Gamescom, which runs from August 26-30 in Cologne, is promoted as the world's largest video game trade show.
Last year, two-thirds of its non-industry visitors were male, with over 40% of them between the ages of 16 and 25. Those are precisely the young people the Bundeswehr, Germany's armed forces, is trying to reach as it urgently seeks to expand its ranks.
Germany's military aims to have 260,000 active-duty soldiers by 2035. The German government has supplied hundreds of billions of euros to modernize the country's armed forces. Defense has become a priority for Germany in the face of the current global security situation.
Career advice in camouflage
The Bundeswehr set up shop at Gamescom for the first time in 2016. It's been back every year since.
