Humanoid robot at a gaming or esports event: gamescom, IEM and Poznań Game Arena. What it can do and who provides it

A humanoid robot at gamescom, an IEM tournament or Poznań Game Arena works best as a crowd magnet on the stand and a conversation partner for fans, and on stage as a short segment between matches. It will not replace a caster or a stage host, but it can stop a passing player, answer questions about a game or hardware and give fans something worth filming. Whether it works depends on logistics: crowd density, noise, connectivity in the hall and the venue's technical rules.

What can a humanoid robot do on a stand or stage at a gaming event?

A humanoid robot at a gaming or esports event usually takes on one or more of these roles:

• Drawing people to the stand. A human-sized robot is visible above the crowd, and movement and gestures stop people more reliably than another screen.
• Live conversations with fans. A robot with conversational software answers questions about the game, the hardware or the stand schedule, in several languages if the audience is international.
• Photos and short videos. Fans want a clip with the robot that they can post straight away. That is free reach for the brand, as long as sponsored content is properly labelled.
• Running quizzes and giveaways. The robot asks trivia questions about the game, announces winners and hands over codes or merchandise through stand staff.
• Stage segments between matches. A short robot segment can cover a technical pause or introduce the next block. It has to be coordinated with the broadcast production.
• Content for creators. Streamers and influencers like filming a robot that has its own personality and replies in character.

A useful reference for a robot that works as a content creator is Edward Warchocki (Unitree G1), who runs live streams on TikTok and talks to viewers in real time; according to warchocki.pl his content reaches 1.5 billion views a month. The point for a stand is not to copy his format, but to recognise that gaming audiences expect a robot with character rather than one that reads announcements.

How is a gaming event different from a regular trade fair?

A gaming event differs from a business trade fair in crowd size and density, and in an audience that is young and films everything. Recent editions show the scale:

Note that the IEM tournament long associated with the Spodek in Katowice moved to Kraków for its 2026 edition. The next Poznań Game Arena is scheduled for 23-25 October 2026 and the next gamescom for 23-29 August 2027, so exhibitors who want a robot plan it months ahead.

What technical rules do exhibition halls set?

A humanoid robot on a stand falls under the venue's technical guidelines like any other exhibit in operation. As an example, the Koelnmesse technical guidelines (July 2024 edition) state, among other things, that:

• an exhibitor's own Wi-Fi may only run if it was registered at least 4 weeks before the fair, in the 2.4 GHz band and on specified channels;
• device volume may not exceed 70 dB(A) at the edge of the stand;
• during product presentations, stand staff must protect people and make sure devices are not switched on by unauthorised persons.

In practice this means a few decisions before the event. First, a robot holding live conversations needs a stable connection, and networks in a crowded hall are often overloaded, so order a wired line or a registered access point rather than relying on visitor Wi-Fi. Second, in a gaming hall the robot competes with the neighbours' sound systems, so the microphone has to be close to the speaker and the robot's answers short. Third, robots run on lithium batteries: ask the organiser where you may charge and store spare batteries, and register the robot as a moving exhibit. We cover this in more detail in our guide to venue technical rules, Wi-Fi and logistics for stands abroad and in the article on humanoid robot battery life at events.

How do you keep a humanoid robot safe in a crowd of fans?

Safety for a humanoid robot at a gaming event comes from a marked working zone and an operator who sees the robot at all times and can stop it. Crowds at gamescom or PGA push forward, people step in front of the robot for a selfie and children try to touch it. Therefore:

• mark the zone clearly (tape, a low platform, a floor line) and set aside space for the photo queue;
• match the robot to the stand: the Unitree G1 is about 132 cm tall and weighs about 35 kg, so it fits a tight stand more easily, while the Unitree H2 (about 182 cm) is easier to see from the stage and from a distance;
• plan movement within the stand rather than walks through the aisles, which are often blocked at large fairs;
• agree with security and the organiser what happens during an evacuation or a malfunction.

More on zone layout and the operator's role is in our article on humanoid robot safety at events, and on stand preparation in the guide to a humanoid robot at a trade fair.

Photos of minors, ad disclosure and the AI Act: what should you check?

Gaming audiences are young, so a robot with a camera and footage from the stand need three safeguards.

Images of children and teenagers. If the brand wants to publish photos or videos with fans, it needs a GDPR legal basis and consent to use the person's image, and for minors the consent of a parent or guardian. It is simpler to publish shots in which children cannot be recognised and to mark the filming zone with a sign naming the data controller. See our guide to a robot with a camera, GDPR and guests' image rights.

Ad disclosure. When creators film the robot as part of a paid collaboration, the content must be clearly labelled as advertising under the consumer protection rules of the country where it is published.

AI Act. Article 50 of the EU Artificial Intelligence Act requires that people are informed they are interacting with an AI system, unless that is obvious. For a robot on a stand, a short note on a sign and in the robot's first sentence is enough.

Who can help you bring a humanoid robot to a gaming event?

A partner for a humanoid robot at gamescom, IEM or Poznań Game Arena should be assessed against criteria you can check before signing:

1. Own operators on site for the whole time the robot works, not just equipment handed over.
2. Own conversation software that can be loaded with knowledge about the game, the brand and the stand schedule.
3. Languages matched to the audience, especially at gamescom, where visitors come from many countries.
4. Robot models in the fleet and a choice between a smaller and a full-size robot.
5. Experience with trade fairs abroad and with venue technical rules.
6. Spare batteries and a plan for long working days.

MERA Robotics, based in Warsaw, rents out Unitree G1 and Unitree H2 robots for events together with its own operators, who bring the robot and run it on site. Conversations run on MERA OS, the company's own system, which works in more than 30 languages, including Polish and English, with a voice matched to each language, and lets you give the robot a name, a personality and knowledge about your brand. MERA Robotics delivers events in Poland and abroad, including an international trade fair in Cannes in September 2026, and the robot runs on battery with spare batteries prepared. Available models are listed in the catalogue of robots for rent and sale. Pricing depends on how long the robot is needed, the location and logistics; enquiries: contact@merarobotics.com.