If you’re curious what the gaming world has in store for the next couple of months, buckle up. Germany’s annual Gamescom expo is officially underway, and kicking it all off is Opening Night Live, a two-hour showcase that will feature a closer look at some of 2022’s most anticipated games — and what will surely be a few big surprises. Opening Night Live will feature such major upcoming titles as Gotham Knights, Hogwarts Legacy and Sonic Frontiers, and will even tease what’s next for the beloved Borderlands franchise.
The big show kicks off at 11 a.m. PT/2 p.m. ET, and will be broadcast on Twitch and YouTube. Can’t catch the stream? Fret not — we’ll be covering all the big news live right here, so be sure to keep refreshing this page for the latest reveals out of Cologne, Germany, as well as our own thoughts on which games will be worth your money come this holiday.
Now that Opening Night Live has wrapped up, you might find yourself itching to play some of the biggest games revealed at the show. Fortunately for you, some of them are already up for preorder, and we’ve rounded up a few of the biggest ones you can get now. And if you want to see all of the news from the big show, check out the entirety of our live blog below.
Gamescom Opening Night Live 2022: live updates
Latest updates up top; refresh to stay up to date
Dead Island 2 is real (and coming in 2023)
It’s time for our final game, and it’s a big one: Dead Island 2! A game we never thought would actually come out, the long-awaited sequel to the popular zombie action game is dropping in February. The game will have six playable characters with their own unique personalities and styles, and will drop you into a dystopian Los Angeles crawling with undead. We’re curious how well a zombie game will do in 2023 given how saturated the genre is, but the based on the gameplay trailer, it looks like wildly fun time that will let you get truly creative in how you dispose of zombies.
The Outlast Trials looks incredibly scary
Highly anticipated horror game The Outlast Trials got a new trailer for Gamescom, and it’s satisfyingly scary. The first-person survival title looks to have no shortage of jump scares, creepy dolls, surgery scenes and just all around creepy environments that look very unnerving to explore. If you’re up for it, you can sign up for a closed beta that starts Halloween weekend.
Dorfromantik looks like a cute change of pace
Dorf Romantik is a cute strategy game that lets you build and manage little worlds, which looks like a nice little break from the chaos of everyday life (and most of the brooding games launching this year)
Crossfire X is getting a big expansion this fall
Online first-person shooter Crossfire X is getting its biggest update yet with Babylon X, which was commemorated in a quick trailer filled with huge firefights and aerial strikes.
Blacktail is a first-person fantasy game with a cool bow
Blacktail is a first-person fantasy action game that has you explore a treacherous forest, and it looks like your decisions may impact the story. I’m a sucker for any game with a good bow-and-arrow, so color me intrigued.
Mini has a new car with a Pokemon mode (yes, you heard that right)
And now for something truly different: A car! We’re getting a first look at the Concept Mini car, which lets you connect your game console and even features a Pokemon mode that tricks out the entire heads-up display with some slick Pikachu graphics. We’re not sure abotu how all of these features are actually going to work, but we’re eager to learn more.
Park Beyond lets you create the amusement park of your dreams
I always appreciate the more whimsical games to break up the many grim trailers at these shows, and Park Beyond is exactly that. This vibrant amusement park simulator allows you to build the park of your dreams, complete with crazy rollercoasters and creative themed attractions. If you’re a fan of making your own stuff, this looks like one you can sink tons of hours into.
Hideo Kojima has a new Spotify podcast
Legendary game developer (and Keighley’s pal) Hideo Kojima popped onto the show to announce his new podcast Brain Structure, which will launch on September 8th exclusively on Spotify. Expect lots of game industry talk featuring guests from all over the world – including Keighley himself.
Where Winds Meet is a brand-new open-world epic
Where Winds Meet is an epic-looking action-adventure game that reminds us of Ghost of Tsushima but with flashier, more over-the-top abilities. It looks absolutely stunning, and is definitely one to watch.
Gotham Knights gets a new trailer (and Harley Quinn)
It’s time to go to Gotham. The latest Gotham Knights trailer reveals some familiar Batman enemies, that are coming to the co-operative superhero action game, including Harley Quinn and Clayface. Our four playable heroes (Red Hood, Robin, Batgirl and Nightwing) all look awesome in their customizable gear, and the story – set in a world without Batman – looks particularly interesting. We can’t wait to play come this October
Ottomans and Malians head to battle in Age of Empires 4
Microsoft’s popular strategy game Age of Empires 4 is getting a new expansion, this time letting you do battle with the Ottomans and Malians. You can look forward to the free update on October 25
Scars Above mixes sci-fi and horror
Scars Above is an upcoming shooter that looks to offer a healthy mix of sci-fi and horror (not to mention a very Stranger Things-esque theme song). We look forward to getting spooked (and learning more) when it drops in 2023.
Killer Klowns from Outer Space is getting a video game adaptation
Killer Klowns from Outer Space is being adapted into a multiplayer horror game, which, much like the Friday the 13th title, looks like it will pit clowns versus survivors. We didn’t see this coming, but we’re down
The Expanse video game lets you explore in zero gravity
Renowned narrative game studio Telltale Games is back with a new game based on the popular Amazon Prime show The Expanse. We’re getting a new look at the sci-fi title’s zero-gravity gameplay, which looks more in-depth than the point-and-click adventure games we’re used to seeing from the developer. That being said, the real star of the show will likely still be the game’s branching narrative, which you’ll shape based on your decisions during dialogue and gameplay.
High on Life is like Call of Duty meets Rick and Morty
High on Life is a new shooter from the mind of Rick and Morty creator Justin Roiland, and it’s every bit as goofy, raunchy and irreverent as you’d expect. The new f-bomb-filled trailer features weapons that talk back to you as you use them, which is a silly and fun twist on the many overly serious first-person shooters we’ve played. It looks pretty fun too, with a giant tongue that you can use as a grappling hook and the ability to deflect enemy shots that come your way. Better yet, it’s launching on Xbox Game Pass!
Genshin Impact is getting some promising new updates
Online role-playing title Genshin Impact is one of the most popular games out there right now, and it’s still getting plenty of updates. We got a world premiere trailer of the game’s 3.0 update, complete with plenty of promising new abilities and gorgeous-looking environment. Developer Hoyoverse also showed off a glimpse at its next title Honkai: Star Rail, which has a similar aesthetic but within a mysterious new sci-fi world.
Homeworld 3 brings classic space strategy to the modern era
We’re switching gears to Homeworld 3, the latest installment in the classic PC strategy series. It looks like a really nice mix of classic strategy game design and modern visuals, with a gorgeous sci-fi aesthetic that fills the screen with ships – and what seems like plenty of ways to command them.
Atlas Fallen looks like Monster Hunter on steroids
Another world premiere trailer, this one for an epic action game called Atlas Fallen. The cinematic trailer is giving some serious Monster Hunter meets Destiny vibes, though we’ll have to see how the final game shakes out.
Stranded: Alien Dawn is exactly what it sounds like
We got a world premiere of Stranded: Alien Dawn, which appears to be some sort of survival game that casts you on an alien planet. There isn’t much to go off of for now, but we should see more by 2023.
Lies of P delivers immersive gothic action
Lies of P is an intriguing steampunk action game that looks to feature some interesting weapons and body modifications. It’s one of the most visually striking games of the show so far, with moody, gothic environments that we can’t wait to explore.
Friends vs Friends is the cartoony card shooter you didn’t know you needed
Friends vs Friends is a cartoony, cel-shaded shooter that has the unique twist of using card decks to determine your abilities. It looks unlike any shooter we’ve seen lately, and has an ultra-catchy theme song.
Moonbreaker puts some fun twists on turn-based strategy
Moonbreaker is a colorful turn-based strategy game developed by the folks behind Subnautica and with a story by renowned author Brandon Sanderson. It looks both comical, colorful and highly customizable, with no shortage of ways to personalize your army of virtual sci-fi miniatures as you head to battle. If you want a game with the strategy of XCOM and the overall vibe of Guardians of the Galaxy, this is one to watch.
Return to Monkey Island is coming next month
Classic adventure game The Curse of Monkey island is finally getting a sequel on September 19, and we got a comical animated trailer to celebrate the news.
Goat Simulator 3 looks like a hilariously fun time
Goat Simulator 3 is looking even more delightful and goofy than its predecessor, as its new trailer reveals all of the new ways you can wreak complete havoc as a goat in an expansive open world. This includes runing a yoga class, dressing up as a goat-knight and swimming directly into a giant whale. It’s coming November 17, and you can “pre-udder” it now.
Under the Waves will get you in your feelings (and underwater)
Under the Waves looks like a touching, narrative-driven game set underwater. Look for more of it in 2023.
Sonic Frontiers gets an epic new trailer (and a release date)
It’s Sonic Frontiers time! This new trailer gives us a deeper look at the upcoming open-world Sonic game, which looks visually stunning and larger in scope than any game in the series before it. If Breath of the Wild and classic Sonic the Hedgehog had a child, it’d probably look a lot like this game. We can’t wait to play it, and we won’t have to wait long: the game is dropping on November 8.
Destiny 2 gets a slick new expansion (and a grappling hook)
We’re getting a look at Destiny 2’s Lightfall expansion, which was first unveiled earlier today at the Destiny 2 showcase. Expect more of the same epic space shooting, this time in a new cyberpunk-esque city and a grappling hook to swing around it in. Looks fun!
Dying Light 2’s new expansion is coming this fall
Zombie shooter Dying Light 2 is getting a Bloody Ties expansion that has you take on even more undead foes in a series of moody cyberpunk arenas. It looks pretty distinct from the main game, which has us intrigued
Borderlands is back with a new story-based adventure
Tales from the Borderlands was a beloved, narrative-driven spin-off of Gearbox’s popular shooter series, and it’s finally getting a sequel. If you’d rather shape a story instead of simply shoot your way through one, this new Tales is looking like an irreverently fun time.
Hogwarts Legacy shows off even more magic
Here’s one of the big ones. We finally got a new trailer for Hogwarts Legacy, an upcoming action role-playing game set in the Harry Potter universe. The game’s cinematic visuals and variety of magic abilities are looking great, and we’re curious to see more ahead of its early 2023 release.
Moving Out 2 promises more colorful co-op fun
And now for something completely different. Moving Out 2 looks to serve up more colorful co-operative fun, and will likely test friendships as you and a pal aim to carefully move items out of increasingly complex levels.
The Lords of the Fallen looks like an epic undead adventure
The Lords of the Fallen is an epic-looking dark fantasy game with swords, magic and no shortage of skeletons. There’s nothing like watching two demonic knights battle it out while “Mother” plays in the background.
The Callisto Protocol shows off some nasty mutations
We’re getting a new look at upcoming horror game The Callisto Protocol, this time focused on all the nasty ways your enemies can mutate during battle. Fortunately, it looks like you’ll have no shortage of creative ways to dispose of the undead as you explore a creepy abandoned space station.
PS5 has a new controller coming called the DualSense Edge
We just got a tease of the DualSense Edge, which is a new PS5 controller from Sony that will offer a refined design and lots of customization options for competitive gamers. It looks like Sony’s answer to Microsoft’s Xbox Elite Wireless Controller, and we can’t wait to try it.
A Dune video game is on the way
Oh hey, a Dune video game! Dune Awakening is an upcoming, massively multiplayer open-world survival game, with a beta coming soon.
Everywhere kicks off the show, coming in 2023
And we’re off! It sure is nice to see a live crowd for this kind of show again. Kicking things off is a tease of Everywhere, which looks like a vibrant open world experience that may hide some dark cyberpunk twists. The developers are being a bit vague about what the game actually is, but color us intrigued
One last pre-show update from Geoff
We’re less than an hour before showtime. Here’s one final update from Keighley, who gives us an idea of what to expect.
The Destiny 2 showcase is underway
If you want some gaming action to hold you over until Opening Night Live, the Destiny 2 showcase has just kicked off. This show will reveal what’s next for Bungie’s popular online shooter and is bound to come with some big surprises.
Geoff Keighley sets the stage before showtime
We’re about 3 hours from showtime, and host Geoff Keighley has provided a tease of the big venue where Opening Night Live is taking place today.
Source: www.cnn.com