60+ games played: These are our highlights from Gamescom 2026
We tried out over 60 games at Gamescom. Here are our highlights.
On the cover image from left to right: «Metro 2039», «Tides of Annihilation», «1001 Threads of Mizan», «Neo Berlin».
We are back from Gamescom. In Cologne, we once again fought our way through an almost unbelievable number of games. Here you can find our (preliminary) highlights.
Domagoj's Highlights
Source: Domagoj Belancic
«Nintendo Switch Sports Resort»
«Nintendo Switch Sports Resort» already promises to be a far more extensive and better game than its meager predecessor «Nintendo Switch Sports» (2022). The title puts together a successful overall package that combines nostalgic Wii gameplay with fresh ideas.
Source: Nintendo
Together with editorial colleague Kevin, I tested various sports at Gamescom – including a bowling match with 100 pins. My muscle memory was immediately activated, and I felt like I was fumbling around with the good old Wii Remote back in 2006. Other sports from past «Sports» titles promise a similarly nostalgic gaming experience: boxing, table tennis, tennis, archery, volleyball, golf, propeller plane, and basketball. Wonderful.
Source: Nintendo
The new sports are also appealing: jet ski, skateboarding, and thumb wrestling. I tried my hand at the latter against Kevin. We hold the Joy-Con 2 controllers vertically and move our virtual thumbs back and forth using motion control, trying to push the opponent's thumb down.
Source: Nintendo
The rule is: high risk, high reward. If I lower my thumb, it charges up and gets bigger. This makes it easier for me to push Kevin's thumb down – but during the charging phase, he can also catch me more easily. Once Kevin has wrestled me down, I try to free myself by wildly waving the Joy-Con. That's quite a workout for the arms – and it's damn fun.
When: October 22
Platforms: Switch 2
«Ace Combat 8»
Phil already played Bandai Namco's airplane game in May. At Gamescom, I didn't miss the chance to get hands-on myself and shoot a few jets out of the sky.
I can agree with Phil – «Ace Combat 8» has the most beautiful game clouds of all time. It feels indescribably cool to fly through the volumetric cloud formations while raindrops increasingly obscure my view. In terms of gameplay, as a fan of the predecessor, I immediately feel at home. I didn't notice any major innovations in the Gamescom mission I completed. But that's okay – I just want more «Ace Combat». And that's exactly what I get here.
Source: Bandai Namco
When: October 2
Platforms: PS5, Xbox Series X/S, PC
«Silent Hill: Townfall»
Konami is treating «Silent Hill» fans and horror genre enthusiasts to a special treat in September. The spinoff «Silent Hill: Townfall» does not come from the Japanese company itself, but was developed by the Scottish indie studio Screenburn (formerly known as No Code).
The result of this experiment blew me away at Gamescom. I am thrilled by the oppressive atmosphere that the small studio conjures up on the screen. The game throws me into the deep end at the beginning – literally. The protagonist, Simon Ordell, wakes up disoriented in the Scottish sea and climbs onto a life-saving pier with his last bit of strength. He finds himself in a mysterious, deserted small town full of fog.
Why am I here? What happened to the residents? And what are those ugly monsters shuffling through the alleys? Simon has as little idea as I do – together we fight our way through the oppressive fog and look for answers.
Source: Konami
Simon is no superhero – I should avoid direct confrontations with enemies. With a mobile TV set (the game is set in 1996), I can see the grotesque monsters through walls and thus avoid them.
I like how the game plays with my expectations – occasionally the game asks me if I really want to open a door. Yes. Are you sure? Damn, game, why are you asking so suspiciously? What awaits me behind the door? Aaargh!
Source: Konami
Graphically, the game is a bomb. Presented in a cinematic 21:9 format, the atmospherically lit Scottish port town often looks photorealistic from a first-person perspective. I'm incredibly excited for the release and am already shitting my pants.
Source: Konami
When: September 24
Platforms: PS5, Xbox Series X/S, PC
«Persona 4 Revival»
I'm a fool. I love JRPGs and have never played a «Persona» game. Not even after I absolutely binged «Metaphor: ReFantazio» from the same developer studio. I will close my educational gap in 2027 with «Persona 4 Revival» – that's what I firmly decided after my hands-on session at Gamescom.
Atlus has completely overhauled the PS2 classic for modern platforms. Completely redesigned graphics, modernized controls, new music, new voiceovers, reworked dungeons, and a refreshed combat system. I take on the role of a student investigating a series of bizarre murders and the supernatural «Midnight Channel» in an eerie small town – a mysterious TV phenomenon that reveals dark secrets about the residents on rainy nights.
Source: Sega
I played for about an hour, beating up numerous monsters in turn-based battles, exploring a dungeon, and getting a glimpse into the exhausting everyday school life. I want more. Immediately.
«Persona» fans and friends of refined JRPG fare should definitely keep an eye on this title – even if you, like me, haven't yet dived into the bizarre «Persona» world. According to Sega, it is the «perfect entry point for newcomers».
Source: Sega
When: February 18, 2027
Platforms: PS5, Xbox Series X/S, PC
«Tides of Annihilation»
Chinese developer studios are currently very busy. At the Gamescom Opening Night Live, it was teeming with top-class titles from the Middle Kingdom. One of them was «Tides Annihilation» by Eclipse Now Games. The action-adventure is inspired by the history of the Arthurian legend and is set in a post-apocalyptic London full of bizarre monsters from the afterlife.
Source: Eclipse Glow Games
In the demo, I fight my way through the Museum of London in the role of Gwendolyn – one of the few survivors in the city. The fast and spectacularly staged combat system really rocks. The special feature: In my loadout, I can equip the Knights of the Round Table (or rather their spirits), who then join me in battle. In the demo, I switch back and forth between two predefined knight teams. In the finished game, I will be able to put together my own two-person teams from a total of twelve knight spirits.
The spirits appear when I perform special attacks and disappear back into nirvana after their work is done. Their abilities vary. With one spirit, I freeze enemies for a short time, other spirits give me defensive advantages, and others bash along at my side with absurdly large weapons. I also use the spirit abilities outside of combat. For example, a particularly strong giant moves heavy crates or lifts them so that I can reach higher platforms.
Source: Eclipse Glow Games
The further I penetrate into the museum, the more hyped I get. I love this destroyed London with knights and spirits. I finally find the highlight of the demo in the Egyptian exhibition of the museum. There, I am suddenly teleported from the apocalyptic London into a desert landscape, where I face the death god Anubis. What the fuck? I didn't expect that.
Source: Eclipse Glow Games
I'm curious to see what other mythologies will appear in the finished game. I'm also looking forward to the already teased boss battles against gigantic boss enemies à la «God of War», which I haven't seen in the demo yet. I'm sure – «Tides of Annihilation» will be a wild ride.
When: 2027
Platforms: PS5, Xbox Series X/S, PC
Philipp's Highlights
Source: Philipp Rüegg
«The Witcher 3: Songs of the Past»
The white-haired grump is back: In a hands-off session, I was allowed to accompany Geralt on his new adventure for an hour. The surprising third DLC «Songs of the Past» sends the Witcher to Letten. In the new region, a story awaits him in which his good friend and musician Dandelion is once again missing. Together with his cousin, they head into an enchanted forest full of plant monsters, from which Geralt can only extract their secrets with violence.
Source: CD Projekt Red
On the adventure, the new combat animations and especially the bloody finishers are used, which are also part of the upcoming remaster (which is free, by the way!). Especially in combination with the chain weapon – also new – the skirmishes seem more varied. For example, Geralt tears shields away from enemies or pulls them towards him to then shorten them by a head.
There is approving laughter among the media people present at the exaggerated finishers.
Source: CD Projekt Red
Even though I can clearly see the game's age, especially in the faces, the world and the storytelling still blow me away. «Songs of the Past» promises to be another gripping chapter in the Witcher's life that I will definitely devour.
When: 2027
Platforms: PS5, Xbox Series X/S, Switch 2, PC
«Neo Berlin»
The wall is back: This time, however, not to separate East from West Berlin. In this futuristic action thriller, it forms the border between the rich swimming in luxury and the dystopian outside world. In my half-hour hands-on session, the developers from the German studio Elysium Game Studio show me the ambitious project, which doesn't have to hide from any AAA game. They emphasize, however, that they are a small studio. The game is therefore relatively linear.
Source: Elysium Game Studio
As Detective Nolan, I am first sent to a crime scene in an industrial plant. I investigate it with my scanner and then dive into the memories of a corpse via a chip implant. In an interactive sequence, I experience the memories of the deceased.
Later, there is also shooting – including bullet time with fluttering black coats. «The Matrix» sends its regards. The fact that the main character is voiced in English by Elias Toufexis, who is known for the «Deus Ex» series, fits perfectly.
Source: Elysium Game Studio
When: 2028
Platforms: PS5, Xbox Series X/S, PC
«Metro 2039»
Beloved post-apocalypse: I simply cannot resist your call. With «Metro 2039», we are heading into the catacombs of the Moscow Metro for the fourth time. Although, by now, a large part of the gloomy action game takes place on the irradiated surface.
In the roughly half-hour demo, I start in an underground settlement that is bursting with details. Someone is working in a tiny workshop, next to them children are playing tic-tac-toe on a three-square-meter schoolyard, and a little further ahead a manhole cover is being welded. «Metro 2039» immediately creates this oppressive and at the same time fascinating atmosphere.
Source: 4A Games
I get some air by going to the surface, although it's of course impossible without a gas mask. Up here, too, I can almost smell the post-apocalypse. Abandoned apartment blocks, destroyed vehicles, and mutants lurking around every corner. They surround me, climb over overgrown school buses, or throw stones at me.
Source: 4A Games
Human enemies are also back, preferably hurling swear words and grenades at me. «Metro 2039» looks incredibly good and sounds fantastic. My graphics card is already breaking into a sweat when it sees what kind of monster is coming its way.
When: 2027
Platforms: PS5, Xbox Series X/S, PC
«Dragon’s Dogma 2: Dark Arisen»
«Dragon’s Dogma» is really not the easiest game to be thrown back into in the middle of a wild adventure after two years. I am all the more surprised at how quickly I find my way around in the DLC «Dark Arisen». I have no idea what the story is about, but luckily I am provided with a few capable pawns. Thanks to the computer-controlled NPCs, the game forgives me for stumbling around like a drunk in the first encounters until I have mastered the controls.
The DLC brings a new area, new dungeons, new weapons, and everything else you expect from an expansion. Above all, of course, are the monsters, especially the large ones, which always ensure unique battles. On the way to the main quest, I spot a kind of yeti with mammoth tusks, which I immediately attack with the courage of the ignorant.
Source: Capcom
A wild battle ensues, in which the monster throws me over a cliff, only to fall down itself. Harpies join the fight, getting in my face while I try to climb the monster. At the same time, my pawns heal me, dodge the yeti's frost attacks, and launch their own attacks. It is pure chaos, as only «Dragon’s Dogma 2» can create.
At the end of the demo, an even bigger boss awaits me, a disgusting dragon whose heart protrudes from its chest. After 15 minutes of fighting, during which I never believe in our success, the dragon regenerates completely. Before I desperately throw in the towel, the game releases me and congratulates me on my great play. I return the compliment to Capcom. This DLC will be a feast.
You can find my review of the main game here:
When: October 9, 2026
Platforms: PS5, Xbox Series X/S, Switch 2, PC
Kevin's Highlights
Source: Kevin Hofer
«Mega Man: Dual Override»
The blue humanoid robot named Rock is back. I was allowed to fight my way through three classic «Mega Man» levels. As always, «Mega Man» is characterized by the fact that he can copy the abilities of defeated enemies. In the Gamescom demo, only one is available to me for my run. Instead of shooting, I dash forward a limited distance and cause damage. However, this ability is limited by a corresponding bar.
Source: Capcom
I fight my way through the relatively short levels, at least in the demo, and have to defeat a boss at the end. The levels are coolly designed, and I have to remember exactly which enemies appear where and how they want to prevent me from progressing. Nasty: If I get hit, the impact throws me back a bit, which makes platforming more difficult. I died more than once.
What I also notice: Unlike modern 2D action platformers and Metroidvanias like «Silksong», Rock doesn't move as athletically. Because of his sluggishness, I have to adjust, which is difficult for me in the short time with the demo.
Source: Capcom
Only in level 1-3 do I meet the boss of this section: Twinkle Girl. Where I had defeated the previous bosses relatively easily by shooting and simple dodging, she is a bigger challenge. She moves much faster and has more attack patterns that I have to figure out. She also doesn't let me get close to her.
After several deaths, I realize: I have to change my strategy and rely on Rock's copied ability. Thanks to this, I am briefly untouchable during the dash forward and can thus dodge Twinkle Girl's attacks and attack her at the same time. It's fun to learn her patterns and adjust to her. Now I'm definitely hyped for the game and want to play through a «Mega Man» for the first time in over 30 years.
When: 2027
Platforms: PS4, PS5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S, Switch, Switch 2, PC
«Age Twisters»
After my hands-on session with «Age Twisters», I am convinced: The game will be the co-op hit next year. Unlike «Split Ficiton», I don't control the protagonists, a granddaughter and her grandfather, in split-screen, but from an isometric perspective. So we are always together and see the same thing. Instead of aligning the camera with the right stick, I aim with it. For example, I throw basketballs into hoops, swap bodies as a child with a yo-yo, or drum so hard as a teenager that time slows down.
Source: Piccolo Studio
Which brings me to the central gameplay feature. The characters can change their age at the push of a button: from child, to teenager, to adult and pensioner. Everyone has their strengths and weaknesses. As a child, for example, I cannot climb to high levels; as a pensioner, I cannot jump over gaps.
With time (pun intended), I learn abilities for each age group. In my half-hour hands-on session, I only unlocked the child and teenager age groups. That already opens up many gameplay possibilities. Not only that, special items are to be added later that bring variety to the mechanics. According to the developers, the gameplay changes constantly as a result and always feels fresh.
Source: Piccolo Studio
In terms of story and characters, the influence of Pixar films is clearly noticeable. Jokes are cracked in a similar style, and at every turn, I see quirky, fun scenes. For example, when a villain locks himself up and is chased in the cell by an angry rooster.
Source: Piccolo Studio
At the core of the story is the relationship between the generations. As with the films, the content is intended to be accessible to children as well as adults. The humor and the colorful world for the kids, the deeply profound relationship between the generations for the grown-ups. According to the developer studio, the characters are deliberately clichéd at the beginning, but later they are supposed to get more depth. I'm curious and really looking forward to it. Maybe with «Age Twisters» I can finally get my wife to play with me.
When: 2027
Platforms: PS5, Xbox Series X/S, Switch 2, PC
Luca's Highlights
Source: Luca Fontana
«1001 Threads of Mizan»
Once upon a time, there was a king who was betrayed by his wife. He had her killed and made a cruel decision: from then on, he married a new woman every evening and had her executed the next morning before she, too, could betray him. Until Scheherazade came. She told him a story – and stopped at the most exciting part of all things. The king wanted to know how it continued. Tomorrow, she replied. So he let her live.
That went on for a thousand and one nights. Scheherazade told of adventures and djinns, but also of love, morality, and the value of life – until her stories finally changed the angry king. Exactly this legendary storyteller is also at the center of «1001 Threads of Mizan».
Source: MBC Game Studio
The co-op action-adventure is the debut of the newly founded MBC Game Studio. However, it is not a first work by beginners: The team includes former developers from studios such as BioWare, Bungie, Ubisoft Montréal, and Hi-Rez, and the powerful MBC Group is behind it financially.
I can already tell that from the early Gamescom demo. Two colleagues and I slip into the roles of Scheherazade's three warriors: a nimble ranged fighter, a melee damage dealer, and a bulky tank. On flying carpets, we race through deserts, canyons, and oases before we dismount and heat up the first enemies. The combat system doesn't reinvent anything with light and heavy blows as well as special attacks. But it doesn't have to. It already plays surprisingly round and elegant. With my archer, I target several enemies at once via a special attack and simultaneously hunt magically enhanced arrows at them. Awesome!
Source: MBC Game Studio
At the end of the demo, a gigantic djinn awaits, who wouldn't look out of place in «Shadow of the Colossus». Just hitting it isn't enough here. We have to read its attack patterns, dodge, and coordinate while the battle switches between ground and air. Only with teamwork do we finally bring the monster down.
Source: MBC Game Studio
And then Scheherazade is sitting there again. We naturally want to know how our story continues. Her answer: That's a story for another time. With that, she becomes not only the leader of our three heroes but the narrative framework of the whole game. Every mission feels like a new story from «One Thousand and One Nights». A pretty charming idea – and after my first one, I naturally also want to know how the next one continues. Hopefully not in 1001 nights; a release date is apparently still a long way off.
When: unknown
Platforms: PS5, Xbox Series X/S, Switch 2, PC
«Zoopunk»
«Zoopunk» looks surprisingly finished. That seems to make the developer who leads us through the roughly half-hour hands-off demo a bit nervous himself. Again and again, he emphasizes that everything is still «Work in Progress» and could change by the release. Understood. Only: What I see on the screen already seems damn round.
«Zoopunk» comes from the Chinese studio TiGames and is a prequel to «F.I.S.T.: Forged in Shadow Torch», released in 2021. Instead of a 2.5D Metroidvania, this time a full-grown 3D action RPG with several playable animal heroes is being created. There are supposed to be six according to the developers. Per mission, I put together a team of three of them. In the demo, we see the rabbit and all-rounder Rayton, the brutal rhino Braton with his huge chainsaw, and the nimble chipmunk Trixie.
Although they follow the same control logic, the three fight visibly differently. Light and heavy attacks can be chained into combos, together with the shoulder button they become special attacks. This reminds me a bit of Insomniac's «Spider-Man» games. That doesn't look revolutionary, but it does look fast, smooth, and already surprisingly mature.
Source: TiGames
The locations leave an even greater impression on me. First, Rayton brawls on a speeding hovertrain through snowy mountains – a bit like the train robbery in «Solo: A Star Wars Story», just with a mechanically upgraded rabbit. Afterward, it goes with Trixie through a lush green coastal landscape with forests, mountains, and a village full of marmots. In between: rival animal clans, robots, and plenty of wonderfully over-the-top action.
Unfortunately, I wasn't allowed to play «Zoopunk» myself. But after the demo, I would have loved to take over the controller. Maybe by then, everything will even be a bit more «finished».
When: unknown
Platforms: PS5, Xbox Series X/S, PC
Is that all?
No, those weren't all the highlights. In the coming days, Phil will reveal our insider tips with smaller titles and indie gems from Gamescom.
We have also prepared numerous individual previews of games that we have looked at in particular detail – look forward to previews of «Fable», «Stranger Than Heaven», «Star Wars: Galactic Racer», and many other games that we cannot reveal yet. For example «█████████», «██████████████████», and especially «████».
Also keep an eye out for our merch article – we have received many gadgets again that we want to share with our community.
Follow the Gaming Topic and the linked authors so you don't miss anything.
Source: Luca Fontana
In the current podcast episode, we also talk about other games that have thrilled – or disappointed – us. Among others:
- «Showa: American Story»: An alternate history game in which Japan has bought up the USA. Fans of the «Yakuza» games should keep an eye on this title. Released in 2027 for PS5, Xbox Series X/S, and PC (played by Kevin).
- «Ravioli Planet»: A Swiss cozy game in which you sell ravioli as a grandmother and test new recipes (no release date, played by Michelle).
- «Castlevania: Belmont's Curse»: Hell yeah, «Castlevania is back. The comeback, orchestrated by the «Dead Cells» studios Evil Empire and Motion Twin, is convincing in a first hands-on session. Released on October 15 for PS5, Xbox Series X/S, and PC (played by Kevin).
- «Crowfish»: Somewhere between a hectic shooter and cozy farm atmosphere, this surreal game from Switzerland provides many laughs. Released for Switch, PC, Android, iOS (played by Michelle).
- «Cosmo Tales»: Bohemia Interactive – known for gray shooters like «DayZ» and «Arma» – ventures into a colorful space shooter with cute cars. Say what?! The experiment is convincing at Gamescom. Released in 2026 in Early Access for PC (played by Philipp).
- «Star Wars Galactic Racer»: Luca describes the racing game as «Need for Speed Underground» in the «Star Wars» universe. Well, that sounds great. Released on October 6 for PS5, Xbox Series X/S, and PC.
- «Petal Runner»: Game Boy Color aesthetic and a surreal story with numerous unexpected gameplay twists. A beautiful, small indie game. No release date, released for PC (played by Kevin).
- «The Copperfield Department»: Another Swiss game! In this text-based puzzle game, you are a social media detective and rummage through fictional social networks for clues about evildoers. No release date, released for PC (played by Michelle).
The podcast is available on platforms like Spotify, Apple Podcasts, Youtube, or in the player embedded below:
Do you have questions about the presented games? We are happy to answer them in the comments. Which games convinced you the most? And which games would you like to get more information about in future individual previews?
My love of video games was unleashed at the tender age of five by the original Gameboy. Over the years, it's grown in leaps and bounds.
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