Gamescom 2026: Dates, Conference Schedule, and What to Expect

Since 2009, gamers around the world have come to expect the end of August to be the time when gamescom, the world’s largest video game exhibition, takes place. This year, the biggest game developers and publishers will gather in Cologne, Germany, for the 18th time to announce their upcoming projects, alongside countless journalists and players eager to keep up with the most significant events in the industry.

Gamescom 2026 has already set a historic record: the organizers officially announced that, for the first time in the event’s history, all exhibition space was completely sold out long before the show even opened, meaning registration for new exhibitors has been closed.

In this article, we have collected the most up-to-date information about the upcoming exhibition: the schedule of all conferences and shows, the most anticipated announcements, what to expect from the opening ceremony — Opening Night Live — and where to watch the broadcasts.

Gamescom 2026 will take place from August 26 to 30 in Cologne, at the Koelnmesse exhibition center. The venue ranks among the ten best exhibition centers in the world and has hosted gamescom since the event was first held in 2009. The actual start of the show will be marked by the Opening Night Live ceremony on the evening of August 25.

If you want to quickly get an overview of the main gamescom events, start with this list:

August 25 (Tuesday), 20:00–22:00 (CEST) — the official kickoff, a major online show featuring the most significant announcements of Opening Night Live. As usual, it will be hosted by Geoff Keighley alongside Eefje “sjokz” Depoortere. Tickets for the venue have already sold out, but nothing prevents you from watching the show on YouTube, Twitch, or the gamescom website.

August 26 (Wednesday) — the official opening day of the exhibition. From 9:00 (CEST), gamescom will be open to industry professionals and gaming journalists, while members of the general public will be admitted from 13:00 (CEST). Developers’ booths will feature gaming areas where visitors can try demos of upcoming releases. The exhibition will close at 19:00 (CEST).

21:00 (CEST) — Future Games Show, featuring new exclusive trailers and announcements for indie and AAA projects, as well as possibly several playable demos. The show will be hosted by actors Nick Apostolides and Angela Sant’Albano, both known for their work in the Resident Evil franchise.

Immediately after the show, FGS Live from Gamescom will begin — a live broadcast from the exhibition floor organized by GamesRadar. The program promises live developer interviews and first impressions of playable demos.

August 27 (Thursday) — industry representatives and journalists will be admitted from 9:00 (CEST), while the general public will be able to enter from 10:00 (CEST). The exhibition will close at 20:00 (CEST).

Gamescom Congress will take place — an annual socio-political forum where experts discuss the impact of games on the economy, education, and culture.

Samsung will launch the #PlayGalaxy Cup, the global final of the PUBG Mobile esports tournament.

Between 18:00 and 20:30 (CEST), the gamescom Awesome Indies Show will take place, prepared by IGN and showcasing a selection of indie games from around the world.

August 28 (Friday) — the exhibition continues. As on Thursday, the “business hours” begin at 9:00 (CEST), while the general public will be admitted from 10:00 (CEST). The exhibition will close at 20:00 (CEST).

9:00 (CEST) — the start of the three-day Games Done Quick charity speedrunning marathon. Some of the world’s best speedrunners will take part, with announced games including Hades II, Hollow Knight: Silksong, The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time, and others.

The #PlayGalaxy Cup PUBG Mobile esports tournament final will also take place. Ten of the strongest teams from five regions around the world will compete on the main stage.

The pavilion stages will host meetings with bloggers, renowned game designers, and voice actors.

August 29 (Saturday) — the busiest and most crowded day of the exhibition. The business area will already be closed, while the entertainment pavilions will operate at full capacity from 9:00 (CEST) to 20:00 (CEST).

17:00 (CEST) — the gamescom cosplay contest final. An expert jury will select the best costumes of the exhibition across several categories.

The gamescom Games Done Quick charity marathon will also continue.

August 30 (Sunday) — the final day of the exhibition. Opening hours will be from 9:00 (CEST) to 20:00 (CEST).

FGS Best of Gamescom: GamesRadar will take viewers behind the scenes of gamescom for the first time. The broadcast will feature a tour of the exhibition booths and interviews with developers.

The gamescom Games Done Quick marathon finale: the event will conclude with some of the most difficult, spectacular, and longest speedruns of iconic games.

Gamescom Awards ceremony: the closing show will see the expert jury and viewers announce the best games of the exhibition across dozens of categories, including “Best Indie Game,” “Most Anticipated Game,” and others.

Official live broadcasts of the opening ceremony and the main presentations will be available on the gamescom channels on Twitch and YouTube, as well as on the gamescom.global website. Gaming news outlets and social media pages will also be closely following the event, while our website will publish announcements as they happen, along with a comprehensive report covering the most interesting details from the show.

Around 600 games will be featured at the exhibition. The biggest names in the industry have confirmed their participation in gamescom, including Xbox, Nintendo, Ubisoft, Capcom, CD Projekt RED, Electronic Arts, and others. The only major gaming giant missing from the lineup will be Sony. Read on to find out which gaming news and announcements to expect.

This year marks the 25th anniversary of the Xbox brand, and Microsoft has confirmed a massive lineup of more than 20 games, including titles from both its first-party studios and publishing partners. The Xbox booth will feature 140 playable demo stations for attendees.

Gears of War: E-Day will be Xbox's biggest attraction at gamescom. For the first time, visitors will be able to play part of the story campaign, with the demo covering the opening days of the Locust War and the beginning of Marcus Fenix and Dominic Santiago's friendship. The full game launches on October 6, 2026, and you can learn what to expect from it in our preview of the game's debut trailer.

Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 4 will let attendees go hands-on with the new 6v6 Core multiplayer mode on Xbox Series X for the first time. Visitors can also expect a brand-new trailer and fresh gameplay footage revealing more about the campaign centered on the conflict on the Korean Peninsula and the return of Captain Price. The developers will also showcase the new Kill Block mode, featuring dynamically changing environments during matches, as well as the large-scale Big War mode with vehicles. The full release is scheduled for October 23, 2026. You can also read our ranking of every Call of Duty game, from worst to best.

Players will be able to try Minecraft Dungeons II in co-op for the first time. The demo will showcase the redesigned interface, jumping attacks, new weapon types, armor, and artifacts. A new gameplay or story trailer is also expected. The game launches on September 29, 2026, for PC, Xbox Series X|S, PS5, Nintendo Switch, and Nintendo Switch 2.

Playground Games will present live gameplay of Fable for the first time. Visitors won't be able to play it themselves, however, as the presentation will take place in a closed theater-style format. The showcase will highlight the combat system, exploration of Albion's open world, and how the world reacts to player choices. New cutscenes featuring key characters are also expected. The game is officially set to launch on February 23, 2027. Read more in our preview of the new Fable.

Xbox publishing partner Deep Silver will bring the first public playable demo of Metro 2039 to the show. Visitors will be able to experience a short hands-on build showcasing the updated shooting mechanics, survival gameplay, and atmosphere. A new story or gameplay trailer is also expected, along with developer presentations from 4A Games. The game is scheduled to launch in February 2027.

One More Level, the studio behind Ghostrunner, will showcase its first-person soulslike action game Valor Mortis. During Xbox's official livestreams, the developers will answer player questions and offer attendees a chance to try the game's combat system. The demo will feature a mid-game level with tougher enemies and more advanced acrobatic movement. The game launches on October 13, 2026.

Xbox's partner booths will also feature The Blood of Dawnwalker, Alien: Isolation 2, and Stranger Than Heaven, which we'll cover in more detail later.

Nintendo returns to gamescom as one of the show's major partners, bringing nine playable games to Cologne, including first-party Nintendo Switch 2 exclusives as well as high-profile third-party releases.

Nintendo has high hopes for the tactical RPG Fire Emblem: Fortune's Weave. The game will be exclusive to the Nintendo Switch 2 and will be released on September 17, 2026. A new trailer is expected at Opening Night Live, and the developers are also bringing a demo to Cologne, but rumor has it that it won't be playable by regular attendees—only journalists and bloggers will be allowed.

The sequel to the popular sports game brings players back to the iconic Wuhu Island. The demo will let visitors try out the motion controls of the new Joy-Con 2 controllers across 12 sports, including boxing, table tennis, and airplane flying, ahead of the game's October 22, 2026 release.

Developed exclusively for Nintendo Switch 2 and published by Kepler Interactive, Orbitals is a third-person co-op adventure game. The story follows two space explorers who must work together to save a space station from a deadly cosmic storm. The game is scheduled to launch in September 2026.

Nintendo will also showcase new content for Splatoon Raiders and Pokémon Pokopia, along with several major cross-platform titles coming to Switch 2, including Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 4—marking the legendary shooter franchise's historic debut on a Nintendo console — 007 First Light, Minecraft Dungeons II, EA Sports FC 27, and Metaphor: ReFantazio.

Rumors of a remake of the very first 3D The Legend of Zelda have been circulating heavily within the fan community. Nintendo has neither confirmed nor denied the reports. According to insiders, the company may save the full reveal for later in the fall, but fans still hope that gamescom will bring at least a teaser trailer and an official release date.

The Duskbloods from FromSoftware will almost certainly not be playable at gamescom, but it could still become one of the event's biggest surprises. Fans are hoping for a brand-new trailer during Opening Night Live, along with an official release date. At the moment, however, the developers have their hands full elsewhere: Nintendo is hosting a closed global network test for the game on Nintendo Switch 2 from August 21 to 24. The game is still expected to launch in late 2026.

The Witcher 4 will not appear in playable form or receive a dedicated presentation at gamescom 2026. Instead, CD Projekt RED plans to focus on the upcoming expansion for The Witcher 3.

The expansion is expected to debut during Opening Night Live, where the developers will reveal the first trailer and introduce its story premise. Additional promotional materials will be shown throughout the entertainment area during the exhibition, but there will be no playable demo. The studio is intentionally holding back the playable build for journalists and content creators until much closer to the planned 2027 release.

Konami has announced three major games for the show.

Silent Hill: Townfall will receive a major pre-release trailer featuring new gameplay footage during the Opening Night Live ceremony. The publisher will also organize an interactive themed area dedicated to the game’s universe. Although the game is only a month away from release, with the launch scheduled for September 24, visitors will not be able to play the demo — the interactive build has been reserved exclusively for closed-door previews for journalists.

Visitors will get the chance to experience the classic 2D action game Castlevania: Belmont's Curse firsthand and play its first public demo. Players will be able to try out the revamped combat system featuring the famous Vampire Killer whip, as well as a mechanic that allows them to create spells from the souls of defeated bosses. The game will be released on October 15, 2026.

Interestingly, Metal Gear Solid: Master Collection Vol. 2 will be released on August 27, 2026 — right in the middle of the show. That will not stop visitors from freely trying out the games included in the collection, including Metal Gear Solid 4: Guns of the Patriots, which remained a PlayStation 3 "prisoner" for a long time. The booth will feature a dedicated co-op area, as well as a merchandise giveaway.

Capcom's booth will offer visitors around 60 playable demo stations. The company is also preparing "interesting surprises for visitors" and a series of live broadcasts from the show floor.

Industry insiders and fan communities expect Capcom to use Opening Night Live for the official premiere of a full Resident Evil Veronica trailer. Whether those hopes come true will be revealed at the show. The game's announcement in June 2026 already caused a huge stir and generated considerable excitement among players. The game itself is currently expected to launch in 2027. Read more in our preview of Resident Evil Veronica.

Capcom will present the first public playable demo of the major Dragon's Dogma 2: Dark Arisen expansion. The demo will allow visitors to explore a new snowy region that was not present in the original game, battle an ice dragon and creatures capable of summoning armies of the dead, and clear out underground dungeons. The expansion launches on October 9, 2026, and its campaign is expected to take around 25 hours to complete.

Visitors will also be able to try the first demo of the 2.5D platformer Mega Man: Dual Override. The demo will feature several opening levels, allowing players to experience the updated gameplay and pacing. The booth will also support two-player co-op. A new gameplay trailer showcasing the abilities of the game's new bosses is expected as well.

For Onimusha: Way of the Sword, Capcom will showcase the final pre-release build, with the game launching as soon as September 4, 2026. Visitors will be able to try the combat system for themselves and test how sword-swing gesture controls work with the Joy-Con 2 controllers on Switch 2. A final cinematic and gameplay trailer revealing the opening premise of the story is also expected. Read more in our preview of Onimusha: Way of the Sword.

SEGA is preparing to showcase the first demos of five major games at gamescom, including several cross-platform releases.

Visitors will be able to play a hands-on demo of Alien: Isolation 2. The demo will let players experience the game's prologue and evaluate its atmosphere, controls, and new survival mechanics. The classic claustrophobic gameplay will return, requiring players to hide in ventilation shafts and under tables, repair damaged systems, and avoid making unnecessary noise. The area surrounding the demo at SEGA's booth will be styled after the dark interiors of the Alien films.

The creators of the Yakuza series will present the first playable demo of Stranger Than Heaven. Visitors will be able to try the game's close-quarters combat system, in which the left and right sides of the protagonist's body can be controlled independently. The demo will also introduce mechanics tied to the protagonist's musical talents, including organizing performances, assembling a cast, and configuring stage lighting. The play area will be styled as an underground Japanese jazz club. The full game is scheduled to launch on January 15, 2027.

The arcade racing game Crazy Taxi: World Tour will also receive its first public demo. The demonstration will feature one of the five world capitals planned for the final game. During the exhibition, the SEGA booth will also promote the upcoming closed network test, scheduled to take place from September 12 to 14, 2026. The game is set to launch in March 2027. Read more in our preview of Crazy Taxi: World Tour.

At gamescom, visitors will be able to play the remake of the cult JRPG Persona 4 Revival and experience its updated visual style, interface, and combat system. The demo will allow players to explore the Junes shopping center in the quiet rural town of Inaba. Visitors will also be able to leave physical and digital messages at a special installation made from a pile of old televisions. The game is officially scheduled to launch on February 18, 2027.

Warhammer fans will be able to try the first demo of Total War: WARHAMMER 40,000. Visitors will personally lead the Imperium's finest forces, the Space Marines, through three combat missions. After playing the demo, participants can receive a stamp in a special booklet; collecting five stamps from different SEGA areas will earn them an exclusive collectible token. The game is expected to launch in 2027.

Ubisoft is bringing just one major new announcement to gamescom this year, though the company also promises plenty of content reveals in its dedicated Community Lounge, where developers will present updates for Anno 117: Pax Romana, The Division 2, and Rainbow Six Siege.

Rayman Legends Retold is a remake of Rayman Legends (2013) designed for a new generation of players. Visitors will be able to play a 20-minute demo featuring the opening level, a dragon-riding sequence, and one of the game's famous musical stages. The booth will include 15 co-op stations for local multiplayer, and Ubisoft plans to attract attention with a giant inflatable Rayman.

According to insider reports, Ubisoft may surprise fans by unveiling Far Cry 7 during Opening Night Live. If the rumors prove accurate, we'll finally get our first look at what the next entry in the series has in store. Current speculation suggests the game could evolve into an extraction shooter and is unlikely to launch before 2027.

Electronic Arts is bringing the next entry in the EA Sports series and a long-awaited tactical project set in the Star Wars universe to gamescom. The developers will also present fresh roadmaps, trailers, and details on the major fall seasons for Apex Legends and The Sims 4.

The Opening Night Live show will feature the final launch trailer for Star Wars Zero Company as the game is officially scheduled to release on August 27, right in the middle of gamescom. For Star Wars and tactical game fans, EA will also set up a dedicated themed photo zone at its booth.

The show will feature new details on the annual EA Sports football simulator. Visitors will be among the first to try EA Sports FC 27. Particular attention will be paid to the game's performance on the Nintendo Switch 2, where the title will receive significant graphical improvements.

South Korean giant Krafton, best known for PUBG, has prepared announcements for as many as five projects, including several competitive titles.

Very few details are known so far. According to reports, it is an entirely new fast-paced first-person action shooter featuring key elements of the original PUBG. The game will be set in the dense forests and small towns of the Pacific Northwest.

Krafton is expected to reveal more details about NO LAW, an open-world immersive shooter set in a cyber-noir world. Players will take on the role of former soldier Gray Harker in the lawless metropolis of Port Desire. The developers promise a deep single-player campaign, a reactive world, and brutal gunplay.

Competitive gaming fans will be able to learn more about the development of tactical MOBA Project ZETA. Its main gameplay twist is the format: four teams fight simultaneously on the same map, competing for control of an objective known as the Prism.

Japanese publisher Bandai Namco will bring just three games to the show, but each one has the potential to make a strong showing on the sales charts.

The public demo of The Blood of Dawnwalker, developed by veterans of The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt, will be the game's final playable demonstration before its release on September 3. The demo will showcase two distinct gameplay loops: the daytime loop, focused on sword combat, magic, and traditional human abilities, and the nighttime loop, centered around stealth, wall-running, transforming into a wolf, and vampire powers. Members of the development team will be present at the booth, led by game director Konrad Tomaszkiewicz.

Fans of arcade flight simulators in the Ace Combat series will be able to try a demo of Ace Combat 8: Wings of Theve. Players will take to the skies and experience the game's larger-scale maps at a 1:1 scale, as well as its redesigned damage model. A new cinematic trailer is expected to debut during Opening Night Live. The game launches on October 2, 2026.

Bandai Namco is bringing the first playable demo of the long-awaited fighting game DRAGON BALL XENOVERSE 3 to the show. Visitors will be able to create their own unique warrior and take them into combat missions in teams of up to four players. A major gameplay trailer is expected to reveal more details about the story mode and character classes. The full game is scheduled to launch in 2027.

During Opening Night Live, Final Fantasy VII director Naoki Hamaguchi is expected to personally present a major new segment from the finale of the trilogy. Final Fantasy VII Revelation will conclude Cloud's revamped story, with the game scheduled for release in spring 2027. It will not be playable at the booth — the game will only be featured as part of the show's broadcasts.

Warner Bros. has officially confirmed to investors that a sequel to Hogwarts Legacy is in active development. There is no release date, no details on the sequel, or even a timeline for a full reveal. However, gaming media are already predicting that a full first announcement and teaser for the game are being prepared for Opening Night Live.

According to leaks from the Asian market, Square Enix plans to lock in a 2027 release window for Kingdom Hearts IV and is bringing fresh gameplay footage to Cologne. It is possible that the game will only receive a trailer during the opening ceremony. Development has been underway since 2022, but there is still no official information about the release date.

Publisher NetEase Games has prepared a large-scale stand and a full-fledged public demo of Sea of Remnants, an adventure RPG about naval battles. Visitors will be able to experience customization, turn-based land combat, real-time naval battles, and boss battles. The release is scheduled for 2027.

Also, according to insiders, NetEase is preparing a private screening of a certain “secret and highly anticipated” title.

The release of the racing simulator in the Star Wars universe, Star Wars: Galactic Racer, is scheduled for October 6, 2026, and the last major presentation of the game is expected at gamescom. The developers plan to show final gameplay videos demonstrating racing mechanics, car customization and various tracks. They also promise a detailed analysis of the bonuses and composition of the Deluxe edition.

NCSoft has officially confirmed that Guild Wars 3 will be presented at gamescom 2026. However, the format will be specific — there will be no open demonstration stand for exhibition visitors, the project will be shown only in the business zone to journalists and bloggers. Insiders report that the developers will show about an hour of live gameplay, including the combat system. Casual gamers should only expect a gameplay teaser or trailer at the opening ceremony.

At Opening Night Live they will show the first gameplay video of Game of Thrones: War for Westeros, a classic RTS in the world of Game of Thrones. The game was planned to be released in 2026, but was eventually postponed to 2027. The developers promise players large-scale battles involving dragons as superweapons, fair object physics, a story campaign in the spirit of the cult Lord of the Rings: Battle for Middle-earth, and multiplayer.

The developers of Neo Berlin 2087 have already shared the first trailer for their game, but at gamescom they promise to show a new gameplay video and name the release date (so far, 2028 is mentioned). The game has been compared to Deus Ex: the same cyberpunk atmosphere, the same mechanics of stealth and cyber-hacking, and even the participation of Elias Toufexis (the voice of Adam Jensen).

Chinese studio Eclipse Glow Games will present the first public demo of Tides of Annihilation, a fantasy action game currently scheduled for release in late 2026. Players will be able to experience fast-paced gameplay featuring acrobatic movement and hack-and-slash elements. A fresh gameplay or cinematic trailer is also promised for the Opening Night Live ceremony.

The asymmetrical horror game Halloween: The Game is scheduled for release on September 8, 2026, and the game's publisher promises a large-scale presentation. A final gameplay trailer is expected at Opening Night Live, and attendees will be able to try out a demo for themselves—multiplayer matches for Michael Myers or the Survivors.

There's no official confirmation of Exodus's participation at the show yet, but the game has a high chance of getting a new trailer with a precise release date. Press and insiders speculate that the developers will announce the final release date at Opening Night Live. Don't expect a playable demo—the developers already held a large-scale gameplay demonstration in June at the Future Games Show. The game is officially scheduled for early 2027.

The full release of the remake of the original 1996 Tomb Raider, Tomb Raider: Legacy of Atlantis, is scheduled for February 12, 2027. The game will definitely be featured at Gamescom, but there will be no public playable demo at the booth. Amazon Game Studios plans to show off fresh gameplay or a gameplay journal, likely during Opening Night Live or at one of its partner shows.

Fans of the cult satirical shooter Postal 2 will be able to play a demo of Postal 2 Redux, a remake of the 2003 game, for the first time. The developers at Running with Scissors have converted the game to the modern Unity engine, reworked the lighting, locations, and buildings, and expanded the Dude's arsenal, making the gameplay even wilder than the original. The game is scheduled for release on PC and consoles in late 2026.

HoYoverse is preparing an interactive demo of Honkai: Nexus Anima. Visitors will be able to play through the opening tutorial mission and get a feel for the revamped combat system, movement mechanics, and companion progression system. A cinematic trailer is expected to premiere during Opening Night Live, while the developers will discuss the game's classes on the main stage.

The business simulator Transport Fever 3 promises to be the most ambitious installment in the Transport Fever series. Developers Urban Games have partnered with publisher Paradox Interactive to bring a full, one-hour demo of the game to the show. For the first time in the series, a full day/night cycle and dynamic weather will be introduced, along with helicopters, an improved contract system, and a live citizen simulation. A specific release date has not yet been announced, but a 2026 release is promised.

A fresh build of the medieval zombie survival game God Save Birmingham will also be brought to Gamescom. Last year, the developers showed off an early pre-alpha, and this time they promise to showcase all the changes made following best-testing: new weapon types, accelerated combat animations, livestock breeding, and harvesting mechanics. A co-op mode is also planned. The game is expected to be in early access by the end of 2026.

Publisher Bloober Team is preparing the first demo of SAW: Genesis, an asymmetrical horror game based on the cult Saw franchise. Visitors will be able to play a full match, taking on the role of either a survivor or a killer, and will also be able to sign up for the closed beta test.

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Bloober Team will also present a public demo of Cronos: Lazarus, a major story expansion for the sci-fi horror game Cronos: The New Dawn. The studio promises more aggressive and faster-paced gameplay, a new melee weapon in the form of an energy blade, and new enemies. The DLC is scheduled for release in October 2026.

Owlcat Games will present a new public demo of the third-person sci-fi action RPG The Expanse: Osiris Reborn. The developers are bringing a fresh gameplay build showcasing dynamic third-person combat, destructible cover, and a dialogue system with meaningful choices. The game is planned for release in spring 2027. Read our impressions of the first demo in the article "We Played the Press Version of The Expanse: Osiris Reborn".

Opening Night Live is also expected to feature a fresh cinematic or gameplay trailer for ONTOS, a sci-fi thriller from Frictional Games, the creators of SOMA and the Amnesia series. The developers have officially announced that the game has been delayed to 2027, which is why no playable build will be brought to Cologne.

Chinese giant Tencent, through its publishing label Level Infinite, will bring CONTROL Resonant from Remedy Entertainment to the show. Visitors will be the first in the world to get the chance to play a full interactive demo. This will be the final test ahead of the game's release on September 24, 2026.

Tencent is also preparing a presentation of a secret unannounced game, which the company plans to reveal just before the show begins. We will be sure to tell you about it — new announcements will be added to this article in the run-up to the exhibition, so stay tuned for updates.

Tickets can only be purchased through the official Gamescom online store, as there will be no physical ticket offices at the exhibition itself.

Prices depend on the day of the week: Saturday, August 29, will be the busiest and most expensive day, with a regular day ticket costing €41 and an evening ticket (after 4:00 p.m.) costing €13. On the other days, a day ticket costs €31.50, while an evening ticket costs €10.50. A ticket to the grand Opening Night Live show is sold separately and costs €34.50. With huge crowds expected at the exhibition, it is worth taking care of your tickets as early as possible.