From Dice Cups to Monster Hunter
Cologne, sometime in the 13th century.
The taproom of the Haxenhaus is noisy.
Merchants, boatmen, and carters sit over frothy beer, juicy sausages, and crispy pork knuckles. Since Cologne was granted staple rights in 1259, passing merchants have been required to offer their goods for sale in the city — and wherever trade takes place, people also drink, tell stories, and play games.
At one table sit Florian Grimm, the bailiff of Cologne, and his opponent, the innkeeper Wille.
Between them lies a dice cup.
“One more!” Wille demands.
Florian raises a warning finger. “I am a bailiff of this city. Strictly speaking, I should put an end to this gambling. I’m only testing whether everything here at the Haxenhaus is above board.”
“Then put an end to it.”
“In a moment. After this throw.”
Wille grins.
The dice roll across the table.
Two sixes.
“I win!” Florian cries, pulling the coins toward him.
“A bailiff who gambles! Imagine if the authorities found out!”
Florian pockets the coins. “The authorities don’t need to know everything. And besides, consider this your punishment. I’ll have to roll a few more times to find out how you fleece your guests here.”
Games of chance are popular. Dice, cards, board games — people play in taverns, at markets, and in back rooms. The Church and the authorities are often far from pleased. Too much money is lost, too many arguments break out, and sometimes people even cheat.
But bans or no bans: people play.
The temptation is simply too strong.
Will I win? Will I lose? Do I dare play one more round?
Florian reaches for the cup again.
“Last game! So you finally have a chance.”
Wille laughs.
“You said that three games ago.”
Cologne, around 750 years later. Gamescom 2026.
The Haxenhaus again.
Two players are sitting at a table once more.
But this time, their names are Ben and Luca. There are no dice cups in front of them. Instead, smartphones lie on the table, alongside controllers and headphones.
Both have come to Cologne for Gamescom — and, of course, they are on the hunt for new releases, giveaways, and bargains.
But above all, they want one thing:
to try Monster Hunter Outlanders.
The new hunting adventure is being developed by TiMi Studio Group and is licensed by Capcom. During Gamescom weekend, gamers can go monster hunting themselves at the “Adventurers’ Feast” in the Haxenhaus.
Luca stares at the screen.
“There! Behind you!”
“Got it!”
“No! Left! LEFT!”
Too late.
The monster strikes.
Game over.
Ben takes off his headphones.
“Damn. One more try.”
Luca laughs. “You said that three games ago.”
For one tiny moment, time seems to stand still in the old Haxenhaus.
Almost the same sentence as centuries ago.
Only the dice cup is missing.
Perhaps playing has changed less than we think.
Back then, dice rolled across a wooden table. Today, monsters race across high-resolution displays.
Back then, a player hoped for two sixes. Today, it’s the perfect hit, the next level, or a rare item.
Back then, people sat together in taverns. Today, millions of players meet at the same time in digital worlds.
And the travelling entertainers who once carried stories, music, and news from town to town?
They, too, have modern successors.
Today, they are called streamers.
They sit in front of cameras, comment on their adventures, and are watched by thousands of people at the same time.
Even the gambling den no longer needs a dark back room. It can be anywhere: on a server somewhere in the world, on a console in the living room, or on the phone in your pocket.
Only one thing has remained the same:
the thrill.
In 1270, Florian shakes his dice cup.
In 2026, Ben lifts his controller.
Both are thinking the same thing:
Just one more round.
And perhaps that is the real story of gaming.
Technology changes.
Games change.
Players do not.
Every era has its own gaming world.
And sometimes, those worlds even meet in the very same place:
at the Haxenhaus in Cologne.
