Gamescom 2026 Hub: Opening Night Live, Awards and More

Gamescom 2026 is here, and Respawnerz is building a dedicated hub for the biggest stories coming out of Cologne. The show runs from August 26 through August 30 at Koelnmesse, with Opening Night Live kicking things off on August 25.

Opening Night Live

Opening Night Live is the first major stop for anyone following gamescom from home. Hosted by Geoff Keighley alongside sjokz, the showcase takes place on August 25 at 8:00 PM CEST, which is 11:30 PM IST in India. The broadcast is built around new announcements, trailers and world premieres, but it is only the opening act for a much larger week of Gamescom coverage.

Once ONL ends, the physical show opens the following morning, with playable games, developer appearances, publisher presentations, interviews and additional broadcasts continuing through August 30. Xbox is also running its own Gamescom broadcasts on August 26 and 27.

Read the full guide: Gamescom 2026: Dates, Opening Night Live and Where to Watch

Gamescom Award 2026 Nominees

The gamescom Award 2026 nominations are already giving us an early look at the games attracting attention on the show floor. METRO: 2039 leads the field with five nominations, while Alien: Isolation 2 and Denshattack! follow with four nominations each.

The awards cover Arts, Platform and Global categories, with nominations spanning Best Visuals, Best Audio, Best Gameplay, Most Epic, platform-specific awards and several honors for the wider Gamescom experience. Public voting for eligible categories runs from August 26 through August 27, with the winners scheduled to be revealed on August 28.

Read the full nominee breakdown: Gamescom Award 2026 Nominations Revealed: METRO: 2039 Leads With Five Nods

Hoyoverse Unveil Nodus Fall

HoYoverse, the studio behind Genshin Impact, appears to be taking a very different approach with its upcoming project Nodusfall. Newly revealed footage suggests the game could be a multiplayer action RPG heavily inspired by FromSoftware’s Elden Ring, with dark fantasy environments, challenging combat, and a strong emphasis on exploration.

While details remain limited, Nodusfall immediately stands out as a departure from HoYoverse’s better-known open-world and character-collection titles. The game’s early footage has already drawn comparisons to Elden Ring, particularly in its visual direction and combat-focused presentation.

More details are expected as HoYoverse continues to reveal information about Nodusfall.

Gears of War: E-Day

An exclusive look at the Campaign Trailer for Gears of War: E-Day was unveiled at Gamescom, offering a closer look at the Locust threat and the forces behind the Emergence Day attack.

The trailer marks the first major story-focused look at several familiar enemies, including Drones, Lambent, and the terrifying Berserker, alongside a host of other creatures that fans of the original trilogy will recognize.

Tides of Annihilation Puts Players in Control of the Fog

A mysterious fog has devastated Gwendolyn’s home and now threatens to tear the world of Avalon apart. Players take on the role of Gwendolyn, voiced by Angela Sant'Albano, who discovers that she has inherited the ability to control the fog, a power previously held only by Arthur.

To save her family and restore her shattered world, Gwendolyn must master this mysterious power and command spectral knights against the invading forces. Tides of Annihilation is an upcoming single-player fantasy action-adventure game in development for PC, Xbox Series X|S, and PlayStation 5.

Silent Hill: Townfall Cast Reveal Trailer

A new trailer for Silent Hill: Townfall has officially revealed the game's main cast ahead of its September 24, 2026 release. The trailer confirms Jovan Adepo as Simon, Kezia Burrows as Zoe, and Terry O'Quinn as Richard.

The brief footage also offers a glimpse at the story, with Simon being urged to return to the town to "put some things to rest." The conversation suggests that an attempt to set things right has gone badly, with the town now described as extremely angry. Simon is warned to proceed with caution as he prepares to return.

Metro 2039 Revealed at Gamescom Opening Night Live

4A Games officially revealed Metro 2039 during Gamescom Opening Night Live 2026, introducing the next chapter in the acclaimed post-apocalyptic series with a new gameplay trailer. Executive producer Jon Bloch and co-creative director Pavel Ulmer also discussed the extraordinary challenges of developing the game from Ukraine amid the ongoing war.

The developers described Metro 2039 as a darker, more ambitious, and deeply personal entry in the series. While the game retains familiar elements such as terrifying monsters, underground tunnels, and ruined environments, its story places a stronger emphasis on human survival, sacrifice, and the consequences of war.

The game is being built using 4A Games' proprietary 4A Engine, which the studio says allows the team to create the oppressive and immersive atmosphere that defines the Metro series. Despite the difficult conditions surrounding development in Ukraine, the team has continued working on the project with the same passion and discipline.

The presentation concluded with a gameplay trailer showcasing the next journey through the harsh world of Metro 2039. Gamescom attendees will also have the opportunity to go hands-on with the game at 4A Games' booth. The game's collector's edition will additionally include a fully wearable replica Spartan helmet.

Final Fantasy VII Revelation Revealed at Gamescom Opening Night Live

Square Enix has officially revealed Final Fantasy VII Revelation at Gamescom Opening Night Live 2026, with director Naoki Hamaguchi introducing the game as the final chapter in the Final Fantasy VII remake trilogy. A world premiere trailer offered the first look at the next stage of the heroes' journey.

The trailer expands the scope of the adventure with a vast world described as a "world without boundaries," where the heroes face enormous creatures known as Weapons. These towering beings are viewed by some as guardians of the planet, while others see them as weapons of mass destruction.

The story will see the heroes fighting for the future as they face both the looming threat of an enormous meteor and the arrival of the powerful Weapons. The trailer promises an epic final chapter that brings the remake saga toward its ultimate confrontation.

Final Fantasy VII Revelation is scheduled to launch in Spring 2027 simultaneously on PlayStation 5, Nintendo Switch 2, Xbox Series X|S, and PC via Steam and the Epic Games Store.

The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt - Songs Of The Past Expansion Revealed

CD Projekt Red closed Gamescom Opening Night Live 2026 with the world premiere of The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt – Songs of the Past, a new full-fledged expansion that brings Geralt back for one final adventure before the torch passes to Ciri. The expansion introduces the new region of Letten, where an idyllic setting hides a darker secret, alongside new monsters, quests, exploration and a new chain weapon with a connection to the original The Witcher.

During the broadcast, CD Projekt Red Level Design Lead Miles Tost also revealed that The Witcher 3 will receive a free remaster on September 29, 2026, featuring upgraded visuals, modernized combat, a revamped ability system and additional improvements. Owners of the base game will also receive Hearts of Stone and Blood and Wine for free.

Read the full story: The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt – Songs of the Past World Premiere Trailer Debuts as Gamescom ONL Finale

Forza Horizon 6 Adds Drift Attack

Forza Horizon 6 is getting a proper reason to turn the traction control off. Playground Games used its Gamescom slot to reveal Drift Attack, a new Shared World experience that swaps lap times for style points, and it lands at the Horizon Festival on September 7.

Drift Attack is built around controlled slides, aggressive cornering, and chasing the highest score the circuit will give up, rather than simply crossing a finish line first. It is also designed to feel like part of the open world rather than a menu you have to back out of, which fits how Playground Games has been shaping Forza Horizon 6's activities all year.

Read the full story: Forza Horizon 6 Adds Drift Attack, a New Competitive Drifting Experience

KRAFTON Showcases Five Games at Gamescom 2026

KRAFTON went big at Gamescom 2026 Opening Night Live, bringing five titles to Cologne rather than leaning on a single flagship. One PUBG title made its first public appearance, while four other projects, spanning shooters, RPGs, co-op adventures, and competitive multiplayer, got a more substantial look at their worlds and gameplay.

The lineup covered PUBG: DED.NET, NO LAW, TARAE: The Unbound, Age Twisters, and Project ZETA. DED.NET was the only true reveal of the night, but the other four came with enough new footage to give viewers a much clearer sense of what each game is actually building toward.

Read the full story: KRAFTON Showcases Five Games at Gamescom 2026 Opening Night Live, Headlined by PUBG: DED.NET

Xbox and Playground Games Demo 18-minute Fable Quest Gameplay

Xbox and Playground Games have put out a proper 18-minute gameplay demo for Fable, titled Fable Quest Gameplay, and it is easily the most complete look at the RPG so far.

Hosted by Playground Games Art Director Conar Cross, the footage follows the Hero through an early quest and touches almost every system the studio has been talking about: exploration, dialogue, reputation, and combat, all folded into a single walk through Bowerstone.

Read the full story: Fable's 18-Minute Quest Gameplay Demo Shows Off Bowerstone, Choices, and Combat

Tomb Raider: Legacy of Atlantis Extended Gameplay Demo

An extended gameplay demo for Tomb Raider: Legacy of Atlantis showed up at Gamescom 2026, and it comes with the developers talking through their decisions in real time.

The footage runs through the Peru section of the game, from the cog puzzle at the Tomb of Qualopec to a boss fight against a redesigned T-Rex, with the team explaining why each piece was rebuilt the way it was.

Read the full story: Tomb Raider: Legacy of Atlantis Extended Gameplay Demo Breaks Down Peru, Puzzles, and a Reimagined T-Rex

PlayStation and Xbox Highlight Gamescom 2026 Lineups

PlayStation and Xbox have outlined their Gamescom 2026 highlights, with PlayStation spotlighting 19 games featured during Opening Night Live and Xbox bringing 25 playable games to its Gamescom booth. The lineups include major upcoming releases such as Final Fantasy VII Revelation, Control Resonant, Gears of War: E-Day, Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 4, Fable and Metro 2039.

Several games also feature across both official lineups, including Resonance: A Plague Tale Legacy, Turok: Origins, Valor Mortis and Metro 2039, giving attendees and viewers a closer look at some of the biggest upcoming releases.

Read the full story: PlayStation and Xbox Highlight Their Biggest Gamescom 2026 Lineups