GamesIndustry.biz reported live from the eighth edition of Gamescom Opening Night Live, held on Tuesday evening. The venue was completely filled, with no empty seats in sight, and a host of gaming personalities were on hand.
Among them, Xbox’s senior leader Asha Sharma was spotted near the front, striking a playful "X" with her arms as the camera swept across the crowd. The evening began with Geoff Keighley delivering a surprisingly personal opening address.
He shared that after last year’s event he returned home to be with his ailing father, who passed away shortly thereafter. Keighley also reflected on the current challenges facing the industry, noting that "the video game sector is undeniably shifting and evolving," pointing to widespread layoffs and rising hardware costs driven by an AI component shortage. Despite these headwinds, he emphasized that developers worldwide continue to press on, 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 reaction underscored the global popularity of Hoyoverse’s flagship titles such as Genshin Impact and Honkai: Star Rail.
The next showcase was for Nodusfall, a sleek cooperative action game that bears a clear resemblance to Capcom’s Monster Hunter series, with teams of players banding together to hunt dragon‑like beasts. The prominence of Asian studios was evident throughout the broadcast.
Several Chinese and Korean projects were highlighted, including Cinder City and Like or Die from NC, 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. Another Hoyoverse offering, the life‑simulation title Petit Planet, also received a slot in the lineup. Naoki Hamaguchi stepped onto the stage to unveil Final Fantasy VII: Revelation, slated for a spring 2027 release. Notably, this installment will launch 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 made an appearance to present the trailer for Metro 2039, scheduled for February 2027. Bloch described the project as "a dark undertaking that demands passion, discipline, and a team accustomed to working under irregular conditions," while Ulmer added that development had been "pretty rough, trust me." The trailer opened with a proud declaration: "Proudly made in Ukraine." The night’s biggest surprise, however, was The Witcher 3. The beloved RPG closed the show with an enthusiastic roar from the crowd when it was announced that a comprehensive remaster is on the way. The upgraded version will feature revamped combat, ray‑tracing support, and will be offered as a free upgrade to anyone who owns the original game as of September 29.
In addition, the two original expansions will be provided at no cost to base‑game owners, paving the way for the upcoming third expansion, Songs of the Past, set for 2027. Level‑design lead Miles Tost explained that CD Projekt Red has long wanted to deliver "one more story" with Geralt, and a brief glimpse of the new expansion showed the witcher wielding a fresh chain weapon.
Wizards of the Coast used the platform to showcase their upcoming space adventure Exodus, due April 7, 2027, and also released a lengthy gameplay trailer for the Dungeons & Dragons title Warlock, slated for next year without a firm release date. 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, backed by Saudi Arabia’s MBC network, presented its inaugural title 1001 Threads of Mizan. The quirky trailer for Showa American Story—featuring a protagonist slashing enemies with an American flag and an arm‑mounted drill—earned a modest applause, suggesting 4Divinity’s strategy of embracing eccentric AA titles may be resonating.
Meanwhile, RedOctane’s Stage Tour prompted genuine cheers, indicating a strong appetite for the return of rhythm‑action guitar games. Nostalgia moments arrived with Sega’s first look at Crazy Taxi World Tour and the confirmation that Saber Interactive’s Turok: Origins will arrive in spring 2027.
Heroes of Might and Magic 3 also received a remake announcement, arriving 27 years after its original 1999 launch. Indie highlights shone throughout the event.
Unrelated Studio’s Lofsöng, Airship Syndicate’s Dust: Origins, and Daniel Mullins’ off‑beat Pony Island 2: Panda Circus—due April 27, 2027—were all featured. The pre‑show segment delivered additional news.
Team17 announced Worms: Galactic Tactics, an isometric turn‑based tactics game slated for 2027. RollerCoaster Tycoon Wonderworks was revealed as an upcoming Early Access title that retains the pixel‑art aesthetic of the classic series. Dlala Studios’ Murals secured legendary comedian Bob Mortimer for voice‑over work, adding a unique flavor to the project.
Indie studio Duck Reaction’s haunting trailer for Perceptum, due 2027, left a lasting impression with an eerie scene of an elderly woman closing her eyes to commune with the beyond. Finally, Amplitude Studios, now independent after splitting from Sega in 2024, announced Humankind 2 for 2027. Studio head Romain de Waubert de Genlis previously told GamesIndustry.biz that the 2021 original was Amplitude’s "most successful game ever both financially and in number of players."