Gamescom 2021: everything you need to know

Gamescom 2021: everything you need to know
Gamescom is back in 2021, and as always, it's shaping up to be one of the biggest events on the gaming calendar. Naturally, the show will be a bit different this year due to Covid-19. The organizers originally planned to make Gamescom 2021 a hybrid event with in-person opportunities along with virtual access, but the physical presence has since been phased out due to the ongoing impact of the pandemic. Like Gamescom 2020, this year's show will be an entirely digital affair, with an opening showcase alongside announcements from major publishers and developers. The organizers also revealed that there will be new features this year, including a community activity called the Gamescom Epix along with the return of Geoff Keighley's Opening Night Live. If you want to prepare for this year's show, we've rounded up all the information we can, including when and where it's going and what to expect from the exhibitors that have been revealed so far. Read on for everything you need to know about Gamescom 2021.

What is Gamescom?

Gamescom

(Image credit: Gamescom) Gamescom is the world's largest video game event and takes place every year (usually in August). In 2019, the fair welcomed 373.000 visitors, with hundreds of exhibitors showcasing their latest games, esports, and tech projects. When it has a physical presence, Gamescom is held in Cologne, Germany, bringing game fans from all over the world to test new games before they are released and participate in community activities such as cosplay contests and competitions. It is also a meeting point for representatives of the gaming industry, trade and the media. Usually the most prominent publishers in the industry are involved and we often see a lot of gaming news revealed on the show, be it new game reveals, release date announcements and more, releases or trailers.

When is Gamescom 2021?

Gamescom

(Image credit: Gamescom) Every year, Gamescom takes place at the Koelnmesse exhibition center in Cologne, Germany. But this year, there is no physical presence due to the coronavirus pandemic. Instead, Gamescom 2021 will be entirely digital, taking place entirely online. Gamescom kicks off with Opening Night Live on August 25, a showcase event hosted by Geoff Keighley. Much like the conferences seen at E3, they are likely to be packed with gaming news and reveals. Gamescom's main show will take place over three days, from August 25 to 27. The developer conference, Devcom, will precede it, starting on August 23 for its content focus days, then moving on to business focus days from August 25 to August 28. . New for 2021, there will also be a "joint search trip" called the Gamescom Epix. Details are scant at the moment, but it looks like fans will be able to commit before the event begins, and that will involve completing interactive quests and earning prizes. This year's E3 offered something similar with its online portal.

Participants and predictions

As of this writing, 19 publishers are confirmed to be participating in Gamescom 2021. Beyond the list below, there will also be 80 indie titles featured via virtual booths during the event. Some major publishers like Sony and Nintendo are currently defunct, but we have yet to fully confirm that they won't be offering any games during the event. Last year Ratchet and Clank: Rift Apart appeared during Opening Night Live, so who knows. We can check out a Sony inventory or a Nintendo Direct from Nintendo near the event to see what they have to come from the show itself.

Xbox and Bethesda

Un astronauta del juego Starfield.

(Image credit: Bethesda Game Studios) Psychonauts 2 will release when Gamescom 2021 rolls around, so we need to look a bit further into the future to determine what Xbox might want to show off at this year's event. Saber is coming in September, so we might see a new trailer, but the big news could easily focus on the two big Xbox games coming later this year: Forza Horizon 5 and Halo Infinite. We don't have a firm release date for the next Halo game, so it would make sense to clear that up soon. Games like STALKER 2, Starfield, and Arkane's Redfall are scheduled to release in 2022, so Xbox may want to bring next year's games forward along with what's to come in the rest of 2021 as well. Fans are also expecting updates on games like Fable, Confessed, Perfect Dark, and more, so the ball is truly in Microsoft's court.

Electronic arts

Campo de batalla 2042

(Image credit: EA DICE) Like Xbox, Electronic Arts is also involved in several big projects that could be hinted at at Gamescom 2021. There are some big long-range hitters like Skate 4, Dragon Age 4, Dead Space Remake and the next Mass Effect project, but EA has a few too. big games to come this year. Battlefield 2042 and FIFA 22 launched in October, so we got to see some news there, as well as updates for publisher service games like Knockout City and Apex Legends. And who knows, we might hear about the "new single player adventure" that Respawn is reportedly working on.

Ubisoft

Far cry 6

(Image credit: Ubisoft) Ubisoft has some youngsters to come after the series, like Far Cry 6, Riders Republic and Just Dance 2022, it will be reasonable to attend to the daily mises, but the 'editeur a également quelques fers intéressants dans el fuego. Tom Clancy's Rainbow Six Extraction, Mario + Rabbids Sparks of Hope, Prince of Persia: The Sands of Time Remake, and Avatar: Frontiers of Pandora are scheduled to release in 2022, so Ubisoft may want to look ahead. There's also the untitled Star Wars project that The Division's Massive Entertainment is fighting. Along with possible game reveals, we'll likely see updates for Ubisoft's ongoing service games such as Tom Clancy's XDefiant and Rainbow Six Siege.

Bandai Namco

Anillo antiguo

(Image credit: Bandai Namco) Ohhhhhh…. Ancient ring! All eyes are on Bandai Namco at this year's Gamescom because, beyond the Game Awards later this year, there aren't many huge opportunities to showcase From Software's next game. Elden Ring is coming in January 2022, so it's possible we'll see some of the Soulsborne x George RR Martin collaboration at Gamescom 2021. Beyond one of the most anticipated games of 2022, Bandai Namco also has a few games coming later this year. this year, such as JRPG Tales of Arise in September and The Dark Pictures: House of Ashes in October. Digimon Survive is also on the horizon - the game doesn't currently have a firm release date, but it's scheduled to land in 2021, so we might see some updates there.

Activision

Diablo 4

(Image credit: Blizzard) We haven't heard from Call of Duty 2021 yet, so this year's Gamescom could be the perfect opportunity to reveal it to the public. Last year's entry, Call of Duty Black Ops Cold War, was scouted as part of Gamescom 2020's live opening night, so we could see something similar from the publisher this year. Updates to the Call of Duty Warzone battle royale game may also arrive in tandem, as Activision seems to want to unite all the games through its free-to-play service title. We learned last year that Activision had used Crash Bandicoot 4 and Tony Hawk's Pro Skater 1 + 2 developers Toys for Bob and Vicarious Visions to work on other projects, but who knows what they might have. His cover for this year's show. . It's unclear what Blizzard's presence will be at Gamescom 2021, but with Diablo 2: Resurrected coming in September of this year, they may want to release a new trailer or talk about possible DLC for some of the titles on Blizzard's current service. Diablo 4 and Overwatch 2 are still on the horizon.

What is opening night live?

Noche de estreno en vivo

(Image credit: Gamescom) Since 2019, Gamescom has hosted its own gaming press conference called Opening Night Live, which takes place on the opening night of the event. Hosted by Geoff Keighley, Opening Night Live streams online worldwide and is back for 2021, starting August 25. No doubt Opening Night Live will bring us the biggest gaming news this year's Gamescom has to offer. You'd be wise to expect trailers, release date announcements, interviews, and perhaps new game reveals during the night's showcase.

What happened at Gamescom 2020?

Activision

(Image credit: Activision) Gamescom 2020 has hosted several major reveals. At the opening night live, we got our first look at Call of Duty Black Ops Cold War and a concept art teaser for Bioware's Dragon Age 4. We also received information on Crash Bandicoot 4: It's About Time and Star Wars Squadrons ahead of its release. The release date for World of Warcraft: Shadowlands was also revealed during the show before ending with a lengthy gameplay trailer for Ratchet and Clank: Rift Apart from Insomniac Games.

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