Gamescom 2025: Biggest announcements and reveals from Cologne

With 2025’s Gamescom here, it’s time to peer into the veritable shop window for upcoming releases, soon-to-emerge titles, and occasionally eye-widening announcements. There’s a heap of information about games to sift through, but we’ve done a lot of that navigational work for you below.

We’ve split this piece into key announcements, followed by additional reveals and trailers, before considering the reception of the annual show. Plus, we’ll take a look at the most interesting news and rumours that have and haven’t yielded actual tangible information. So let’s get into it.

A new addition to the ‘Black Myth’ series, Zhong Kui wasn’t exactly expected, but it’s in early development and a whole new title. With a reveal trailer showing little in the way of details, it’s clear that the world of Black Myth is just getting started. 

Zhong Kui is seemingly a single-player adventure, with the titular character a figure of Chinese folklore who, wronged by a Chinese emperor, took his own life and was anointed vanquisher of ghosts in the afterlife. A new DLC for Wulong could be on the way too…

As we’re going alphabetical here, where better to go next than with Call of Duty Black Ops 7? Battlefield 6 arrives on October 10, and we now have a confirmed release date for the next CoD. It may be having its Battlefield 2042 moment, being at least partly set in 2035.

November 14 is the day for the annual arrival, with Black Ops 6 players able to carry forward items to the new title, and details about what looks like a mind-bending…or perhaps confusing story arc. At the time of writing, the top comment on the official reveal trailer is from Jawadbenissa, “From a COD player- thank you for making it easy to choose Bf6”.

An exceedingly well-liked Xbox title, Indiana Jones and the Great Circle has been confirmed for the Nintendo Switch 2 in 2026, marking a stunning port for Switch 2 fans, and potentially opening the door to similar future moves. The game isn’t shifting to the original Switch, but the move has been lauded by fans, as Microsoft’s first game designed for the Nintendo Switch 2. The Order of Giants DLC trailer revealed the news, with that arriving on September 4.

LEGO games are usually a good bundle of fun, and the 2026 arrival of Legacy of the Dark Knight seems like it will bring exactly that. PS5, PC, Xbox Series X/S, and Switch 2 will get the game, which appears to have a free rein on where it pulls its Batman IP inspiration from. 

That’s okay, though; fun, humour, and action are the key elements at play here, and the trailer has those going for it. Batman stylings, Batman fight sequences, Batman side-kicks, and Batman enemies with a large dollop of colourful action and joy. Bane stepping on a LEGO brick, mid-monologue? I’m in.

Sonic Racing: CrossWorlds x Pac Man will have an Open Network Test on August 29 until September 1 for PS5, Xbox Series X/S, PC, and Nintendo Switch. So, if that’s the kind of rapid racing hijinks you like, then be prepared to get your speed on. 

You can also check out this Sonic Racing: Crossworlds x Pac Man trailer released for Gamescom Opening Night Live. It looks fun, fresh, and perhaps the crossover we didn’t know we needed. Look at that yellow Pac dude go!

Rumoured for a while, but now announced for 2026, Warhammer 40K: Dawn of War will be an RTS arriving on PC. It’s a sequel to Dawn of War 3, which some fans didn’t like. But this looks interesting, and will focus on Blood Raven Space Marines, “there is no victory to claim here, only vengeance to enact”. 

The hype for the reveal trailer is matched with some wariness, but from the look of the compelling top-down battles and skirmishes going on, this appears to have some legs to it. The comments are loud and clear, and players are amped up about the return of base building and Last Stand.

Continuing the alphabetical approach from above, here’s our wrap of the key trailers worth checking out. 

Daemon X Machine Titanic Scion has got a free demo ahead of its September 5 launch. So there’s nothing to lose if you’re a PS5 fan with a potential interest in mech or Zone of the Enders-type games. Check out the demo trailer, too. 

Ghost of Yotei’s upcoming release has been reinforced with a new story trailer, which looks impressive and duly cinematic, but it’s the 2026 arrival of the Yotei Legends that was a pulling of the curtain. Yotei Legends will be a co-op mode similar to Tsushima Legends, including survival missions, likely the familiar classes, and it will be free to owners of Ghost of Tsushima.

For some world-building in the upcoming Ninja Gaiden 4 release, the new Story Trailer speaks to the Raven Clan and Yakumo’s significance in the coming of the Dark Dragon. Some of the details are there, but ultimately, the combination-heavy spinning and slashing is what I loved in this trailer, and October 21 finally brings the sequel to 2012’s(!) Ninja Gaiden 3. 

Onimusha’s Way of the Sword’s new gameplay trailer seems to deliver in all of the ways a fan could want. A skilful Miyamoto Musashi is on show, as are horrendous but wonderfully designed genma. There’s the classic demonic swordsmen, yokai that multiply, and katana, bow and arrow, and twin-blade staff weapon options. Almost time for some demon slaying. 

A squad-based FPS shooter with horror elements, where you play as hunters of the paranormal? Okay, I’m intrigued, and you probably should be too. Project Spectrum, formerly known as ‘Crossfire Rainbow’, looks like a cross between your dreams of being a sharp-shooting gaming character and some very creepy nightmares. In short, it looks weird and fascinating.

A new Resident Evil: Requiem trailer delves into the backstory of the title’s protagonist, Grace Ashcroft. The trailer does a little bit of character and bond building, where Grace’s mother appears to know ‘who’s coming’ after Grace receives a weird phone call from an unknown man, and their apartment block’s power goes out. As you’d expect, things go south, and…I, for one, want to know what the heck is even going on!

Fans of titles where driving simulation is core have another option coming their way in Road Kings. American Truck Simulator, this isn’t, but there may be some glancing similarities. Alongside what appears to be a progressive storyline, where the driver’s experience grows, there are also damaged trucks to drive, weather systems to be aware of, and reportedly truck-driving physics to deal with, not to mention goal-focused challenges.  

A new gameplay trailer for Silent Hill F finds protagonist Hinako Shimizu awakening in an unfamiliar place. Her home of Ebisugaoka is unfortunately layered in that Silent Hill fog we all know and love/fear. Forced to solve puzzles and defend herself against… grotesque creatures, “Will Hinako embrace the beauty hidden within terror, or succumb to the madness that lies ahead?” I, err, ‘nope’ at Silent Hill games, but this looks perfect if you’re keen.

Time Takers feels like a game that could get a following of players who love it, but may also divide and fail to conquer. It’s an interesting proposition, as a third-person survival team-shooter where time feels critical to the gameplay as a resource, and characters (pulled from different points in time, it seems), combine to survive intense firefights. Again, interesting, but more needs to be seen!

Gamescom 2025 is here, and it feels fine; that is, the energy around it feels about as high as usual, except maybe there’s a little bit of fatigue creeping in. My feeling with Gamescom isn’t with the event itself, but more with the opening night, where as much news and footage seems to be crammed in as possible, and it comes around quickly.

That doesn’t dull the anticipation for Gamescom itself, which is certainly still critical to the gaming calendar. But it does remove some of the energy before the so-called ‘Heart of Gaming’ gets to properly beat. I’ve seen more than a few comments online and across social media report a similar vibe. And it’s not as though I’m not a fan of gaming or new games, or mind-blowing announcements. But I’ve only so much energy to give.

Some of the interesting notes from this year’s Gamescom, are a few of the rumours that were floating around. They speak to the refreshing possibilities that the event can throw up, and some of the fun but seemingly silly suggestions, too. For example, a rumour that seems to linger is a FFIX remake. There’s been no obvious substance, but suggestions that it could be confirmed at Gamescom seem wide of the mark…so far. 

One rumour that did turn out to be true was the Total War Warhammer 40,000: Dawn of War 4 reveal. Hats off to Chapter Master Valrak on this one, posting two days before the event. Because yep, it’s confirmed. Also confirmed was Fallout Season 2, with a teaser trailer for the TV show. No Fallout 3 remaster has broken cover yet, either, despite a fair amount of Fallout-shaped smoke appearing from somewhere. Maybe it’s coming, but no sign yet.

But my favourite rumour? A remake of Splinter Cell could be in the offing since Sam Fisher was spotted at the airport. That doesn’t appear true, but Ubisoft has confirmed a Splinter Cell Deathwatch series for Netflix. So a little wide of the mark, but the right IP at least!

Gamescom 2025 has delivered a few big announcements and plenty of reveals and trailers to mull over. While the news may not yet be finished from the event, some rumours feel unlikely to bring anything substantial to newsfeeds anytime soon. 

Still, there’s plenty to look forward to, as sequels, new instalments, DLCs, demos, returning favourites, and new weird titles look to break ground in the coming months. Sit back and enjoy the event, and you can expect us to keep you updated.