Gamescom 2026: Everything Announced, Award Winners and Dates

Gamescom 2026 has finished. Geoff Keighley's Opening Night Live opened the show on 25 August with almost 70 trailers, reveals and release dates, and the main event then ran from 26 August–30 at the Koelnmesse in Cologne, Germany, with more than 1,600 exhibitors.

The biggest news included The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt Remastered as a free upgrade, an 6 October release date for Gears of War: E-Day, the Xbox Series X25 anniversary console, and new looks at Final Fantasy VII Revelation, Metro 2039 and Control Resonant. CD Projekt Red and SEGA were the big winners at the gamescom award 2026, with three trophies each.

Below you'll find everything announced at Gamescom 2026, every release date confirmed at the show, the Xbox announcements and the full list of gamescom award 2026 winners. Our original pre-show guide, with the schedule and the lineup confirmed before the event, follows further down.

Everything announced at Gamescom 2026

Opening Night Live was packed: almost 70 segments covering brand-new games, release dates, DLC and updates. These were the biggest moments of the night.

The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt Remastered and Songs of the Past

CD Projekt Red closed the show with The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt Remastered, a free upgrade for existing owners with revamped gameplay systems, which released on 29 September 2026, alongside a new expansion, Songs of the Past. The announcement went on to win Best Trailer / Announcement at the gamescom award. Read our full guide: The Witcher 3 Remastered release date and free upgrade.

Gears of War: E-Day launched 6 October

Gears of War: E-Day got a campaign trailer and a firm release date of 6 October 2026 on Xbox Series X|S and PC, and it was playable for the first time on the Gamescom show floor. Xbox has confirmed it will be a console exclusive (it is not coming to PS5) and that it launches on Game Pass on day one. Owners of the premium editions could start playing from 1 October through early access. The game launched as planned on 6 October to strongly positive reviews, with critics praising its combat in particular.

Final Fantasy VII Revelation, Metro 2039 and Control Resonant

• Final Fantasy VII Revelation, the next chapter of Square Enix's remake project, was shown with a spring release window.
• Metro 2039 received a new cinematic story trailer and went on to win Best Visuals at the gamescom award.
• Control Resonant, Remedy's new Control game, showed a new trailer ahead of its 24 September 2026 launch.

Brand-new games revealed

• Heroes of Might and Magic 3 Remake: a remake of the classic strategy game.
• Humankind 2: the sequel to the historical strategy game Humankind was announced.
• Rainbow Six Tactics: a new strategy spin-off of the Rainbow Six series, coming in 2027.
• Nodus Fall: a new co-op action game from Genshin Impact maker HoYoverse.
• PUBG: ded.net: a new PUBG game, with closed beta sign-ups open.
• Dust: Origins: a new isometric action game from Airship Syndicate, the studio behind Darksiders Genesis.
• RollerCoaster Tycoon: Wonderworks: a new theme park management game heading to Steam early access.
• LEGO Skylines, Worms: Galactic Tactics, Exterminauts (a co-op shooter from Behaviour Interactive) and Gravhounds (from a studio of Halo and Battlefield veterans) were also revealed.

Updates and expansions

• Crimson Desert Enhanced: a free update adding story content, gameplay improvements and more voice support.
• Path of Exile 2: version 1.0 arrives on 11 December.
• Onimusha: Way of the Sword showed new boss battles before its 4 September launch, then won two gamescom awards.
• Hitman: World of Assassination teamed up with Snoop Dogg.
• Mega Man: Dual Override showed new gameplay ahead of its 2027 release.

Watch Gamescom Opening Night Live 2026

Full Show – official video from gamescom on YouTubeImage: Gamescom

Every release date confirmed at Gamescom 2026

Some of these games have already launched since the show. Release dates can still change, so check the official store page before you buy.

Xbox at Gamescom 2026: Series X25 price and release date

Xbox marked its 25th anniversary with two live broadcasts from its Gamescom booth on 26 and 27 August. The biggest news was the Xbox Series X25, a limited anniversary console that launches on 13 November 2026 for 9.99 in the US (prices vary by country), with a matching controller and Halo: Campaign Evolved included. Pre-orders opened on 27 August. The Xbox Wireless Controller X25 Special Edition is sold separately from 20 October 2026 for £74.99 / €79.99 / .99.

The broadcasts also included an extended look at Fable and deep dives into Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 4 and PUBG: ded.net.

Gamescom award 2026 winners

The gamescom award 2026 winners were announced on 28 August across 19 categories. CD Projekt Red and SEGA won three awards each, and Capcom and Ubisoft two each.

What Gamescom 2026 means for survival and shooter fans

For iGame readers who love survival horror and military shooters, the standouts were Gears of War: E-Day, now out, Metro 2039's bleak new story trailer, Alien: Isolation 2, which was playable at the show and won Best Audio, Rainbow Six Tactics and PUBG: ded.net. We'll cover each of them in more detail as their release dates approach.

More upcoming games on iGame Magazine: The Witcher 3 Remastered, Phantom Blade Zero release date and Alien: Isolation 2.

Gamescom 2026 at a glance

Gamescom describes itself as the world’s largest gaming event. Its 2025 edition attracted 357,000 visitors from 128 countries and featured 1,568 exhibitors across 233,000 square meters.

The number of exhibitors is expected to exceed 1,600 in 2026, setting another record for the Cologne event.

When is Gamescom 2026?

Gamescom 2026 officially takes place from Wednesday 26 August, until Sunday 30 August.

Opening Night Live will begin the major public announcements one day earlier on Tuesday 25 August.

The complete event period includes:

Not every presentation will take place during Opening Night Live. Publishers will continue sharing trailers, gameplay and interviews throughout the event.

What time is Gamescom Opening Night Live 2026?

Gamescom Opening Night Live begins on 25 August at the following times:

The main presentation is expected to last approximately two hours and conclude at 4:00 p.m. ET, 1:00 p.m. PT or 9:00 p.m. in the UK.

Geoff Keighley will host the show from Hall 1 of the Koelnmesse in Cologne. All audience tickets for the live presentation have sold out, but the complete event will be streamed online.

How to watch Gamescom 2026

(opens in new tab) Follow Gamescom 2026 online as the latest announcements, trailers and reveals arrive from Cologne.Image: Gamescom

Opening Night Live will be available through the official Gamescom and Game Awards channels.

Viewers should be able to watch through:

• Twitch
• Gamescom’s official website
• The Game Awards channels
• Participating publisher channels

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Official Gamescom Twitch channel:
https://www.twitch.tv/gamescom
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Official Gamescom website:
https://www.gamescom.global/en
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Watch the Gamescom Opening Night Live stream

Games confirmed before the show

The official Gamescom website and participating publishers have already confirmed numerous games.

Major titles currently include:

• The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt – Songs of the Past
• Metro 2039
• Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 4
• Gears of War: E-Day
• Fable
• Minecraft Dungeons II
• Alien: Isolation 2
• Persona 4 Revival
• Total War: Warhammer 40,000
• Crazy Taxi: World Tour
• Star Wars Zero Company
• Rayman Legends Retold
• Ace Combat 8
• Mega Man: Dual Override
• Nintendo Switch Sports Resort
• Sea of Remnants
• Silver Pines
• Road Kings
• Stranger Than Heaven
• Firefighting Simulator: Ignite
• Exodus

Some will appear during Opening Night Live, while others will only be playable or demonstrated on the show floor.

A game being present at Gamescom does not guarantee a new trailer or release-date announcement.

The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt – Songs of the Past is featured as part of Gamescom Opening Night Live.Image: CD Projekt Red

The Witcher 3: Songs of the Past will appear

CD Projekt Red has confirmed that The Witcher 3: Wild Hun (Songs of the Past) will appear during Gamescom Opening Night Live.

The new expansion will then receive its first complete showcase in the Gamescom entertainment area beginning 26 August.

Songs of the Past is described as a new full-sized expansion for The Witcher 3. Its appearance should provide the clearest information yet about its story, setting, gameplay and planned 2027 release.

CD Projekt Red will be located in Hall 8 at stands B-030 and A-031.CD.

Metro 2039 will receive a new trailer

Metro 2039 will be playable at Gamescom 2026 from 26 August–30.Image: Deep Silver

Metro 2039 is also confirmed for Opening Night Live.

The next Metro game takes place six years after Metro 2033 and returns to post-apocalyptic Moscow. Players follow a new protagonist known as the Stranger.

A new trailer will debut during the presentation, while Gamescom visitors will reportedly be able to play the game during the event.

Metro 2039 is currently planned for February 2027 on PC, PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X|S.

Xbox brings 25 games to Gamescom 2026

Xbox returns to Gamescom 2026 as one of the major gaming brands appearing at the Cologne event.Image: Xbox

Xbox is celebrating its 25th anniversary with one of the event’s largest booths.

The company says its Gamescom area will contain approximately 140 gaming stations featuring 25 upcoming releases.

Major Xbox games include:

• Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 4
• Gears of War: E-Day
• Minecraft Dungeons II
• Fable
• Metro 2039
• Stranger Than Heaven
• Alien: Isolation 2

Gears of War: E-Day will receive its first public campaign demonstration, while visitors can play Modern Warfare 4’s core 6v6 multiplayer.

Xbox will also broadcast live from its booth on 26 and 27 August. Both streams begin at:

• 10:00 a.m. ET
• 7:00 a.m. PT
• 3:00 p.m. UK
• 4:00 p.m. CEST

The broadcasts will include interviews, gameplay demonstrations, trailers and special guests.

Alien: Isolation 2 will be playable

An ominous Xenomorph teases an Alien Isolation 2 presence at Gamescom 2026.Image: Sega

Alien: Isolation 2 will make its European public hands-on debut at Gamescom 2026.

Visitors will be able to play the sequel’s opening section inside a themed booth designed to recreate the claustrophobic retro-futuristic atmosphere of the original game.

The first Alien: Isolation launched in 2014 and followed Amanda Ripley aboard Sevastopol Station. Expectations for its successor are therefore extremely high after a wait of more than a decade.

A gameplay demonstration or new trailer would make Alien: Isolation 2 one of the event’s biggest stories.

Sega confirms a large playable lineup

The Gamescom exhibition halls bring together major publishers, developers and thousands of gaming fans in Cologne.Image: Gamescom

Sega’s Gamescom presence includes several highly anticipated games:

• Alien: Isolation 2
• Persona 4 Revival
• Total War: Warhammer 40,000
• Crazy Taxi: World Tour

Crazy Taxi: World Tour will allow visitors to experience one of the five cities planned for the full game.

Persona 4 Revival should also attract considerable interest from RPG fans, while Total War: Warhammer 40,000 represents a major new direction for Creative Assembly’s strategy series.

Sega will occupy part of Hall 7 with five themed areas containing playable demonstrations and promotional activities.

Total War: Warhammer 40,000 heads to Gamescom 2026 with gameplay demos and more planned for the show.Image: Sega

Nintendo Switch 2 games at Gamescom 2026

Nintendo will return to Gamescom with numerous playable Nintendo Switch 2 games.

Confirmed titles include:

• Nintendo Switch Sports Resort
• Orbitals
• Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 4

Nintendo will also host daily tournaments, photography opportunities and Pikmin-related activities.

The Nintendo area will be located in Hall 9.1 at stand A10 and will be open between 26 and 30 August.

Ubisoft will showcase Rayman Legends Retold

Rayman Legends Retold joins the games being showcased during Gamescom 2026.Image: Ubisoft

Rayman Legends Retold will headline Ubisoft’s Gamescom 2026 presence.

Visitors will have access to a 20-minute playable demonstration containing:

• The opening level
• A dragon-riding sequence
• A returning musical level
• Two-player couch co-op

The remake introduces 3D visuals, a new story and fully voiced cinematics.

Ubisoft’s Community Lounge will also feature:

• Assassin’s Creed Black Flag Resynced developer panel
• Assassin’s Creed Shadows developer panel
• The Division 2 roadmap update
• Anno 117: Pax Romana DLC announcement
• Rayman anniversary content
• Rainbow Six Siege activities

Selected sessions will be streamed through Ubisoft’s YouTube and Twitch channels from 26 August–29.

Star Wars Zero Company is featured

Star Wars Zero Company is among the major titles appearing at Gamescom 2026.Image: Electronic Arts

Star Wars Zero Company appears among the featured games on the official Gamescom website.

The turn-based tactics game could receive another gameplay presentation during the event, although its inclusion does not guarantee an Opening Night Live appearance.

Any new footage may provide additional details about its squad-management systems, characters, missions and release plans.

Future Games Show returns on 26 August

The Future Games Show will broadcast from Gamescom on Wednesday 26 August.

The show begins at:

• 1:00 p.m. ET
• 10:00 a.m. PT
• 6:00 p.m. UK
• 7:00 p.m. CEST

Resident Evil Requiem performers Nick Apostolides and Angela Sant’Albano will host the presentation.

Confirmed games include:

• Tides of Annihilation
• Onimusha: Way of the Sword
• No Law

The broadcast promises world premieres, exclusive announcements, gameplay and developer interviews.

Additional show-floor coverage will continue through FGS Live From Gamescom, followed by a Best of Gamescom presentation on 30 August.

Nick Apostolides and Angela Sant’Albano will host coverage at Gamescom 2026.Image: Gamescom

Gamescom Awards take place on 28 August

The Gamescom Awards ceremony will take place on 28 August between 1:00 p.m. and 3:00 p.m. CEST.

Games can compete across categories including:

• Best Visuals
• Best Audio
• Best Gameplay
• Most Entertaining
• Most Epic
• Most Wholesome
• Games for Impact
• Best Xbox Game
• Best Nintendo Switch 2 Game
• Best PC Game
• Best PlayStation Game
• Best Mobile Game
• Best Trailer or Announcement
• Best Lineup

Winners are selected through a combination of jury decisions and community votes.

Gears of War: E-Day is among the major Xbox titles in the spotlight around Gamescom 2026.Image: Xbox

Is Gamescom 2026 worth watching?

Gamescom 2026 has one of the strongest confirmed lineups of any gaming event this year.

The Witcher 3: Songs of the Past, Metro 2039, Gears of War: E-Day and Alien: Isolation 2 provide several major attractions before any surprises are revealed.

Opening Night Live will be the most important individual presentation, but viewers should also monitor the Future Games Show, Xbox broadcasts and publisher channels throughout the week.

With more than 1,600 exhibitors attending, many of the most interesting announcements may come from smaller developers rather than the largest publishers.

Useful Links

• Official Gamescom website
• Official Gamescom Twitch
• Gamescom Awards
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• Gamescom exhibitor directory(opens in new taGamescom exhibitor directory
• Xbox Gamescom information
• Nintendo Gamescom information

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