One case where the English pronunciation is closer to the original than the German. Since when the Romans founded it, it was called "Colonia (something)".

Evil Tortie's Mom

I might try to go to Leipzig this year..

Zeouterlimits

Great stuff,much better city :) I will so attend... nvm, I'm going to be busy :( I wanna go though, got friends who will play in the tournaments, especially for Project Gothem if there still is a PG tourney.

Irenicus-the one and only

I much prefer Koln, plus it is a bit easier to get to from abroad etc. Good decision IMO.

kiigan

Munich would be like Leipzig. zig km's away from middle germany; unlike Cologne.

Schabrak

And this is how the German Games Convention is going to die. A few years back the ECTS in London was THE Games event to go to in Europe, then some other British group decided to start a rival one at the same time. Guess what? They both flopped and Leipzig managed to take its place.
Leipzig's success has been built on hard work and incredible luck as it blossomed just when both E3 and ECTS went belly up. Companies worldwide now are familiar with the fair, the city, the drill and have Leipzig on their calendar. Moving it to Köln (which, by the way is butt ugly), giving it a different name is the perfect recipe for failure. If this really happens expect it to be dead in a couple of years.

camaway

awww, why not Munich?! We have the best beer here!

Mr Brolly

@vaterunser:
"Those of you complaining about Kölsch should be glad the Games Convention hasn't moved to Düsseldorf..."

I would never have thought that I would read a discussion about Kölsch and Alt here on Kotaku, but you're absolutely right.

TheBard

good news! who the hell put the games convention in ostdeutschland anyway! ;)

100 liter kölsch...

ganrob

Hell yeah, Köln is only 30km away from here...
I sure hope there will be a concert like in Leipzig...there's an open-air stage not far from the fairground (5-10 minute walk), as well as a philharmonic hall right in the center of Köln.

Those of you complaining about Kölsch should be glad the Games Convention hasn't moved to Düsseldorf...

vaterunser

Too bad I still can't go. Still, I am impressed that Europe (Germany even!) has created such a landmark gaming show. This sucker is turning into the heir to E3.

Rebochan

@PaddyStardust: Cologne is the Anglicized name. Proper German pronunciation was given by Asbestos_Underwear, but he didn't do the best job of explaining it. It's hard to write, because the vowel sound is peculiar and not found in English. Written phonetically, this is my best attempt: kueln (one syllable; not koo-eln, not kuh-lone).

The Ghost of Lucky

@PaddyStardust: No, I just somewhat remember a lot of this stuff. Besides, I gave a few impromptu city tours for friends and a few months ago I was on a "comedy tour" through the Cologne old town organized by my company as a special event. I picked up quite a lot there.

So if anyone wants to go to Germany and needs some advice, just drop me a line. I don't know any of the hotels, but I do know where to get a good beer and ideas for sightseeing.

TheBard

@Tokoyama: What do American beer and sex in a canoe have in common?

Both fucking close to water.

*bum-cha-diss*

Same goes for Kölsch.

FranUnFine

whoa damn, köln is way to far from here :<

Ryak

@TheBard: Do you work for the tourist board by any chance? Thats a lot of Koln knowledge right there.

PaddyStardust

Hurray, Köln ich komme ^^.
These are very good news. Can't await the GC to take place in Cologne. Kölsch isn't my favourate beer but everyone has his own taste ;)

S4RGE

@Cchrist: True, true.

I always read stuff from some pub meetings from the Kotaku staff. Maybe they'll organize something here, too. I'd love to have a beer with some Kotakuites from all over the world and gossip about games and other stuff.

TheBard

@Asbestos_Underwear: No love for the dutch eh? Or the Belgians for that matter? Next time you try to be smart have a look at the map first because then you would have seen that Belgum and Holland are way closer.

Cchrist

lets not start a beer snobbery war, but clearly you are only familiar with the BudMillerCoors brand of american beer.

I can assure you my brewery produces no such garbage. And neither do the hundreds of other craft breweries here.

IggyJReilly

Wait ... it seems like the Games Convention will still be in Leipzig. But there will be two conventions here in Germany - The Games Convention in Leipzig and the new "Games Con" in Köln, which will be the new real GC.

TheBard

Kölsch is not a proper Beer! It taste more like this USA kind of beer...like water :D

Tokoyama

plus its the home city of kolsch

mmmm german beer.

IggyJReilly

I'll actually be going then :D it's only like 3 hours drive!

Cchrist

Da simmer dabei, dat is prima. Viva Colonia!

(I live in Köln, the text above is a part of a song that is somewhat of a Cologne hymn, sung in the local dialect.)

Cologne is a great place for a convention. We have very nice convention halls, a fabulous city, the Kölner Dom, the greatest gothic cathedral in the world, many other places in the vicinity which are part of the UNESCO world heritage (Schloss Augustusburg in the nearby Brühl, for example), the best beer in the world (named "Kölsch", a local specialty. It is a light brew, served in small, slender glasses) as well as a rich history.

Köln was founded by the romans over 2000 years ago, you can see many parts of old roman aqueducts etc. around the old town. It was one of the most important cities in Europe in the middle ages, with many of the old buildings, churches and city fortifications still intact.

Oh, and the Kölner Dom contains a very special relic: The bones of the three kings. This is why the coat of arms has three crowns.

And the eleven black flames do indeed stand for the blood of 11.000 virgins... which were slaughtered by Attila the hun king. But, according to legend, God himself was angered by the slaughter and sent down an army of angels, who killed the huns and thus ended their ravaging of western europe.

I like it here.

TheBard

Köln is also germanys carnival capital. Those people know how to party. All you games journalists out there brace yourself for you'll be having a good time!
As FranUnFine already pointed out just don't make the error of actualy ordering Kölsch thinking it might be beer. And yes, all the cologne folks will try to convince you of it but just don't believe them.
And although there are good reasons for the switch Leipzig is, sadly, by far the nicer place to be.

platinum

Yahoo!:D Finaly something not over 300km away... One fast rides and I'm there. Hopefully there will be as many publishers/companyies as in Leipzig.

Schabrak

Cool whenever I go to Germany its where I go usually right after Frankfurt its where a good portion of my family I sure hope the next time i visit is during the con that would be awesome..
Ahh people its not pronounced Colon or Cologne thats how most people will say it but really nether is right. In German ited sound more like Kern..or something in that respect but whatevers.

Geoflame

K as the c in cold
Ö as the U in murder [American English]
L just L, ok
N nothing fancy here as well.

Proper English name is Cologne and one will find many many TV stations there and many other TV stations in cities not far away. It's also close to the French border and is directly connected to the French high speed train network, so expect quite some French people there. [Leipzig was the end of the world in comparison]

Asbestos_Underwear

"Which is all well and good, but "Leipzig" had a warm ring to it that the cold, Teutonic "Köln Games Con" just can't match."

That, and you can't get any beer in Köln (Kölsch isn't beer, it's tap water with colour - well, could be that Americans think it's beer).

FranUnFine

@Himiko: The "Leipziger Messe" is the actual owner of the brand "Games Convention" they pushed the GC in the beginning very hard so for them it is really hard to see their "baby" going to somewhere else after all those investements.

sOLARiZ

btw. Colgone trade Fair is the same place where in 2008 the World Cyber Games Grand final takes place.

From a German point of view Cologne is a part of the German State north rhine westfalia which has the most inhabitant density in germany.

sOLARiZ

köln is just 4 hours away, leipzig over a day from me. but i don't know why everyone calls gamesconvention just leipzig in first place. leipzig is just a city nothing more.
and i read that the decision is final on monday.

Himiko

Technicalities!

Voyevoda

It seems quite fitting actually, as the 11 flames on the coat of arms represents 11,000 virgins (much like would be stereotypically found at a games conference)

brooza

@brooza: Nope, sounds like cologne. My dad goes there every year for the photographic trade show. Very nice place apparantly, with lots of nice places to buy huge German sausage. And food too.

PaddyStardust

I am wrong. It's Cologne

brooza

If it makes you feel any better, I believe (although I may be wrong) it's pronounced the same as "colon"

brooza

weee! köln > leipzig anyhow!

cactus23

@HrPingui:
closer

HrPingui

Yah! I live near Köln (a hell of a lot colser to me than leipzig anyway).

HrPingui

Know, whats awesome? I LIVE IN COLOGNE!!! WOOOOOOOOOOOOT!!!
See you there guys!! Chit Chat with Crecente? Seing that Hair for real once?
Count me in!

tylerstyle

Take off ever Leipzig for great justice

KoW