August means one thing in the gaming calendar: Gamescom. And with the world’s biggest games event set to be bigger than ever, anticipation levels are higher than a bratwurst up a ladder. But what can we expect from this year’s event? What are the key announcements, the big games set to feature and the rumours running wild?
In this article, we’re going to shine a light on all of the above. Let’s take you through what we know.
Call of Duty: Black Ops 7
Forming the cornerstone of Geoff Keighley’s annual Opening Night Live event is the worldwide reveal of Call of Duty: Black Ops 7. Blop7, as nobody is calling it, is the second CoD to be published since Microsoft gobbled up Activision Blizzard back in 2023.
So, what are we going to see from Treyarch’s latest? At the time of writing, Activision has done a pretty good job of keeping its secrets under wraps. In previous years, the US publisher has tended to use ONL to show off the game’s single-player campaign mode, often going in-depth on a particular mission, so that’s a strong possibility.
For the last few titles in the series, multiplayer info drops have been saved for the shooter’s dedicated IRL event, Call of Duty NEXT. This year’s NEXT has yet to be announced, so a date for that could well form part of the presentation. Other items of interest include the game’s release date (almost certainly somewhere between late October and mid-November) and, potentially, details of a forthcoming beta.
If you aren’t lucky enough to be in Cologne, you can watch ONL via the Gamescom website when it starts on 19 August. The show kicks off at 8pm CEST, which translates to 7pm if you’re in the UK, 2pm if you’re on the East Coast of the US, or 11am if you’re on the West Coast.
The megabudget FPS is also going to feature heavily during an Xbox live stream taking place at 3pm CEST on 20 August, so keep an eye out for that if you’re a CoD aficionado.
Hollow Knight: Silksong
The game that spawned a million memes. Team Cherry’s long-awaited follow-up to their 2017 debut will be playable (really? Yes, really) at Gamescom on both the Xbox and Nintendo stands.
Interestingly, you’ll be able to try out the new Metroidvania on the ROG Xbox Ally and ROG Xbox Ally X, the upcoming handhelds developed in collaboration between Microsoft and ASUS. More news on that below.
Could we see a release date for Silksong announced at Gamescom? Time will tell. Whatever happens, it will at least mean fresh content for Daily Silksong News, the YouTube channel that’s been posting videos with Silksong updates (or lack of) every day for the last four years. You’re doing god’s work, fellas.
ROG Xbox Ally release date rumour
Speaking of the new Xbox handhelds. It seems Gamescom may be the venue for a release date announcement for the ASUS-built machines. That’s according to the team at Dealabs, who claim to have uncovered evidence that points to an October 16 launch.
The French website says that this date relates to the European market, although a simultaneous worldwide release seems highly likely. According to Dealabs, we’ll find out during the Xbox broadcast on 20 August, which will feature a deep dive into the new portable consoles.
Nintendo
This is a big Gamescom for Nintendo, the first since the launch of Switch 2 earlier in the summer. And, having sat out the event in 2024, there’s plenty of pent-up excitement from fans looking to the Japanese platform holder for a dash of Mario-fuelled gaming goodness.
What’s on the agenda, then? Rather a lot, as long as you’re in the convention hall, as Nintendo’s stand will be stacked with playable games. In addition to the aforementioned Silksong, you’ll be able to get your hands on both Pokémon Legends: Z-A and Metroid Prime 4: Beyond, both available to play ahead of their respective launches later this year.
Third parties will also be well represented at the stand, with opportunities to try out Elden Ring: Tarnished Edition, EAFC 26, Borderlands 4 and Hades II, among others.
What about announcements? The picture here is less clear. At the time of writing, there are no presentations lined up from Nintendo, so any news or announcements are likely to come during ONL. Perhaps a release date for Beyond is on the cards?
Resident Evil Requiem
Also confirmed for an ONL appearance is Capcom’s ninth mainline Resident Evil title, Requiem. The horror sequel was announced during June’s Summer Game Fest with a trailer that introduced an all-new protagonist, set up the story and revealed the game’s 27 February release date.
Expect more focus on gameplay this time around, not least because the chilling survival horror will be playable on the show floor in Cologne.
World of Warcraft: Midnight
Another big IP set to receive some Opening Night Live love is World of Warcraft. Midnight is the eleventh expansion for Blizzard’s never-ending MMORPG. And this one’s special because it introduces player housing, a feature that’s been long requested throughout WoW’s 21-year history.
We don’t know too much more about the new expansion, so expect plenty of details to drop during ONL, including the launch date, which is currently rumoured to be sometime during this winter but before the end of the year.
Silent Hill f
After a 13-year wait, Silent Hill is back. The latest in Konami’s spooky series sees the game switch location from the US, where most of the games have been set, to Japan. Konami had reportedly become concerned that the franchise was too westernised, and this iteration is an attempt to return to its Japanese horror roots.
ONL will include a brand new trailer, and Konami’s Gamescom booth will feature an exclusive Silent Hill “horror experience”, ahead of the game's release on 25 September.
The Outer Worlds 2
Obsidian’s Elder Scrolls / Fallout, but smaller and in space sequel, is set to feature prominently during an Xbox broadcast on Thursday, 21 August.
We already know a fair bit about The Outer Worlds 2. The October 29 release date was revealed back in June, a price drop was confirmed in July and extensive gameplay trailers have been around for a while.
What’s left to learn? Well, according to team Xbox, the platform holder’s stand will feature an “exclusive theater presentation” of the RPG, which will allow viewers to explore the Tomb of the Matriarch, which lies inside Protectorate territory, the faction that controls Arcadia.
It seems reasonable to expect that the broadcast will feature this lore-based content, but perhaps we’re in for a surprise or two as well.
That’s all for now
Whether you’re attending in person or watching from the comfort of your sofa at home, enjoy this year’s Gamescom. Hopefully it’s a good one, packed with surprises.
