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 a parade of gaming personalities filled the crowd, including Xbox’s senior leader Asha Sharma, who playfully formed an "X" with her arms as the cameras swept across the audience. The event kicked off with Geoff Keighley delivering a surprisingly personal opening address. He spoke about returning home after last year’s show to be with his ailing father, who passed away shortly thereafter.
Keighley also took a moment to acknowledge the broader challenges facing the industry, noting that “the video‑game sector is in the midst of rapid change,” citing the wave of layoffs and the surge in hardware prices driven by an AI‑chip shortage. Despite these headwinds, he emphasized that developers worldwide continue to press on, crafting new experiences for players. The first trailer set the tone by flashing the word "Hoyoverse," prompting audible gasps from the audience.
This reaction underscored the global reach of Hoyoverse’s flagship titles such as Genshin Impact and Honkai: Star Rail. The showcase then revealed "Nodusfall," a sleek cooperative action game that bears a clear resemblance to Capcom’s Monster Hunter series, with teams of players hunting down massive dragon‑like beasts. A clear pattern emerged throughout the night: a strong showing from East Asian studios. Chinese and Korean developers presented a slew of new projects, including "Cinder City" and "Like or Die" from NC, Krafton’s "PUBG: Ded.Net," Netease’s "Ananta" and "Sea of Remnants," Ti Games’ quirky "Zoopunk," and Eclipse Glow Games’ ambitious "Tides of Annihilation" out of Chengdu.
Hoyoverse also introduced a new life‑simulation title, "Petit Planet," adding another feather to its already impressive cap. Naoki Hamaguchi took the stage to unveil "Final Fantasy VII: Revelation," slated for a spring 2027 release. Notably, this entry will launch on all major platforms simultaneously, a departure from the previous two installments that were timed exclusives for PlayStation.
The evening also featured appearances by Jon Bloch and Pavel Ulmer of 4A Games, who premiered the trailer for "Metro 2039," scheduled for February 2027. Bloch described the development of such a dark narrative as a test of “passion, discipline, and a team accustomed to working without regular peace,” while Ulmer admitted the process was “pretty rough, trust me.” The trailer opened with a bold "Proudly made in Ukraine" banner, highlighting the studio’s resilience.
Undoubtedly, the night’s biggest surprise was the announcement surrounding "The Witcher 3." The beloved RPG will receive a comprehensive remaster that upgrades combat, adds ray‑tracing, and improves overall performance. Even more exciting, CD Projekt Red will offer this upgraded version as a free upgrade to anyone who owns the original game, beginning on September 29. In addition, the two original expansions will be released for free to base‑game owners ahead of the upcoming third expansion, "Songs of the Past," slated for 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 new expansion showed Geralt wielding a fresh chain weapon.
Wizards of the Coast used the platform to preview their upcoming space‑adventure "Exodus," arriving on April 7 2027, and also dropped a lengthy gameplay trailer for the Dungeons & Dragons title "Warlock," which is slated for next year but still lacks a firm release window. Other notable reveals included Behaviour Interactive’s "Exterminauts" (co‑developed with Level Infinite), a lighter‑hearted take on the chaotic fun of "Helldivers 2"; the city‑building game "Lego Skylines," which will be published by Paradox Interactive; and Frictional Games’ spiritual successor to "Soma," titled "Ontos" from Kepler. MBC Game Studio, backed by the Saudi broadcaster MBC, announced its debut title "1001 Threads of Mizan." A tongue‑in‑cheek moment arrived with the absurd trailer for "Showa American Story," featuring a protagonist who attacks enemies with an American flag and an arm‑mounted drill. The crowd’s mixed applause suggested that 4Divinity’s strategy of leaning into quirky, over‑the‑top AA titles might be paying off.
Meanwhile, RedOctane’s "Stage Tour" elicited genuine cheers, indicating that the revival of rhythm‑action guitar games is a welcome return for many. Nostalgia also made an appearance.
Sega offered a first look at "Crazy Taxi World Tour," while Saber Interactive confirmed "Turok: Origins" for spring 2027. Fans of classic strategy were delighted to learn that "Heroes of Might and Magic 3" will finally receive a remake, arriving 27 years after its original 1999 launch.
Indie highlights shone as well. Unrelated Studio’s "Lofsöng," Airship Syndicate’s atmospheric "Dust: Origins," and Daniel Mullins’ eccentric sequel "Pony Island 2: Panda Circus" (due April 27 2027) all generated buzz. The pre‑show also delivered several intriguing announcements.
Team 17 revealed "Worms: Galactic Tactics," an isometric turn‑based strategy game slated for 2027. "RollerCoaster Tycoon Wonderworks" will head to Early Access soon, preserving the beloved pixel‑art aesthetic of the original.
Dlala Studios secured legendary comedian Bob Mortimer to voice‑over their eerie title "Murals." Indie studio Duck Reaction teased "Perceptum," a haunting experience set for 2027, with a trailer featuring 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.
Studio head Romain de Waubert de Genlis had previously described the 2021 original as Amplitude’s most successful game both financially and in player numbers.