Opening night of Gamescom 2026 showcased new titles just around the corner and old titles getting a fresh coat of paint. Geoff Keighley stood on stage on opening night, introducing what’s next for AAA studios and indie developers alike. I can’t wait to play some of these upcoming titles.
I think Gears of War E-Day was one of the stars of the night that people were excited to see shine. With the multiplayer beta wrapping up, fans are eager to start diving into the story. The story trailer gave me chills, opening on the Locust instead of the familiar faces I expected. I feel like I saw the Gears logo being created in real time. The horror is back, capturing the fear of the Gears team as they try to figure out this new threat. It’s interesting to see the Gears crew with slightly less trauma. They have no idea what’s to come. I hope you got enough training during the multiplayer beta because the real fight begins October 6th, 2026.
More notable heavy hitters include the grand reveal of The Witcher 3 DLC Songs of the Past as the grand finale for opening night. The stage reins were passed to Naoki Hamaguchi, the director of Final Fantasy VII Revelation, allowing him to reveal a new trailer. I haven’t played the original, but I have played Final Fantasy XIV, and I was pointing at the screen when I saw the Ultima Weapon. The graphics look stunning, and I can’t wait for the crossover to come between VII and XIV. Final Fantasy VII will release in the spring of 2027.
There were plenty more games with an anime art style that I can’t wait to play, with Ananta at the top of my list. The trailer was an anime thrill ride that never stopped for breaks. It starts with rebuilding a business and ends with an alien spaceship descending from the sky. From the trailer alone, Ananta looks like an open-world adventure full of chaos and training montages to learn skills. I’m excited to see what the story is really about. Ananta is slated to release January 15th 2027.
Next on my personal to-play list is Silver Palace, a dark detective story. The trailer didn’t give too much of the actual plot away, but it made up for it by showcasing game play. The character models and environments look beautiful. I assume from the size of the monster in the trailer we’re seeing a boss battle, and it looks incredible. I want to know more about what’s going on in this world. The fighting looks like dancing to a mesmerizing soundtrack. I want to know more about Silver Palace and its secrets. I’m sad there is no release date yet.
There was a new musical trailer for There Are No Ghosts at the Grand, and I could not be more excited to play the game. It just keeps looking better and better. It feels like something different in a familiar genre. Per developer Friday Sundae, There Are No Ghosts at the Grand will come to early access in December.
Gamescom is all about celebrating the great things to come in gaming, and there’s more to it than just trailers. It’s about the community. There are booths for big names in gaming, but also an indie area for smaller publishers to shine from all over the world. There’s an area for artists and cosplayers to showcase their work. There’s an outdoor area to touch some grass if it’s been a while. There are so many events to see; I hope one day I can experience a Gamescom in person! If you’re interested in any of the games you’ve seen so far at Gamescom, all games can be found on their exclusive Steam page during the event to easily add them to your wish list!
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