Gamescom Opening Night Live 2024 has come and gone, stirring excitement with its usual slew of upcoming games, trailer premieres, and new announcements for existing titles. Between the main show and a 30-minute pre-show, there’s no certainly no shortage of content to look forward to, but it can be difficult to keep tabs on.
Here’s where a recap will prove handy. From highly-anticipated heavyweights to baffling trailers, everything that went down during Gamescom Opening Night Live 2024 has been rounded up below.
Borderlands 4
Fresh off the release of the abysmal Borderlands live-action film adaptation, developer Gearbox Software has lifted the curtain on its upcoming open-secret project (perhaps not a the best time). Borderlands 4, the upcoming entry in its popular shooter-looter franchise, will mark a return to Pandora in 2025, with an enigmatic CG teaser trailer giving little away.
Call of Duty: Black Ops 6
Ahead of its release on 25 October, Call of Duty: Black Ops 6 released a shiny new look at its ‘Most Wanted’ campaign mission. Packing the action set pieces the franchise is known for, it shows off the all-too-familiar explosions, ziplines, and car chases.
Goat Simulator Remastered
Hey, no judgement here — if you’ve ever wanted to live life as a goat (as in the animal, not The Greatest of All Time), Goat Simulator Remastered has go(a)t you covered. Launching later this year, it will include all of the game’s DLCs, alongside upgraded visuals and some quality-of-life tweaks.
Persona 3 Reload: Episode Aigis DLC
Not sure how many of you saw this coming, but Joker from Persona 5 is sneaking into Persona 3 Reload as part of its Episode Aigis DLC. The beloved protagonist won’t be a friendly face, though, and will instead face off against players when the expansion arrives on 10 September.
Dying Light: The Beast
More zombies and parkour? Heck yeah. Dying Light: The Beast promises a “tight” 18-hour ride through a fresh area in the Dying Light universe, a solo or four-player co-op experience, and the ability to unleash new zombie DNA powers. The upcoming title will launch on PC, PlayStation 4, PS5, Xbox One and Xbox Series X|S, with no word on a launch window yet.
King of Meat
Think Fall Guys, but with an added touch of tongue-in-cheek silliness. The chaotic co-op combat game from Amazon Games and Glowmade puts players through “ridiculous dungeons” as entertainment for a gameshow where they chase fame, glory, and gold. There’s no word on a release window yet, but King of Meat is coming to PC and consoles with cross-play and cross-progression.
Lynked: Banner of the Spark
An adorable co-op roguelike hack-and-slash, Lynked: Banner of the Spark follows one of the last humans on the planet, who must rebuild their home with the help of friendly bots while fending off the evil ones. Cute robots will reign when it releases 22 October as an early access title on Steam.
Lost Records: Bloom and Rage
Hailing from Life is Strange studio Don’t Nod, Lost Records: Bloom and Rage paints a rosy picture with its heartwarming tones — in the beginning, at least. The newest trailer makes it clear that a dark secret lies at its core, and it’s up to players to unravel the mystery when it launches in two parts: the first on 18 January 2025, and the other episode, a month later.
No More Room in Hell 2
There’s no game over in No More Room in Hell 2, only permadeath. The cross-platform multiplayer from Torn Banner Studios is headed to early access sometime this Halloween, allowing up to eight players to join forces and emerge victorious against hordes of undead.
Arc Raiders
Arc Raiders has been a long time coming. The team shooter is now due out in 2025, following multiple delays since its initial announcement, with playtesting starting this Fall. There’s just a slight catch — it will no longer be free-to-play.
Infinity Nikki
After its debut at Summer Game Fest, costume dress-up RPG Infinity Nikki is back with more adorable creatures to show. It currently has no release window, but those interested to check out its fantastical world can sign up for closed beta on the official game website.
Path of Exile 2
It’s almost time to head back to the dungeon. Path of Exile 2 has confirmed a 15 November release for early access, alongside a slew of features such as couch co-op, cross-progression, and more. The free-to-play Diablo-like is coming to PC via Steam and Epic Games Store, PS5, and Xbox Series X|S.
Dune: Awakening
In a world where the spice must flow, Dune: Awakening grants players the ability to scale vantage points, stake out bases, and defeat enemies with various gadgets. The hotly anticipated MMO hits PC in early 2025, with a new trailer showing off its character creator, sandworms, and the treacherous, well, dunes of Arrakis.
Reanimal
Tarsier Studios, the creators of Little Nightmares, has found a new horror side-scroller in Reanimal. Bearing the signature flair of Little Nightmares, it follows a brother and sister duo as they attempt to escape an island that used to be their home, while also looking for their missing friends. It’s coming to PS5, Xbox Series X|S, and PC sometime in the near future.
Genshin Impact
The world of Teyvat is finally heading to Xbox platforms. Genshin Impact will make its way to Xbox Series X|S and Game Pass on 20 November, with pre-order bonuses available right now. A new trailer for its Natlan update was also unveiled, featuring an extended look at its new region, characters, and more.
Monster Hunter Wilds
Monster Hunter Wilds certainly isn’t pulling any punches in the action department. The third trailer for Capcom’s highly anticipated entry amps up the excitement with plenty of monster-slaying thrills, showing players slicing and dicing massive monsters in various locations, including a supersized spider. It’s due out next year for PC, PS5, and Xbox Series X|S.
Fatal Fury: City of the Wolves
Series veteran and fan favourite character Mai Shiranui takes the spotlight in this latest look at Fatal Fury: City of the Wolves. Releasing 24 April 2025 for PS4, PS5, PC, and Xbox Series X|S, the upcoming brawler will include 22 fighters, plus five more that come with its DLC season pass, as detailed in an earlier trailer:
Monument Valley 3
Rejoice, Monument Valley players! The puzzle game returns for a third outing on 10 December, but will be exclusive to Netflix. To tide over the wait, the streamer is adding the first two titles to its catalogue on September and October, respectively.
Mecha BREAK
It’s all about mecha action in Mecha BREAK. The new action game from Amazing Seasun Games is releasing sometime in 2025, and will be the first to use Nvidia ACE, the company’s new AI-powered system that promises more realistic communications between players and NPCs.
Civilization VII
The course of history will be rewritten come 11 February 2025. Civilization VII is set to feature a more grounded art style when it bows in on all major platforms, with the deluxe edition including five days of early access.
Starfield: Shattered Space
Starting 30 September, exploring planets in Starfield will no longer be confined to sprinting. The game’s upcoming Shattered Space expansion introduces the REV-8 buggy as a welcome mode of transportation, joining other new features like the mysterious “House Va’Ruun” faction, its homeworld, and more.
Marvel Rivals
Avengers, assemble! Marvel Rivals, the 6v6 team-based hero shooter from NetEase, lets players build their dream teams of Marvel heroes and villains, each equipped with unique abilities, and duke it out across various maps. The Overwatch-like title is hitting PC, Xbox, and PlayStation on 6 December, with all heroes free to play at launch.
Secret Level
Video games take the centrestage in Amazon’s upcoming animated anthology, Secret Level. The 15-episode series tells original stories set within existing game universes, with Armored Core, Mega Man, Pac-Man, God of War, Ghost of Tsushima, and more getting their share of the spotlight when it arrives on 10 December.
Towerborne
Towerborne, the co-op adventure from Stoic Castle, is headed to Steam early access on 10 September, with a full free-to-play release slated for 2025.
Kingdom Come: Deliverance II
Warhouse Studios has dropped the first look at its upcoming medieval RPG Kingdom Come: Deliverance II, due out on 11 February 2025. The sequel takes players back to 15th century Bohemia in the midst of a civil war, but not before giving a deep-dive of its gameplay mechanics in a separate showcase:
Zenless Zone Zero
Zenless Zone Zero, the latest urban fantasy RPG from HoYoverse, is getting its first major update, and Jane Doe — the enigmatic 5-star agent featured in version 1.1 — is here to steal the show as she traverses the new region of New Eridu, and shows off her fighting chops.
Honkai: Star Rail
Another outing from HoYoverse, Honkai: Star Rail treats fans to a new trailer featuring its new character, Feixiao, and a Fate/Stay Night collaboration that sets up an introduction to Archer. The crossover event is scheduled for sometime in Q3 2025.
Batman: Arkham Shadow
Batman: Arkham Shadow brings players back into the shoes of Batman again, but in VR style. Exclusive to Meta Quest 3, the game sees Roger Craig Smith, voice of the caped crusader in Batman: Arkham Origins, reprising his role, and will be a full-fledged game when it lands this October.
Little Nightmares III
Teamwork holds the key to victory in Little Nightmares III, but not without pushing some limits first. The first game in the series to feature online co-op follows Low and Alone as they look for a way out of Nowhere and solve puzzles along the way. While a release date hasn’t been firmed up, developer Supermassive Games is targeting a 2025 window.
Herdling
Herdling is exactly what its name suggests: a game about herding yak-like creatures across vast open landscapes. It oozes the charm of the cosy genre, and is launching on PC and consoles in 2025.
Masters of Albion
If the word ‘Albion’ sounds familiar, that’s because it’s the setting in which the Fable franchise takes place. It isn’t surprising that Peter Molyneux, creator of the fantasy series, has included the bit as part of its new game titled Masters of Albion, which features more traditional strategy elements. The world is confirmed to be separate from the Fable titles, with a release date yet to be set.
Squid Game: Unleashed
The trailer for Squid Game: Unleashed is…kind of strange. The goofy vibes are tonally different from the show, even if it does include the various lethal games from the Netflix hit series. It’s releasing on the streamer later this year, coinciding with the release of the show’s second season in December.
Unknown 9: Awakening
Starring Anya Chalotra, of Netflix’s The Witcher fame, Unknown 9: Awakening lets players take control of their enemies with an ability called Stepping. Stealth also forms a core part of gameplay, so get ready to unleash your Assassin’s Creed when it releases 18 October for PS5, Xbox Series X|S, and PC.
Diablo IV: Vessel of Hatred
A new lore drop for Diablo IV: Vessel of Hatred unveils new mercenaries that players can enlist in the upcoming DLC, set to arrive on 8 October. There aren’t many glimpses of gameplay, but fans can indulge in some good ol’ blood spilling at the end.
In other Blizzard related news, World of Warcraft: the War Within, the game’s next expansion, is holding an early beta in the next few days, with the first-ever Warcraft Direct coming soon. The popular MMO will also grace Overwatch 2, featuring a Sylvanas crossover skin for Moira.
The First Berserker: Khazan
Touted as a “hardcore action RPG”, The First Berserker: Khazan teases some slick anime-infused hack and slash action in store. Ben Clive, the voice of Clive in Final Fantasy XVI, breathes life into the trailer, which unveils the opening of a closed beta test on 11 October. It will end on 20 October, before getting an official launch early next year.
Indiana Jones and the Great Circle
Hold on to your hat, for Indy is making a glorious return to the world of video games — fedora, whip, and all. Releasing on 9 December for Xbox Series X|S and PC, Indiana Jones and the Great Circle is set to deliver a fresh yet familiar experience for modern audiences, boasting combat, disguise, as well as puzzle mechanics, and more. It will come to PS5 in Spring 2025.
Mafia: The Old Country
Rounding out Gamescom Opening Night Live 2024 is a brief teaser for Mafia: The Old Country, which gives away little to no details. There are some confirmed nuggets of information, including a 2025 release window, a 1900s Sicily setting, and a general description of how it will “uncover the origins of organised crime,” but everything else remains under wraps until The Game Awards, likely taking place this December.
Si Jia is a casual geek at heart – or as casual as someone with Sephiroth’s theme on her Spotify playlist can get. A fan of movies, games, and Japanese culture, Si Jia’s greatest weakness is the Steam Summer Sale. Or any Steam sale, really.
Kaylyn Lim
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