Gamescom 2026: Dates, Schedule, Games and How to Watch

Gamescom 2026 begins this week in Cologne, Germany, bringing together more than 1,600 exhibitors for new game announcements, trailers, playable demonstrations and developer presentations. The main event runs from August 26–30, while Geoff Keighley will host Gamescom Opening Night Live on August 25.

Confirmed games include The Witcher 3: Songs of the Past, Metro 2039, Gears of War: E-Day, Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 4, Alien: Isolation 2, Persona 4 Revival, Fable and Star Wars Zero Company.

Opening Night Live will provide the first major collection of reveals, but announcements will continue throughout the week through Xbox broadcasts, the Future Games Show, developer presentations and show-floor coverage.

This Gamescom 2026 guide contains every confirmed date, start time and major game announced before the event. We will update it with the biggest trailers and reveals as they happen.

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, August 26, until Sunday, August 30.

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

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 August 25 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

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

Follow Gamescom 2026 online as the latest announcements, trailers and reveals arrive from Cologne.

Confirmed Gamescom 2026 games

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.

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 August 26.

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 August 26–30.

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.

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 August 26 and 27. 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.

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.

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.

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 August 26 and 30.

Ubisoft will showcase Rayman Legends Retold

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

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 August 26–29.

Star Wars Zero Company is featured

Star Wars Zero Company is among the major titles appearing at Gamescom 2026.

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 August 26

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

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 August 30.

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

Gamescom Awards take place on August 28

The Gamescom Awards ceremony will take place on August 28 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.

What could be announced at Gamescom 2026?

Opening Night Live promises world premieres, new trailers and surprise announcements, but unconfirmed rumors should be treated cautiously.

The most realistic expectations include:

• New release dates
• Previously unseen gameplay
• New downloadable expansions
• Public playtests
• Platform announcements
• New characters and locations
• Developer interviews
• Surprise game reveals

Games confirmed for the show should not automatically be expected to receive release dates.

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

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

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