescom as gaming adapts post-pandemic, pivotal business headlines out of Asia, and a remarkable instance of urban transformation above the Arctic Circle with the migration of Sweden’s most beloved church. The episode’s tone is brisk, informative, occasionally playful—ideal for business news with a global human angle.

Transcript

[A]

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[B]

Its game on as the industry's biggest names look to level up at a mega gaming convention in Germany. Live from the uk, this is the Marketplace Morning Report from the BBC World Service, I'm Liana Byrne. Good morning. So the biggest names in video games are showing what they've got at the trade fair gamescom in Germany. Revenue in the global games market is forecast to hold at just under $190 billion this year. But the industry is weathering a rough patch with layoffs and studio closures in the last few years. The BBC's Laura Kress joins us from Cologne. Hello, Laura.

[C]

Hello, Liana.

[B]

Laura, what's going on there today?

[C]

Well, it's incredibly busy here. I am in the middle of the Kohl Messer Expo center here in Cologne in Germany. We've got 1,500 exhibitors here at Gamescom this year from over 72 countries. It's a massive, massive industry. The games industry, of course, much bigger. The film industry, the music industry. This is where it all happens. It's where players get a taste of upcoming games and it's where game makers can also do lots of business as well.

[B]

Yeah, it is such a huge industry and I feel sometimes people forget that. But what are some of the conversations happening right now in the industry?

[C]

Well, it is quite a difficult time, actually, because post pandemic, we've seen a bit of a slump. There was this massive, massive growth during the pandemic when, of course, a lot of people were indoors. We've now seen a bit of a slump in that a lot of people are just playing, playing one or two games possibly a year. And that means these kind of events are a massive way, even for small titles, to get their business out there. And, you know, I believe there's expected to be about over 400,000 people attending.

[B]

But how does a gaming company cope with that?

[C]

It's very difficult. And unfortunately, what we have seen is that several of them haven't. You know, we have seen layoffs continue into this year. Just recently, Xbox said that it was letting go of a lot of its stuff from some of its smaller companies that it has. So unfortunately the answer is they don't always cope with that.

[B]

Well, it still sounds all very exciting, Laura. Is there anything that you're looking forward to over the next coming days?

[C]

So I am a gamer myself, so this is kind of my heaven really. I just played Resident Evil Requiem, which is quite a scary survival horror game. You know, that series has been going for about 30 years now. That was pretty terrifying. So I'm looking forward to maybe some more relaxed games later on.

[B]

Try not to terrify yourself on the job, Laura. Okay.

[C]

My best.

[B]

The BBC's Laura Kress at Gamescom. Thank you so much for joining us on Marketplace.

[C]

Thank you.

[B]

Okay, let's do the numbers. Pop Mart, the Chinese makers of that Is it cute? Is it ugly? Labubu toy announced record half year results reporting net profits that soared nearly 400%. And shares in the SoftBank Group plunged more than 7%, announcing a $2 billion investment in and the struggling U.S. chipmaker Intel. And after a five year pause, China and India are going to restart direct flights between the two countries. This was announced after a top Indian diplomat visited Beijing to help thaw relations. From Delhi, the BBC's to Venugupta.

[D]

Before the ban, over 500 flights operated every month. But the restrictions along with tight visa rules hit airlines, passengers and trade hard. Now with pressure mounting from US tariffs, Delhi and Beijing are trying to reset ties. During Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi's visit to Delhi this week, both sides agreed to finalize on air services agreement to start direct flights at the earliest ease visa rules and continue border talks.

[B]

Davina Gupta reporting. Now to a moving story, quite literally a centuries old church in Sweden has begun a slow motion journey to make way for the expansion of the world's deepest iron ore mine. The 600 ton Kiruna church has been jacked up onto a special trailer where it'll be transported three miles. The BBC's Stephanie Prentice in the far north of Sweden, above the Arctic Circle.

[A]

Lies Kiruna, a town.

[E]

The modern community of Kirina was built around 125 years ago with robust wooden structures designed to withstand the Arctic cold. The jewel in its crown has always been the church there. Dubbed one of Sweden's most beautiful buildings. But now it's under threat. And while many people find going to church moving, this one actually is. The 600 ton structure has just started being rolled to a new location. Hel Ulufsson is project managing the plan described as one of the most ambitious urban relocation projects in recent history.

[F]

We have build a Road for 24 meters wide road and we have digged all underneath and lifted it all up with yaks. And then we have put all the trails underneath. And on the new location we have done a new foundation as well.

[E]

Traveling at a maximum speed of 500 meters an hour. The move is expected to take two days and is being broadcast live on Swedish TV. But the stakes are high. One delicate aspect is the protection of the church's interior treasures, including a 1000 pipe organ and a painting made by a member of Sweden's royal family that's glued into the masonry. And it's not just the church that's on the move. Kirina has had to gradually shift in the past two decades. Niklas Uhanson works for the mining company.

[G]

We've been mining here since the turn of the century. And when we went underground in the 50s, what happens is that gravity makes the land want to fall into where we mined out the iron ore. And now we've been mining down to 1300 meters it continuously to fall down slowly, slowly. And we need to move.

[E]

Moving towns isn't new, but moving an entire building in one piece is is unusual. And while Kieran as mayor says his wife is angry at him about the old city relocating, he says moving the church is about more than logistics. It's a symbol of the town's move from the past to the future.

[B]

Stephanie Prentice reporting. And that's it from the Marketplace morning report from the BBC World Service. Sarah Rogers is our producer today. Naomi Rainey is the editor. I'm Lyanna Byrne and thanks for listening.

[H]

Poetry has the power to connect our inner universe and the outer world. I'm Maggie Smith, poet and host of the Slowdown, a podcast from American Public Media. Each weekday find time to take a breather from your to do list or doom scrolling for that matter and take in a moment of reflection on with a hand picked poem. Listen to the Slowdown wherever you get podcasts.