Gamescom 2026

What this countdown tracks

This timer marks the lead-up to Gamescom 2026, confirmed for Wednesday, August 26 to Sunday, August 30 at the Koelnmesse in Cologne, Germany, with Opening Night Live opening proceedings on Tuesday, August 25.

About this event

Gamescom is the world's largest gaming trade show by attendance, drawing more than 320,000 visitors in recent editions and hosting more than 1,400 exhibitors across 230,000 square metres of the Koelnmesse exhibition centre. The event combines a business-only opening day with public access from Thursday onwards, plus a parallel Devcom developer conference earlier in the week.

The marquee broadcast moment is Opening Night Live (ONL), produced by Geoff Keighley and held the evening before the public floor opens. ONL runs as a roughly two-hour pre-recorded livestream featuring cross-publisher trailers, world premieres, and gameplay reveals. Booths from Microsoft Xbox, Sony PlayStation, Nintendo, Ubisoft, EA, Capcom, Square Enix, and indie developers fill the halls during the public days, with hands-on demos, esports tournaments, cosplay events, and creator meetups.

What to expect

Opening Night Live 2026 is expected to feature cross-publisher trailers and world premieres for major upcoming releases. Booth presence from major Western and Japanese publishers is confirmed, along with growing Chinese publisher presence following Black Myth: Wukong's success. Expect release date announcements, indie spotlights, and esports reveal moments. Microsoft typically uses Gamescom for European-focused Xbox content, while Nintendo's Switch 2 booth is expected to anchor a major hands-on area. The Devcom conference earlier in the week features deep-dive talks for game developers on engine technology, AI in production, and design.

Past reveals

• Gamescom 2025 ONL featured Resident Evil Requiem gameplay, Black Myth: Zhong Kui reveal, and Hollow Knight: Silksong release date.
• Gamescom 2024 ONL debuted Monster Hunter Wilds release window and Path of Exile 2 early access date.
• Gamescom 2023 ONL premiered Black Myth: Wukong gameplay and Phantom Blade Zero.
• Gamescom 2022 unveiled Sonic Frontiers gameplay and Hogwarts Legacy.
• Gamescom 2019 saw the Death Stranding gameplay debut.

How to watch

Opening Night Live streams free on the Gamescom YouTube channel, The Game Awards' YouTube channel, Twitch, and gamescom.global. A 20:00 CEST start in Cologne on Tuesday, August 25 equates to 11:00 PT, 14:00 ET, 19:00 BST, 23:30 IST, and 03:00 JST on August 26. The full ONL runs roughly two hours and is typically followed by Day of the Devs and partner showcases through the week. Public floor access requires a ticket from the gamescom.global site.

Related keynotes to track

Gamescom complements Summer Game Fest 2026 and the Xbox Games Showcase 2026 earlier in the gaming calendar. For the full year of gaming events, see the gaming keynote hub.

FAQ

When is Gamescom 2026? Wednesday, August 26 to Sunday, August 30, 2026, with Opening Night Live on August 25. Where is Gamescom 2026? Koelnmesse in Cologne, Germany. How can I watch Gamescom 2026? ONL streams free on the Gamescom YouTube channel, The Game Awards' YouTube channel, and Twitch. What's expected to be announced? Cross-publisher trailers, world premieres, release dates, and major booth showcases at the public floor.