What to expect from Gamescom 2022
Article by Kieran Burt.
Gamescom 2022 is returning in-person for the first time since 2019, with over 500 companies registering for the event. This is an expansive list, including the likes of Ubisoft, Microsoft, SEGA Europe, 2K, 505 Games, Team17, and many more. Here is a rundown of some of what audiences can expect from the event.
There are however some important no shows. Sony, Nintendo, Activision Blizzard and Take-Two have all confirmed that they won’t be attending Gamescom. It’s unlikely that Lucasfilm or Marvel will be showcasing anything, as they will be at D23 with gaming news concerning their respective franchises. Finally, no new information will be released about Bethesda’s Starfield game, with the company confirming via blog post that the new footage won’t be shown.
The event will kick off with Opening Night Live, hosted and produced by Geoff Keighley. Taking place on the 23rd, the night before the event kicks off, audiences can expect about two hours full of game trailers, announcements and interviews about the latest games.
Ubisoft has confirmed that it will be at Gamescom, and will likely feature news from their upcoming Mario and Rabbids Sparks of Hope, that’s due to be released on October 20. Skull and Bones is another upcoming game that will release on November 8, and will no doubt receive another look or more information about. The Avatar game that Ubisoft are working on, Avatar: Frontiers of Pandora received a trailer at E3 2021, and is scheduled for a 2023-2024 release date. It’s possible that a gameplay trailer or a confirmed release date may surface at Gamescom, though audiences might have to wait until Ubisoft’s own live streaming event on September 10. Fans of Assassin’s Creed, Watchdog, and Far Cry may also have to wait until then to get more concrete news of future games.
Microsoft will also have a significant presence at the com, with Xbox giving attendees the opportunity to play five first party titles at its booth, including Grounded, Age of Empires 4, Microsoft Flight Sim, Pentiment, and Sea of Thieves. Nine third party titles will be available, including A Plague Tale: Requiem, Disney Dreamlight Valley, Gunfire Reborn, You Suck at Parking, Planet of Lana, Lies of P, Lightyear Frontier, Inkulinati, and Last Case of Benedict Fox. On Thursday August 25, Xbox will have its own live stream, featuring not only the games already mentioned but also others like Minecraft Legends and High on Life.
SEGA have confirmed their full list of games they will be showcasing the following seven games: Sonic Frontiers, Hyenas ,Soul Hackers 2 ,Two Point Campus, Endless Dungeon, The Invaders: Kimetsu No Yaiba The Hinokami Chronicles, and Humankind. They will also have a booth where audiences will be able to play these games.
Other games to feature is Hogwarts Legacy is confirmed to receive more gameplay footage, after it recently got a release date. Charlie Cleveland, co-founder and director at Unknown Worlds (the creators of Subnautica) will reveal a brand new IP set in a sci-fi world, featuring “imaginative turn-based gameplay”. Host Geoff Keighly promised that there will also be “lots of gameplay too!” Finally, on Friday, there will be a showcase of upcoming independent games at the Awesome Indies showcase.
This year promises to be a huge lineup, and while not all of the major developers will be present, audiences won’t even notice with the huge amount of games on offer from not only the big studios but the smaller ones and independent creators. With the event returning in-person too, audiences will have more to look forward to than just live streamed announcements.