GamesIndustry.biz attended the eighth edition of Gamescom’s Opening Night Live on Tuesday evening, a fully digital showcase that filled the venue to capacity. Every seat was occupied, and a host of gaming personalities were on hand – among them Xbox’s senior leader Asha Sharma, who greeted the cameras by forming a bold "X" with her arms near the front of the hall. The evening began with Geoff Keighley delivering a surprisingly personal opening address.
He shared that after last year’s ceremony he returned home to be with his ailing father, who passed away shortly thereafter. Keighley then turned to the broader state of the industry, noting that "the video‑game sector is undeniably shifting and evolving," citing the wave of layoffs and the surge in hardware costs driven by an AI‑chip shortage. Despite these headwinds, he emphasized that developers worldwide continue to press forward, crafting fresh experiences for players.
The first trailer of the show lit up the screen with the word "Hoyoverse," prompting audible excitement from the audience. This cue hinted at the massive global reach of titles such as Genshin Impact and Honkai: Star Rail.
The next reveal was Nodusfall, a sleek cooperative action game that bears a clear resemblance to Capcom’s Monster Hunter series, inviting teams to hunt down dragon‑like beasts in a richly detailed world. A noticeable trend this year was the prominence of Chinese and Korean studios. The lineup featured a variety of titles: Cinder City and Like or Die from NCsoft, PUBG: Ded.Net from Krafton, Ananta and Sea of Remnants from NetEase, Zoopunk from Ti Games, and Tides of Annihilation from Chengdu‑based Eclipse Glow Games. In addition, Hoyoverse presented another offering – the life‑simulation adventure Petit Planet – underscoring the region’s growing influence on the global stage.
Naoki Hamaguchi took the stage to introduce Final Fantasy VII: Revelation, slated for a spring 2027 release. Notably, this installment will launch simultaneously on all major platforms, a departure from the previous two entries which were timed PlayStation exclusives. The event also featured appearances by Jon Bloch and Pavel Ulmer of 4A Games, who unveiled the trailer for Metro 2039, set for February 2027.
Bloch described the development of such a bleak title as requiring "passion, discipline, and a team accustomed to working without peace or regularity," while Ulmer admitted the process had been "pretty rough, trust me." The trailer opened with a proud declaration: "Proudly made in Ukraine." Undoubtedly the night’s biggest surprise was The Witcher 3. The legendary RPG was announced for a comprehensive remaster that adds refined combat mechanics, ray‑traced lighting, and a host of quality‑of‑life upgrades. CD Projekt Red revealed that the remastered edition will be offered as a free upgrade to owners of the original game on September 29. In addition, the two original expansions will also be handed out for free, paving the way for the upcoming third expansion, Songs of the Past, scheduled for 2027.
Level‑design lead Miles Tost explained that the studio had long wanted to deliver "one more story" for Geralt, and a brief glimpse of the new content showed the hero wielding a fresh chain‑weapon. Wizards of the Coast used the platform to promote the space‑exploration title Exodus, due April 7 2027, and presented an extensive gameplay trailer for the Dungeons & Dragons‑themed game Warlock, slated for release next year without a fixed launch window. Other notable reveals included Behaviour Interactive’s Exterminauts (co‑developed with Level Infinite), a lighter‑hearted take on Helldivers 2; Lego Skylines, a city‑building game published by Paradox Interactive; and Ontos from Frictional Games and Kepler, billed as a spiritual successor to Soma.
MBC Game Studio debuted its first project, 1001 Threads of Mizan, funded by the Saudi Arabian broadcaster MBC. The quirky trailer for Showa American Story, featuring a protagonist who attacks enemies with an American flag and an arm‑mounted drill, earned a modest round of applause, suggesting that 4Divinity’s strategy of embracing eccentric AA titles may be resonating.
RedOctane’s Stage Tour sparked genuine cheers, indicating that fans are eager for the revival of rhythm‑action guitar games. Nostalgia also had its moment. Sega offered a first look at Crazy Taxi World Tour, while Saber Interactive confirmed Turok: Origins for a spring 2027 launch.
Heroes of Might and Magic 3 received news of a full remake, arriving 27 years after its original 1999 debut. Indie highlights shone throughout the show. Unrelated Studio presented Lofsöng, Airship Syndicate revealed Dust: Origins, and Daniel Mullins teased Pony Island 2: Panda Circus, slated for April 27 2027, promising his signature blend of surreal storytelling and gameplay twists.
The pre‑show segment delivered additional announcements. Team 17 introduced Worms: Galactic Tactics, an isometric turn‑based strategy game arriving in 2027. RollerCoaster Tycoon Wonderworks was announced for early‑access release, retaining the beloved pixel‑art aesthetic of the classic.
Dlala Studios’ Murals secured comedian Bob Mortimer for voice‑over work, adding a touch of humor to the spooky title. Indie studio Duck Reaction’s Perceptum, due in 2027, impressed with a haunting trailer featuring an elderly woman closing her eyes to commune with the beyond. Finally, Amplitude Studios, now independent after splitting from Sega in 2024, confirmed Humankind 2 for a 2027 release. Studio head Romain de Waubert de Genlis had previously told GamesIndustry.biz that the 2021 original remained Amplitude’s "most successful game ever both financially and in number of players."