Gamescom is one of the biggest events of the year for gamers. Taking place in Cologne, Germany, the annual conference showcases some of the industry’s top titles, and this year will be no different. Tomorrow’s featured event, Gamescom: Opening Night Live, will contain most of the big announcements, but there should be exciting updates rolling out through the rest of the week.
While many studios like to keep their announcements close to the chest, some have already let fans know what to expect. Xbox, Sega, Ubisoft, and other major players are expected to have a big presence at Gamescom this year. There are already over 30 games that are expected to be featured, with more surprises certainly on the way.
Games Confirmed for Gamescom 2022
Xbox will lead the way for Gamescom. According to the schedule published on Xbox’s official website, the titles Xbox will feature include Microsoft Flight Simulator, Minecraft Legends, Sea of Thieves, and Age of Empires 4, among several other titles. With Microsoft’s recent purchase of Bethesda, it’s interesting that there are no Bethesda games scheduled to debut, but Microsoft could be holding back a surprise announcement for later on.
One of the biggest games confirmed on the schedule is Hogwarts Legacy, the upcoming open-world RPG set in the Harry Potter universe. Hogwarts Legacy’s delay has caused some commotion within the fandom, and Avalanche will be looking to restore confidence in one of the most anticipated games of 2023. A new trailer and additional gameplay are both expected to be revealed at Gamescom’s signature showcase.
Sega is another name-brand publisher making its mark on Gamescom. The highly-anticipated open-world game Sonic Frontiers will receive a world premiere, and hopefully a release date, at the convention. With Sonic having a cultural renaissance thanks to the recent movies, Sega is counting on Sonic Frontiers to be its next big hit. Also confirmed for Sega’s showcase: Company of Heroes 3 and Soul Hackers 2.
It’s been a rough year for Ubisoft. After facing multiple allegations of having a toxic culture, Ubisoft has been facing a good amount of backlash from the gaming community. It skipped all the major events up until this point, but will finally be making an appearance at Gamescom tomorrow. Ubisoft has already confirmed Mario + Rabbids: Sparks of Hope and Skull and Bones will be featured, but fans are also hoping for announcements from the Assassin’s Creed franchise. While not scheduled to appear, it’s doubtful Ubisoft would make its return to the convention circuit without news on its most popular title.
THQ Nordic also has an impressive lineup scheduled. It will feature AEW: Fight Forever, SpongeBob Squarepants: The Cosmic Shake, Tempest Rising, Outcast 2: A New Beginning, Alone in the Dark, Wreckreation, and The Valiant, each of which was featured at THQ Nordic’s own showcase event earlier this month. Fans will also get the latest look at SpellForce: Conquest of Eo, which was noticeably absent from its presentation.
Thanks to the success of Elden Ring, Bandai Namco has quickly become one of the fastest-rising publishers in the industry. It did not announce what games will be presented, but fans are widely expecting a DLC expansion for Elden Ring to be featured. Bandai Namco also has a few games that will be released through the end of the year, including Dragon Ball: The Breakers and Gundam Evolution, which are likely to be promoted at Gamescom as well.
Gamescom couldn’t come at a better time for PLAION, recently rebranded from Koch Media. The new Saints Row releases tomorrow, just hours before Opening Night Live, and will be featured heavily by the publisher in its exhibition. The early reviews for Saints Row have been unfavorable, but the studio will undoubtedly try to drum up some excitement for the return of a once beloved series.
A couple of notable studios will not be in attendance. Nintendo will not be at Gamescom, opting instead to present games at a few smaller conventions. Playstation also will not be featured at the showcase this year. However, fans can still expect plenty of titles for both platforms on display tomorrow when Gamescom: ONL kicks off at 2:00 p.m. EST.