Summary
June 16, 2025, marked the opening night of this year’s edition ofGamescom, the world’s largest video game trade fair. As with similar events, the majority of Opening Night Live’s runtime is devoted to the reveal of new games, updated trailers, and release date announcements for upcoming titles.
And this year was no exception. Tens ofupdates, world premieres, and other announcementsgraced the first two hours of Gamescom 2024. Here are some of the biggest reveals from opening night.
Indiana Jones And The Great Circle Preview: Indy Like You’ve Never Seen Him Before
Ahead of Gamescom 2024, I attended a virtual preview event for Indiana Jones & The Great Circle and got a better look at its gameplay.
10Borderlands 4 Was Officially Revealed
Due Out In 2025
The first trailer shown during Gamescom’s main show wasa brand-new teaser forBorderlands 4, the next installment in the long-running series of the irreverent looter-shooter. Little was revealed aboutBorderlands 4- players were simply treated to reveals of some early imagery, including a moon cutting through a crystalline field in space, after which a series of meteorites plunge from the sky. A bionic hand picks up a Psycho mask and holds it aloft in front of a fire, and the trailer cuts to the title logo.
This follows the poor reception of theBorderlandsmovie, which was released to lackluster box office numbers and near-universally negative reviews. Hopefully,the upcomingBorderlandssequelwill leave some of its stagnating tropes behind, injecting some life into the franchise. For now, it’s difficult to tell whatBorderlands 4will look like from this barebones teaser.
9Mafia: The Old Country Was Revealed
The firstMafiagame in nearly a decade,Mafia: The Old Countrywas revealed in a world premiere at Gamescom. Like theBorderlandstrailer, this one’s also pretty barebones: it consists of a series of shots of a semi-cluttered room, displaying artifacts like a double-barrel shotgun, a prayer card to Saint Rosalia, and a bottle of wine. It then focuses on a suited figure who steps out on a balcony, looking out at a hazy view of Sicily as the title card appears.
The Old Countryis apparently set in turn-of-the-century Sicily, during the earliest days of the mafia. Developers promise it’ll be a return to the roots for theMafiaseries, although just what that means is hard to tell from this early peek.Mafia: The Old Countryis scheduled for release sometime in 2025, so there’s plenty of time for a more extensive gameplay trailer.
8Civilization 7 Provided A First Look At Gameplay
Plus A Release Date
The classic strategy game seriesCivilizationis also getting its seventh installment next year, as confirmed by a Gamescom trailer. This will be the firstCivgame in almost a decade, and it builds on the legacy of everything that came before it. The trailer is full ofCiv’sgreatest hits: World War 2 tanks bombard the Statue of Liberty, the Taj Mahal rubs elbows with the Colosseum, and someone drops a nuke on a tiny, walled city. It’s hard to tell what’s different fromCiv 6just yet, butthe real changes will probably be more nuanced, and may only be apparent after the game is released.
And that day is coming soon.The Gamescom trailer forCiv 7confirms that the game will be released on June 14, 2025, and is currently available for pre-order. Players who pre-order will receive an additional playable leader, Tecumseh of the Shawnee.
7Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2 Got Its First Gameplay Trailer
The firstKingdom Come: Deliverancetook the medieval RPG genre by storm, disrupting a long tradition of fantasy-focused games by weaving a painstakingly accurate tale against the backdrop of 15th-century Bohemia.Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2intends to continue in that tradition, andrevealed a first look at its gameplay during Gamescom ONL. The sequel continues the story of blacksmith Henry of Skalitz, who becomes embroiled in a civil war against Holy Roman Emperor Sigismund.
Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2’s gameplay trailer consisted of two minutes of footage, showing Henry riding his horse through vast fields, city streets, and dank stables. It also included more than a little bit of combat, with Henry clashing swords, daggers, and bows with all manner of foes. However, its primary new feature is theaddition of ranged weapons - namely crossbows and early firearms- some of which can also be used on horseback. It’s due out in February 2025, with a concrete release date to follow.
Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2 Will Fulfill a 10-Year-Old Promise
Kingdom Come: Deliverance was originally funded through crowdfunding, and Warhorse Studios is now fulfilling a promise made to backers a decade ago.
6Marvel Rivals Revealed Its Release Date
Plus A Doctor Doom Cameo
Marvel Rivalsalso had a presence at Gamescom in a trailer that revealedits release date of June 29, 2025. This isa player-versus-player shooter game in which twelve players each select a hero from throughout Marvel history. 25playable characters have thus far been confirmed forMarvel Rivals, including Spider-Man, Thor, Iron Man, Black Panther, Magneto, Venom, and Scarlet Witch. Different heroes have different, unique synergies with one another, that make certain combinations of characters more powerful than others.
Three different,Overwatch-inspired game modes are included: Convoy, Domination, and Convergence. The end of the Gamescom trailer forMarvel Rivalsalsoteased Doctor Doom’s presence in the game. The story revolves around a time paradox in which Doctor Doom meets his heroic self from another universe, but it’s unknown whether he’ll actually be a playable character. Either way,Marvel Rivalswill be released on December 6for PC, PS5, and Xbox Series X/S consoles.
5Starfield Revealed A Free Land Vehicle Update
Plus A Shattered Space Release Date
Starfieldalso revealed the release date for its long-awaitedShattered SpaceDLC, now expected to come out on July 27, 2025.ShatteredSpacetakes players to a new region of the galaxy, prominently featuring Va’ruun’kai, the founding site of the House Va’ruun religion. Players will learn more about House Va’ruun’s founder, and perhaps the Great Serpent itself, as they explore this isolated region of outer space.
Besides that,Starfieldalso got a free update,featuring the long-awaited addition of a land vehicle: the REV-8. This is aimed at addressing one of the biggest criticisms with the game, which holds thatStarfield’s barren planets are too big and empty to make exploration enjoyable. The armed, nitro-boosted REV-8 will make getting around much more enjoyable. Players will also have a sense of ownership over their vehicles with a wealth of customization options. The REV-8 update is available now, and free for all existing players.
4Batman: Arkham Shadow Revealed VR Gameplay
Plus A Release Window
Upcoming VR gameBatman: Arkham Shadowalso revealed some gameplayduring Gamescom ONL. This will be the next installment in the long-runningArkhamseries, an action-adventure franchise centered on the Caped Crusader’s escapades across Gotham.Arkham Shadowwill mark the second VR game in the series, afterBatman: Arkham VRin 2016, and will be exclusive to the Meta Quest 3. ItsGamescom trailer showed off some of its action gameplay, with Batman performing impressive movement abilities using grappling hooks, scanning for enemies with infrared goggles, and beating down thugs with powerful punches. The infrared goggles also appear to play a role in certain puzzles, with Batman using them to sense certain clues and fingerprints to help him track enemies and locate the Rat King.
The new trailer forBatman: Arkham Shadowalso revealed its release window of October 2024. Further details, including a more final release date, are expected to be announced closer to launch.
Warner Bros, I’m Begging You To Revisit Batman: Arkham’s Most Underrated Game Before Arkham Shadow
As Batman: Arkham Shadow returns to an earlier time in the Arkhamverse, Warner Bros. should revisit one of the more underrated titles in the series.
3Monster Hunter Wilds Got A New Extended Trailer
Gameplay & Story
The upcomingMonster Hunter Wildsalso debuted a trailer showcasing both its gameplay and its story at this year’s Gamescom. The trailer features a look at some of its new and returning beasts, including Lala Barina, a spider that can sprout red flowers from its thorax, an unnamed giant boar with thick skin, and a lightning-powered dragon, introduced as the region’s apex predator Rey Dau. The trailer also provided a look at two of the game’s new regions: a desert outpost full of merchant stalls and gourmand Palicos, and the Scarlet Forest, a dark region of long-dead trees.
The story appears to center on the coming of Rey Dau, who will likely be the game’s final (or near-final) boss. Besides the new monsters and story details,Monster Hunter Wildsalso revealed a mechanic by which monsters can turn sand into glass with powerful lightning strikes.Monster Hunter Wildsis expected to be released in 2025 - no updates on its release date this time.
2Dune: Awakening Got A Gameplay Trailer
Plus An Early 2025 Release Window
It seems like Dune: Awakeninghas been in the works forever, butit finally got a gameplay trailer and release window - early 2025 - during the opening night of Gamescom. The extended, five-minute trailer takes players through the core gameplay loop, aRust-esque drop onto a barren planet, where players can befriend or betray any others they come across. It features ornithopter flight, hunter-seeker stealth action, and naturally, thrilling sandworm combat. Players will build permanent bases in the desert as they gather resources, setting up new amenities and crafting stations as they find new ways to survive.
Dune: Awakeningis finally confirmed to be coming out in early 2025, three years after its initial reveal in 2022. Players can likely expect further details closer to launch - perhaps at this year’s Game Awards.
Dune Awakening Reveals Combat, Character Creator & Vehicle Customization In First Gameplay
A full look at Dune: Awakening has been shown at the 2024 Gamescom Opening Night Live.
1Indiana Jones And The Great Circle Got A Release Date
Plus A PS5 Release Confirmation
Bethesda’s action-adventure gameIndiana Jones and the Great Circlealso got an official release date of June 30, 2025. The game will follow the iconic, whip-slinging archeologist on a globe-trotting adventure, running from members of the Axis Powers of World War 2 as he seeks history-altering artifacts that bring him closer to the heart of a worldwide conspiracy. The game was first announced back in January, but details were scarce. Specifics on the gameplay and plot have been filled in between Summer Game Fest and Gamescom.
Indiana Jones and the Great Circleis also now confirmed to be coming to PS5 consoles, albeit with a later release date of April 2025. It was previously believed to be an Xbox and PC exclusive, but this appears to be part of a wider strategy by both Microsoft and Sony to take their games multi-platform. This moment of post-console war unity, accentuated by a major announcement for one of the most anticipated games of 2024, was a highlight of this year’sGamescom.
Gamescom
https://www.gamescom.global/en
Gamescom is the world’s largest video game trade fair, held annually in Cologne, Germany. It features major gaming announcements, demos, and exhibits from top developers and publishers, attracting industry professionals and gaming enthusiasts. The event includes conferences, esports tournaments, and showcases the latest in gaming technology and trends. Gamescom 2024 takes place from Wed, Aug 21 to Sun, Aug 25.
