[DigitalToday reporter Daegeon Seok] Samsung Electronics is shifting the focus of its gaming business from standalone performance to connections between devices. Samsung Electronics said on Aug. 28 it showcased an integrated gaming ecosystem linking PC, console and mobile at Gamescom 2026, the world’s largest game exhibition, held at Koelnmesse in Cologne, Germany.

Under the #PlaySamsung slogan, Samsung Electronics set up four areas: the Odyssey Zone, Galaxy Zone, Gaming Hub Zone and T1 Zone. Visitor flow was designed so people could switch devices and continue the same game. Visitors who played Crimson Desert on a gaming monitor in the Odyssey Zone experienced the same game again on an OLED TV. In the Galaxy Zone, mobile games ran on the Galaxy Z Fold8 Ultra.

In the Gaming Hub Zone, cloud games ran on a Galaxy S26 Ultra without connecting a separate device or downloading. Storage devices were placed in the same flow. A high-performance 9100 PRO SSD was displayed in the Odyssey Zone, and the P9 portable SSD was exhibited alongside smartphones in the Galaxy Zone. A space was also set up for playing games while wearing a JBL Quantum 950 headset.

The exhibition format itself also moved away from product display stands. The entire booth was designed around the concept of a Korean PC cafe. Visitors standing in front of the glasses-free 3D display called Spatial Signage could take photos with T1 player Faker Lee Sang-hyeok (이상혁) or watch a real-time screen that transformed them into a Crimson Desert character. The PlayGalaxy Cup world final was held on Aug. 27 and 28.

Hardware connections extended to software collaboration. Samsung Electronics worked with Activision Blizzard from the early development stage of Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 4 to apply a 32:9 aspect ratio and HDR10+ Gaming technology. On Aug. 27, it unveiled four 2027 monitor models including the 49-inch Odyssey OLED G9, billed as the world’s first with a 360Hz refresh rate, and a new portable SSD model featuring USB4.

Choi Seung-eun (최승은), head of Samsung Electronics’ Global Marketing Center, said, "Samsung Electronics has a full stack that covers the various devices and services needed for gaming, from mobile, monitors and TVs to SSDs and headsets." Choi said, "We will continue to introduce high-quality devices and services so people can enjoy a customised gaming experience anytime, anywhere through Samsung Electronics’ gaming ecosystem."