GamesIndustry.biz attended the eighth edition of Gamescom’s Opening Night Live on Tuesday evening, a digital showcase that filled the venue to capacity. Every seat was occupied, and a host of gaming personalities were in the audience – for example, Xbox’s senior leader Asha Sharma was spotted near the front, striking an "X" with her arms as the camera swept across the crowd. The program began with Geoff Keighley delivering a surprisingly personal opening address.
He revealed that after last year’s show he rushed home to be with his ailing father, who passed away shortly thereafter. Keighley also took a moment to acknowledge the sector’s current difficulties, noting that "it’s no secret the video‑game industry is changing and evolving," referencing the wave of layoffs and the rising cost of hardware driven by an AI‑chip shortage.
Despite those headwinds, he affirmed that developers worldwide continue to press on and create new experiences. The first trailer set the tone by flashing the word "Hoyoverse," prompting excited murmurs from the audience – a clear nod to the global popularity of titles such as Genshin Impact and Honkai: Star Rail. The next reveal was Nodusfall, a sleek co‑op action game that bears a strong resemblance to Capcom’s Monster Hunter series, inviting players to hunt down dragon‑like beasts together. A pattern emerged throughout the night: a pronounced presence from Chinese and Korean studios.
Highlights included 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. Hoyoverse also introduced a new life‑simulation title, Petit Planet, adding to the Asian‑centric lineup. Naoki Hamaguchi took the stage to announce Final Fantasy VII: Revelation, slated for a spring 2027 launch. Notably, this entry will release on all major platforms simultaneously, a departure from the previous two entries which were timed PlayStation exclusives.
Jon Bloch and Pavel Ulmer of 4A Games then presented the trailer for Metro 2039, scheduled for February 2027. Bloch described the project as "dark, demanding a lot of passion, discipline, and a team accustomed to working without peace or regularity," while Ulmer added, "the development has been pretty rough, trust me." The trailer opened with a proud declaration, "Proudly made in Ukraine." The evening’s crowning achievement, however, was the announcement concerning The Witcher 3. The beloved RPG will receive a comprehensive remaster featuring upgraded combat mechanics, ray‑tracing, and a host of visual enhancements. CD Projekt Red will offer the remastered version as a free upgrade to anyone who owns the original game, with the rollout beginning on September 29.
In addition, the two original expansions will be provided at no cost to base‑game owners, paving the way for the third expansion, Songs of the Past, which arrives in 2027. Level‑design lead Miles Tost explained that the studio has long wanted to deliver "one more story" with Geralt, and a brief glimpse of the upcoming expansion showcased Geralt wielding a new chain weapon. Wizards of the Coast used its slot to unveil the space‑adventure Exodus, due on April 7 2027, and to share an extensive gameplay trailer for the Dungeons & Dragons title Warlock, slated for release next year (exact date still TBD).
Other notable trailers 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, backed by Saudi Arabia’s MBC network, revealed its debut project, 1001 Threads of Mizan.
The quirky trailer for Showa American Story, featuring a protagonist wielding 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 paying off. RedOctane’s Stage Tour provoked genuine cheers, indicating a strong appetite for the return of rhythm‑action guitar games. Nostalgia moments included Sega’s first look at Crazy Taxi World Tour and the confirmation that Saber Interactive’s Turok: Origins will launch in spring 2027. Heroes of Might and Magic 3 is also receiving a remake, arriving 27 years after its original 1999 debut.
Indie highlights shone as well: Unrelated Studio’s atmospheric Lofsöng, Airship Syndicate’s Dust: Origins, and Daniel Mullins’ wildly imaginative Pony Island 2: Panda Circus, set for an April 27 2027 release. The pre‑show segment delivered additional announcements. Team 17 revealed Worms: Galactic Tactics, an isometric turn‑based strategy game slated for 2027.
RollerCoaster Tycoon Wonderworks is heading to Early Access soon, preserving the pixel‑art aesthetic of the classic. Dlala Studios’ Murals secured legendary comedian Bob Mortimer for voice‑over work.
Indie studio Duck Reaction’s haunting Perceptum, due in 2027, impressed with a trailer showing an elderly woman closing her eyes to commune with the beyond. Finally, Amplitude Studios announced Humankind 2 for 2027, noting that the studio became independent from Sega in 2024. 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."