DFG-VK protests Bundeswehr presence at Gamescom

The German Peace Society – United Conscientious Objectors (DFG-VK) is protesting the presence of the Bundeswehr at the Gamescom computer game trade fair in Cologne. The group criticizes the military's use of gaming jargon to recruit young people, arguing that slogans like ‘Multiplayer at its best’ or ‘Develop your skill-tree’ trivialize the lethal reality of military service.

Christoph Tophoven of the DFG-VK Cologne group stated that using gaming language to address children and adolescents provides a false impression of armed service and violates the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child. The group also noted a record high of 3,121 minors in the Bundeswehr last year.

In addition to the Bundeswehr, the DFG-VK has criticized the participation of the Federal Intelligence Service and defense companies such as Rheinmetall and Airbus Defence and Space. The group has launched a petition calling for future Gamescom events to be held without military or defense industry involvement. Last year, the Bundeswehr spent over €250,000 on its presence at the fair, excluding personnel costs.