Gamescom 2026 starts tomorrow — here’s when Opening Night Live begins and what to expect

# Gamescom 2026 starts tomorrow — here’s when Opening Night Live begins and what to expect

One of the biggest weeks in gaming is about to begin.

**Gamescom Opening Night Live 2026 takes place on Tuesday, August 25**, kicking off several days of game announcements, trailers, playable demos and developer showcases from Cologne, Germany.

Hosted by Geoff Keighley, Opening Night Live will begin at **8:00 p.m. CEST / 2:00 p.m. ET / 11:00 a.m. PT**, with a pre-show starting 30 minutes earlier.

The main Gamescom 2026 event then runs from **August 26 through August 30** at Koelnmesse.

And this year’s event already has some major games waiting in the wings.

## Gamescom Opening Night Live starts August 25

Opening Night Live has become Gamescom’s major global announcement showcase.

Gamescom says the 2026 show will feature **world premieres, exclusive announcements, new games, trailers and gameplay reveals**, along with appearances from special guests.

The main presentation is scheduled to run from **8 p.m. until approximately 10 p.m. CEST**.

That gives the showcase an expected runtime of around two hours.

For viewers outside Germany, that translates to:

* **11:00 a.m. PT** * **2:00 p.m. ET** * **6:00 p.m. UTC** * **7:00 p.m. BST** * **8:00 p.m. CEST**

The official pre-show begins at **7:30 p.m. CEST**.

Gamescom has confirmed that the event will also be available via livestream for people who cannot attend the show in Cologne.

## The Witcher 3 is returning with Songs of the Past

One particularly interesting confirmed appearance is **The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt — Songs of the Past**.

Gamescom's official site says viewers will get a glimpse of the project during Opening Night Live on August 25.

That alone could make the presentation worth watching for CD Projekt Red fans.

The Witcher franchise remains one of the biggest names in RPG gaming, and any significant new material connected with The Witcher 3 is likely to attract attention during the show.

But CD Projekt Red is far from the only major publisher involved in Gamescom this year.

## Xbox is bringing Call of Duty, Fable and Gears of War: E-Day

Microsoft is planning a particularly large presence at Gamescom 2026.

Xbox says its booth will contain **25 upcoming games across 140 gaming stations**, allowing attendees to try a substantial part of its upcoming lineup.

Among the biggest games confirmed for Xbox's Gamescom presence are:

* **Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 4** * **Fable** * **Gears of War: E-Day** * **Minecraft Dungeons II** * **Metro 2039** * **Halo: Campaign Evolved** * **Forza Horizon 6** * **Alien: Isolation 2** * **Star Wars Zero Company**

Several of them are getting significant public demonstrations.

Xbox says **Gears of War: E-Day** will have its first public playable campaign experience at Gamescom ahead of its October 6 release.

**Minecraft Dungeons II** will also be playable publicly for the first time.

Meanwhile, Playground Games is preparing a **live gameplay theater presentation for Fable**, giving attendees a closer look at the game's combat.

Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 4 will also be playable in its Core 6v6 multiplayer mode following its Early Access Beta.

## Metro 2039 will be playable for the first time

Another potentially major attraction is **Metro 2039**.

Xbox says Gamescom attendees will be able to go hands-on with the game for the first time ahead of its planned **February 2027 release**.

The new title from 4A Games will once again take players into the post-apocalyptic ruins of Moscow.

That makes Gamescom one of the first opportunities for players outside the development team to get a meaningful look at how the next Metro game actually plays.

## Gamescom continues after Opening Night Live

Opening Night Live is only the beginning.

The main Gamescom exhibition runs from **August 26 through August 30**, bringing publishers, developers and players together across Koelnmesse in Cologne.

Xbox will also broadcast directly from its booth.

Microsoft says its livestreams will begin at **4 p.m. CEST on August 26 and August 27**, featuring developer interviews, gameplay reveals, trailers and special guests.

Gamescom's official 2026 lineup also highlights titles and exhibitors including **Persona 4 Revival, Ace Combat 8: Wings of Theve, Rayman Legends Retold, Star Wars Zero Company, Mega Man: Dual Override** and more.

That means many of the week's biggest announcements may arrive outside Opening Night Live as publishers continue revealing games throughout the event.

## Gamescom could deliver several major surprises

Not every game appearing during Opening Night Live has been announced in advance.

That is part of the appeal.

Gamescom is explicitly promising world premieres and exclusive announcements during the show, leaving room for previously unseen games, release dates and surprise trailers.

With Xbox, Nintendo, Ubisoft, Bandai Namco, Sega, CD Projekt Red and numerous other publishers represented at Gamescom 2026, the next several days could produce one of the busiest gaming news cycles of the year.

It all begins with **Gamescom Opening Night Live on August 25 at 8 p.m. CEST**.

And once the presentation starts, the biggest question will be simple:

What has Gamescom managed to keep secret?