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 taken, and the crowd buzzed with excitement as industry heavyweights made appearances – Xbox chief Asha Sharma was spotted near the front, striking a playful “X” with her arms as cameras swept over the audience. The evening began with Geoff Keighley delivering a surprisingly personal opening address.
He shared that after last year’s event he returned home to care for his ailing father, who passed away shortly thereafter. Keighley also took a moment to acknowledge the sector’s current challenges, noting that “the video‑game industry is changing and evolving,” a reference to the wave of layoffs and the rising cost of hardware driven by a shortage of AI‑related components.
Despite those headwinds, he emphasized that developers worldwide continue to press forward, crafting fresh experiences for players. The first trailer set the tone with a bold flash of the word “Hoyoverse,” prompting audible gasps from the audience. The reaction underscored the global reach of titles such as Genshin Impact and Honkai: Star Rail.
The featured game, Nodusfall, was a sleek cooperative action title that reminded many of Capcom’s Monster Hunter series, tasking teams with hunting down dragon‑like beasts in a richly detailed world. A noticeable trend this year was the prominence of Chinese and Korean studios. Several of their projects were highlighted, including 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. The lineup also included another Hoyoverse offering, a life‑simulation game called Petit Planet, further illustrating the region’s expanding influence on the global stage.
Naoki Hamaguchi took the stage to unveil Final Fantasy VII: Revelation, slated for a spring 2027 release. Notably, the game will launch simultaneously on all major platforms, a departure from the previous two entries which were timed PlayStation exclusives.
Jon Bloch and Pavel Ulmer of 4A Games then introduced the trailer for Metro 2039, scheduled for February 2027. Bloch described the project as a “dark, demanding endeavor” that required “passion, discipline, and a team accustomed to working without peace or regularity.” Ulmer added, with a hint of humor, that development had been “pretty rough, trust me.” The trailer opened with a proud declaration: “Proudly made in Ukraine,” highlighting the studio’s resilience amid ongoing conflict. The night’s biggest surprise, however, was the announcement concerning The Witcher 3. The beloved RPG will receive a comprehensive remaster featuring upgraded combat mechanics, ray‑tracing support, and a host of visual enhancements.
Even more exciting, CD Projekt Red will offer the remastered version as a free upgrade to anyone who owns the original game when it launches on September 29. In addition, the two original expansions will be provided at no cost to base‑game owners, paving the way for the forthcoming third expansion, Songs of the Past, expected in 2027. Level‑design lead Miles Tost explained that the studio had long wanted to craft “one more story” for Geralt, and a brief glimpse of the new expansion showed the protagonist wielding a fresh chain weapon. Wizards of the Coast used the platform to promote the space‑adventure Exodus, set for release on April 7 2027, and revealed an extensive gameplay trailer for the upcoming Dungeons & Dragons title Warlock, slated for next year but without a firm launch window.
Other notable reveals included Behaviour Interactive’s Exterminauts, a lighter‑hearted take on Helldivers 2 presented by Level Infinite; 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 title, 1001 Threads of Mizan, backed by the Saudi Arabian broadcaster MBC.
A particularly quirky moment came with the trailer for Showa American Story, where the protagonist attacks enemies using an American flag and an arm‑mounted drill. The crowd’s amused applause suggested that 4Divinity’s strategy of embracing eccentric AA titles may be resonating.
RedOctane’s Stage Tour also earned genuine cheers, hinting that the return of rhythm‑action guitar games is a long‑awaited revival. Nostalgia hit the stage when Sega showcased 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 will finally receive a remake, arriving 27 years after its original 1999 debut. Indie highlights shone through as well. Unrelated Studio presented Lofsöng, Airship Syndicate revealed Dust: Origins, and Daniel Mullins teased Pony Island 2: Panda Circus, scheduled for April 27 2027. Pre‑show announcements added Worms: Galactic Tactics from Team 17, an isometric turn‑based tactics game due in 2027, and RollerCoaster Tycoon Wonderworks heading to Early Access with a nostalgic pixel‑art aesthetic.
Dlala Studios’ Murals secured legendary comedian Bob Mortimer for voice‑over work, adding star power to the indie lineup. The eerie trailer for Perceptum, an indie project from Duck Reaction slated for 2027, featured an elderly woman closing her eyes to commune with the afterlife, leaving a haunting impression on the audience.
Finally, Amplitude Studios announced Humankind 2 for 2027, noting that the studio became independent from Sega in 2024. Studio head Romain de Waubert de Genlis had previously told GamesIndustry.biz that the 2021 original was Amplitude’s “most successful game ever both financially and in number of players.”