Gamescom gets opening show with publisher announcements

Gamescom, the game fair that takes place annually in Germany in August, will have an opening show where publishers and developers make announcements. Under the title gamescom: Opening Night Live, the show can be seen on August 19 at 8 p.m.

Geoff Keighley
Photo © The Game Awards / gamescom

The opening show will be produced and presented by Geoff Keighley, the gamescom organization writes in a press release. Keighley is a Canadian journalist and broadcaster who also presents the annual Game Awards. According to gamescom, major publishers and independent studios will be making announcements in the show. The press release also promises premieres of new gameplay footage and guest appearances from gaming industry stars.

Gamescom hasn’t had a big opening show with announcements until now. Not many new games have been announced at the fair in recent years. Most of the time, the big announcements take place at the E3 trade show, which is held in Los Angeles in June. At gamescom, for example, more gameplay from previously announced games can be seen.

However, E3 seems to be getting less and less prominent. Sony already announced last year that it would not be present this year, for the first time since the fair’s existence. EA canceled its press conference at E3 and is making all announcements at its own Play event that takes place a few days earlier.

Whether major new games will actually be announced at gamescom: Opening Night Live remains to be seen. The organization says it will announce more details in the coming months. It is not yet clear which studios and developers will be present. The show will be broadcast via a live stream.