John Romero will headline the keynote at Gamescom Asia x Thailand Game Show 2026. The event runs October 29 through November 1 in Bangkok. Romero co-founded id Software. He helped create Doom, Quake, and Wolfenstein 3D — three games that shaped how first-person shooters work today.
His talk is called “Why We Still Make Games.” That title carries weight. Romero left id Software roughly three decades ago. He’s kept close ties to the industry since, through new studios, new projects, and plenty of ups and downs along the way. A keynote built around persistence, from someone who’s actually lived through the industry’s hardest stretches, lands differently than a generic “state of gaming” talk.
Gamescom Asia’s Keynote Builds on a Growing Show
This isn’t Gamescom Asia‘s first big keynote get. Last year’s event brought in Glen Schofield, the creator behind Dead Space, Call of Duty, and The Callisto Protocol, who spoke on finding creative inspiration. Landing Romero this year signals organizers want to keep pulling genuine industry legends onto the stage, not just rotating executives through standard panel slots.
The 2026 edition is shaping up as the biggest yet. Organizers describe it as the largest edition held so far, with the public-facing area spread across four exhibition halls. Total show space now tops 35,000 square meters. That’s a meaningful jump from last year’s roughly 30,000 square meters across three halls, and it points to real growing demand from exhibitors and attendees across the region.
Who Else Is Speaking Alongside John Romero
Romero won’t be the only notable name on stage. The current speaker lineup includes the co-founders of AdHoc Studio, the team behind the acclaimed narrative game Dispatch. Representatives from Roblox and DigixArt round out the confirmed list so far, with organizers still adding names as the show gets closer. Beyond the keynote stage, the show floor will host major publishers, giving attendees a mix of high-profile talks and hands-on exhibitor booths.
Where and When Gamescom Asia x Thailand Game Show Takes Place
The event returns to the Queen Sirikit National Convention Center in Bangkok, the same venue that hosted last year’s combined edition. That 2025 show drew over 80,000 visitors across four days, marking the first time Gamescom Asia and Thailand Game Show ran as a single joint event rather than two separate shows. Tickets for the 2026 edition are already on sale through the event’s official site.
Why This Keynote Matters for the Region
Southeast Asia’s gaming industry has grown fast in recent years, and shows like this one are becoming genuine draws for global talent rather than just regional meetups. Booking someone with Romero’s track record suggests organizers are serious about positioning Bangkok as a legitimate stop on the industry calendar, alongside bigger Western shows.
If you’re following how other major shows are scaling up this year, our coverage of gamescom 2026 selling out all its exhibition space in Cologne for the first time covers a similar story of an event outgrowing its own venue. And if classic FPS history interests you the way Romero’s résumé does, our piece on Armadillo Racing getting its first-ever home port digs into another slice of gaming’s arcade-era past finally reaching modern audiences.
John Romero headlining Gamescom Asia x Thailand Game Show 2026 gives the event a genuine marquee name to build around. Combined with the show’s expanded footprint and a growing international speaker list, this year’s edition looks set to be the biggest version yet of an event still finding its footing on the world stage.