SPIEL Essen 2026 – Day 4: Closing Day

The final day of SPIEL has arrived. It is so weird to write this as I sit in the train heading out of Essen because it feels like five minutes ago that I arrived. Time just went by in a blur. There is always something to do or someone to meet, and if there isn’t, you’re usually glad for a break and catching some air … or sleep. I’m looking forward to get home and at the same time mourn the thing that I still could have experienced if I would have stayed one more night. I woke up early but due to the change to winter time, I had a decent amount of sleep before making myself a hot cup of black tea (got to love electric water kettles in hotel rooms) and got right into writing the Day 3 report. It took me about two hours to get everything finished and it was about then that I realised in horror that it’s Sunday, and that meant I had to pack and clear the room before heading to SPIEL! But a bit of frantic packing and skipping on breakfast still had me arrive on time at the press entrance.…