Cologne gaming model inspires esports development in Bar

Filip Šoć, President of the Montenegrin Esports Federation, visited Cologne during Gamescom 2026 to study how the city has integrated gaming and international events into its economic and tourism identity.

Šoć noted that while Bar, Montenegro, cannot be compared to Cologne in scale, the city can adopt Cologne’s development model. Bar has been organizing international gaming and esports events for four years and is positioning itself as an industry destination.

Šoć emphasized that the goal should be to move beyond individual festivals and tournaments toward building a broader technological ecosystem. This involves connecting esports with artificial intelligence, startups, education, and creative industries to attract long-term corporate investment rather than just short-term event visitors.