In a few short days, Gamescom will host its annual live event featuring a host of new games and updates on upcoming projects. The event is completely virtual again this year due to COVID restrictions, but that just means we can watch the future of the games industry unfold from our couches. Gamescom officially kicks off on Wednesday, August 25, and runs through Friday, August 27.
Before the festivities begin, Xbox will host a 90-minute showcase on Tuesday, August 24, featuring updates on everything coming to their consoles in the near future. The stream starts at 10 a.m. PT/12 p.m. ET and can be viewed across all of Xbox's social media channels, including their YouTube channel and Twitter. Don't expect any big game reveals, however, as Xbox has stated that the showcase is only for previously announced titles.
Gamescom's opening night, then, begins on Wednesday at 10:30 a.m. PT/12:30 p.m. ET with a pre-show before getting into the meat of the event at 11 a.m. PT/1 p.m. ET. Many of the big reveals at this year's event are expected to happen on opening night with over 30 games being showcased. Some of the games featured at the event will include Call of Duty: Vanguard, Genshin Impact, Super Monkey Ball: Banana Mania, Far Cry 6, and likely something new in the Saint's Row franchise. The whole first day can be viewed live on the thegameawards YouTube channel.
Day 2 starts on Thursday at 10 a.m PT/ 12 p.m. ET with looks at upcoming titles and developer interviews from the Gamescom studio before jumping into the Awesome Indies at 11:30 a.m. PT/ 1:30 a.m. ET and the Future Games Show at 1:30 p.m. PT/3:30 ET. Awesome Indies will, of course, look at the latest in the indie gaming world, featuring over 40 titles and announcements from studios like Big Sugar and Team17. The Future Games Show, hosted by Maggie Robertson and Aaron LePlante of Resident Evil VIllage fame, is GamesRadar's showcase featuring a host of content from upcoming games and a virtual show floor. Much of Day 2 will be available on IGN's YouTube channel, but the Future Games Show will be on GamesRadar's channel.
Finally, Day 3 will act as a sort of wrap-up show for the event, featuring a few more reveals and a recap of everything announced at Gamescom. It all begins at 10 a.m. PT/ 12 p.m. ET and can also be streamed live via IGN. Overall, you can expect a lot of new information to chew on from Gamescom before we head into the holiday season.