Every year, Gamescom opens the doors of the Koelnmesse expo hall in Cologne, Germany. This week-long, in-person video game event is organized by the German Games Industry Association. Developers showcase their upcoming projects to the public, journalists conduct interviews with industry legends, and fans flock to buy merchandise, play demos, and display their creative cosplay. Since its inception in 2009 as Europe's counterpart to the now-defunct E3, Gamescom has attracted over 300,000 visitors annually, making it the largest video game expo in the world.

A major expo calls for major games, and this year delivered with highly anticipated titles such as Indiana Jones and the Great Circle, Civilization VII, Dune: Awakening, S.T.A.L.K.E.R. 2: Heart of Chornobyl and Assassin’s Creed Shadows, alongside the much-awaited chance to play Star Wars Outlaws.

With such a massive gathering, a grand live show, and hundreds of game demos, there were plenty of remarkable sights. For those who couldn’t make the trip to Germany or were too busy waiting in line for Monster Hunter Wilds, here’s a recap of the best, worst, and most surprising moments from Gamescom 2024.

Best: Battling Viking Raiders Riding Dinosaurs in ‘Dinolords’

"A medieval dinosaur game" is already an intriguing concept, but Dinolords goes beyond being just Age of Empires in the Jurassic Period. During a hands-off live demo of the latest version, it was clear that this game blends elements of action-RPGs and real-time strategy to offer a fresh experience, even before the first dinosaur appears.

Players take on the role of an 11th-century English hero defending their land from Viking raiders. Rather than controlling the action from an abstract, omnipotent perspective, the game immerses players directly in the chaos. Everything the workers and armies can do, the player can do as well—building walls, training troops, and venturing into the wilderness to tame dinosaurs. These ancient beasts, brought to England by Northmen who discovered them frozen in the tundra, are now used to conquer all who stand in their way.

During the demo, developers at Northplay shared that they focused on quality over quantity, ensuring that the large reptiles feel unique rather than typical real-time strategy units. Each dinosaur has specific strengths—T-rexes tear down castle walls, velociraptors leap onto battlements to attack archers, and ankylosaurs devastate infantry with their clubbed tails. These armored dinosaurs are tough to defeat, adding to the game's challenge.

Dinolords is an absurd idea that surprisingly works, showcasing the potential of video games to embrace and thrive on ridiculous concepts. Planned for a 2025 release on PC as an early-access title, this silly yet brilliant game will invite players to provide feedback and help shape its development.

Worst: Spectators’ Disinterest in ‘Borderlands 4’

Opening Night Live sets the tone for Gamescom, aiming to build excitement for the week ahead. However, the first big announcement of the night—a teaser trailer for Borderlands 4—fell flat. Despite the excitement of the show’s host, Geoff Keighley, the audience remained silent after the trailer, an unexpected reaction in a setting usually filled with cheers.

The trailer itself was visually engaging: a cracked moon careening through space, crashing into a crystallized sky, and causing meteors to rain down on a planet. Amidst the fiery impact craters, the iconic gas mask from the Borderlands series was retrieved from the embers.

Yet, despite the striking imagery, the reaction was underwhelming. Borderlands has been a staple in the gaming world since 2009, but after the lukewarm reception of the recent film adaptation, it seems the series has lost its spark. The timing of this announcement, following the film’s release, likely contributed to the tepid response, suggesting that the world may have moved on from the mid-2000s style that defined Borderlands.

WTF: The Return of Booth Babes?

While waiting in line for Mecha Break, an upcoming multiplayer robot fighting game that evokes Armored Core VI on steroids, there was a noticeable presence of women dressed as Lara Croft. These were not cosplayers, but rather hired models in tight white tank tops and short black shorts—a throwback to the controversial “booth babes” of past gaming expos.

Booth babes, a relic of an outdated marketing strategy, were once a staple at events like E3, intended to attract male gamers. Their presence at Gamescom felt out of place, reminiscent of a cringeworthy, bygone era. While they handed out flyers and posed for pictures, their return served as a reminder of the gaming industry’s lingering issues with sexism.

This choice of promotion was particularly jarring given the game's content. Mecha Break features female pilots with exaggerated, unrealistic body proportions, their movements accentuated in ways that felt inappropriate and out of step with modern gaming sensibilities. It’s unfortunate, as the game itself offers thrilling robot combat and tactical battles, but the use of booth babes left a sour aftertaste.

Best: Facing the Challenge of ‘Crimson Desert’

During a hands-on demo of Crimson Desert, an upcoming fantasy action RPG, the game’s difficulty was immediately apparent. Players take control of Kliff, a skilled Greymane warrior with a diverse set of combat moves. The combat system requires a balance of offense and defense, as even holding up a shield drains stamina, leaving Kliff vulnerable to counterattacks if not managed carefully.

Enemies swarm in like the Agent Smith clones from The Matrix Reloaded, and even the weaker foes prove deadly when attacking in numbers. The demo also featured a challenging boss rush, with a variety of formidable opponents ranging from nimble humans to towering, monstrous creatures. Each boss battle involved multiple phases, with opportunities to expose weak points for massive damage, adding to the spectacle.

The combat’s intensity, combined with the cinematic camera angles that enhance the action, made for a thrilling experience. While the difficulty may be polarizing, with some players loving and others hating it, Crimson Desert proved to be one of the most talked-about games at this year’s Gamescom.

Worst: The 10-Hour Wait for ‘Monster Hunter Wilds’

The excitement for Monster Hunter Wilds was palpable, but so was the frustration. Once the general public was admitted on Thursday, the line to try the game’s demo became chaotic, stretching across the entire length of the expo hall. By mid-morning, the estimated wait time had reached a staggering 10 hours.

While the popularity of the Monster Hunter series, particularly following the success of 2018’s Monster Hunter World, explains the massive interest, the long wait times meant that many attendees spent an entire day in line for just one game. With hundreds of games available to try at the expo, this felt like a missed opportunity to discover new favorites.

For the most dedicated fans, however, no wait was too long. Many opted to nap in line, take turns on food runs, or hold each other’s places during bathroom breaks, all for the chance to play the next installment in this beloved series.

WTF: Phil Spencer’s Reaction to Cheers for a PlayStation Game

Console exclusivity has been a cornerstone of the gaming industry, with Xbox and PlayStation historically keeping their biggest titles exclusive to their platforms. However, with rising development costs and longer production timelines, the logic of limiting a game’s audience is being questioned. Xbox, lagging behind PlayStation in hardware sales, surprised many when it was revealed that Indiana Jones and the Great Circle, initially touted as an Xbox exclusive, would also be coming to PS5 just a few months after its Xbox release.

The announcement came during the penultimate trailer of Gamescom Opening Night Live, a prime spot in the lineup. The crowd’s cheers for the PS5 release likely came as a surprise to Xbox boss Phil Spencer, who was present. Despite maintaining his composure, it was a moment that underscored the shifting dynamics of game exclusivity.

Spencer later explained during an Xbox livestream at Gamescom that expanding the reach of their titles to rival platforms is simply good business. While it’s common for Sony to release its exclusives on PC and Xbox has seen mascots like Crash Bandicoot and Spyro cross over, the idea of iconic characters like Master Chief appearing on a PlayStation still feels jarring.

Best: Celebrating the Gaming Community

At its heart, Gamescom is a celebration of the gaming community. Thousands of fans from around the world converge on Cologne, united by their passion for video games. The crowded halls of the Koelnmesse are filled with enthusiasts who live and breathe gaming. It’s a place where online friends can finally meet in person and where developers from different corners of the globe can relax and bond over a drink.

The dedication of cosplayers is particularly inspiring, with many donning elaborate, hand-crafted costumes and maintaining impeccable makeup despite the sweltering heat of the European summer. Air conditioning is scarce, and the large crowds only add to the heat, yet these fans soldier on, even enlisting friends to help them navigate the challenges of attending such a large event.

As the days go by, attendees become laden with bags of merchandise—some purchased, others received as freebies for trying out demos. It’s easy to spot a gamer in Cologne during Gamescom, with many proudly displaying their loot.

In an era where in-person events are declining, couch co-op is being replaced by online lobbies, and remote work is becoming the norm, it’s easy to forget that gaming is a global community. Gamescom serves as a powerful reminder of what makes video games special: the people who create them and the players who love them.

This is the Ukrainian flag at Gamescom, one of the symbols representing Ukrainian Independence, which goes back far beyond 1991. For centuries, our culture and traditions were divided and suppressed. But not today. Today, in Ukraine and around the world, we proudly share the message of freedom, along with our values and cultural identity.We also honor those who have sacrificed so much and those who continue to fight for our future. Your courage is our inspiration, and your strength is the foundation on which we build every day. We are also grateful to the millions of people around the world who share our values and continue to support our nation and our country.Congratulations on Independence Day, Ukrainians—the most important date for many years to come!

At Gamescom 2024, Obsidian Entertainment unveiled a gameplay demo of their highly anticipated RPG, Avowed. The recorded footage from the presentation has been shared online, giving fans who couldn't attend the event a chance to experience the upcoming title.

During the showcase, the developers took players through a dungeon exploration, emphasizing the game’s dialogue system. This feature allows players to shape the storyline through their decisions, promising a dynamic and varied gameplay experience where every choice can significantly impact the narrative.

The demo also revealed other essential elements of the game, including world exploration, resource gathering, and the use of magic and various character abilities. These features aim to immerse players deeper into the fantasy world of Avowed, offering unique and personalized gameplay experiences.

Avowed is set to launch on February 18, 2025, and will be available on Xbox Series X|S and PC.

The organizers of Gamescom 2024 have unveiled the winners of their annual awards. This year, the jury selected the top games across 13 categories, including Best Gameplay, Best Visual Design, and special categories like "Most Epic" and "Most Entertaining" game.

Capcom's Monster Hunter Wilds dominated the event, taking home four awards. Little Nightmares 3 also had a strong showing, winning three awards.

Here’s the complete list of the Gamescom 2024 Awards winners:

Best Trailer

Monster Hunter Wilds

Best Exhibition Booth

Microsoft / Xbox / Bethesda / Blizzard

Best Visual Design

1. Little Nightmares 3
2. Crimson Desert
3. Dune: Awakening
4. Empire of the Ants
5. Star Wars Outlaws

Best Sound Design

1. Little Nightmares 3
2. Dune: Awakening
3. Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2
4. Nine Sols
5. Star Wars Outlaws

Best Gameplay

1. Frostpunk 2
2. Blue Prince
3. Empire of the Ants
4. PVKK: Planetenverteidigungskanonenkommandant
5. The Alters

Most Entertaining Game

1. Monster Hunter Wilds
2. inZoi
3. Palworld
4. PVKK: Planetenverteidigungskanonenkommandant
5. Star Wars Outlaws

Most Epic Game

1. Monster Hunter Wilds
2. Crimson Desert
3. Dune: Awakening
4. Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2
5. Star Wars Outlaws

Best PlayStation Game

1. Monster Hunter Wilds
2. Dragon Ball: Sparking! Zero
3. Little Nightmares 3
4. The First Berserker: Khazan
5. Unknown 9: Awakening

Best Xbox Game

1. Little Nightmares 3
2. Age of Mythology: Retold
3. Creatures of Ava
4. Star Wars Outlaws 
5. The Alters

Best PC Game

1. Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2
2. Dune: Awakening
3. Empire of the Ants
4. Frostpunk 2
5. The Alters

Best Mobile Game

1. Genshin Impact
2. Digital Animals Game
3. Dungeons of Dreadlock 2 — The Dead King’s Secret
4. Monster Hunter Now
5. Zenless Zone Zero

Best Game with a Social Impact

1. Creatures of Ava 
2. Green Guardians VR
3. Out & About
4. REKA
5. Tiny Bookshop

Most Heartwarming Game

1. Tavern Talk
2. Creatures of Ava
3. Tiny Bookshop Urban 
4. Jungle Woodo

Gamescom 2024 has been highly anticipated, and for good reason—it’s now often referred to as the “European E3” or even E3’s replacement, especially since the latter has been discontinued.

We’ve rounded up the most exciting announcements from the two-hour opening night event.

Borderlands 4

Slated for release in 2025.

Indiana Jones and The Great Circle

Scheduled for launch on December 9, 2024, on Xbox and PC, with a PS5 release coming in spring 2025.

Mafia: The Old Country

Set in Sicily, with more details to be unveiled in December 2024.

Call of Duty: Black Ops 6

Dropping on October 25, 2024.

Goat Simulator Remastered

Expected to launch in 2024.

Dying Light: The Beast

A new DLC that continues the protagonist’s story, now available for wishlist additions.

King of Meat

Playtest sign-ups are now open.

Lynked: Banner of the Spark

Launching on October 22, 2024.

Lost Records: Bloom & Rage

From the former developers of Life is Strange, this game is set to release on February 18, 2025, with the second episode following on March 18, 2025.

ARC Raiders

Expected in 2025.

Infinity Nikki

No release date announced yet.

Path of Exile 2

Early access begins on November 15, 2024.

Dune: Awakening

Showcased an in-depth look at the MMORPG set in the “Dune” universe. The game will launch on PC in early 2025, with console release dates to follow.

Reanimal

Release date still unknown.

Monster Hunter Wilds

Coming in 2025.

Mechabreak

Release date yet to be announced.

Monument Valley 3

Launching on December 10, 2024.

Civilization VII

Set to release on February 11, 2025.

Starfield Rev-8

A new planetary vehicle is now available for free in-game.

Secret Level

An anthology series from the creators of “Love, Death & Robots,” inspired by iconic gaming franchises. Premiering on December 10 on Amazon Prime Video.

Kingdom Come: Deliverance II

Releases on February 11, 2025.

Batman: Arkham Shadow

A VR game set in the DC Comics universe, launching exclusively for Meta Quest 3 this October.

Little Nightmares 3

Expected in 2025.

Masters of Albion

A game by Peter Molyneux, with the release date still to be confirmed.

Squid Game: Unleashed

A mobile game from Netflix, coming to mobile platforms. Release date is still unknown.

Unknown9: Awakening

Starring Anya Chalotra, this game is set to release on October 18, 2024.

Diablo IV: Vessel of Hatred

An expansion continuing the main storyline, releasing on October 8, 2024.

The First Berserker: Khazan

Expected in early 2025.

Ara: History Untold

Launching on September 24, 2024, and will be available on Game Pass from day one.

Dark and Darker Mobile

No release date yet, but pre-registration is now open.

This year, the Ukrainian pavilion will once again be featured at the prestigious annual gaming exhibition, Gamescom 2024. After a successful debut last year, Ukrainian gaming studios, service companies, and startups are set to showcase their projects and services on the global stage.

Gamescom 2024 will take place from August 21 to 25 in Cologne, Germany, at the Koelnmesse trade fair center. The Ukrainian pavilion will be located in Hall 04.1 (A-010g). The event is organized by the Games Gathering conference, the developer platform GDBAY, and VG Entertainment, the studio behind Fear the Wolves and Survarium.

Featured Ukrainian Game Developers at Gamescom 2024:

• GSC Game World: A renowned Ukrainian video game developer with offices in Ukraine and the Czech Republic. Established in 1995, the studio is famous for the S.T.A.L.K.E.R. series and Cossacks. They are currently focused on the upcoming release of S.T.A.L.K.E.R. 2: Heart of Chernobyl.
• Hologryph: Based in Lviv, Hologryph is known for developing hits like Party Hard 2 and the multiplayer game Secret Neighbor. Their current project, SAND, is a large-scale PvPvE game where players explore a decayed planet filled with anomalies alongside other players.
• KAVA GAMING: Specializing in concept art, illustrations, character design, and environmental design, KAVA GAMING brings creative visions to life. The studio excels in game development and outsourcing, ensuring visual excellence and consistency across projects.
• PlayToMax: An experienced HTML5 game developer with over 12 years in the industry. They specialize in creating high-quality cross-platform games and engaging advertisements. The studio also develops custom games and ports projects from other platforms to HTML5.
• UGI Studio: A boutique company offering full-cycle game development and art production. UGI Studio provides clients with comprehensive services, including game development, art production (2D/3D/UI/UX), and VFX/animation (2D/3D).
• Twigames: An independent game studio based in Kyiv, offering a complete range of game development services such as programming, 2D/3D art creation, game design, and more.

Ukrainian Service Companies Participating in Gamescom 2024:

• WMG International (adWMG): Specializing in creating software products for automated monetization of mobile apps, websites, and CTV platforms. WMG International serves around 9,000 websites and 10,000 mobile apps, and is an official Google MCM partner, IAB technical supplier, TCF 2.2 compliant, TAG verified, and certified as a DSP on the Prebid platform.
• QPM: An ecosystem designed for strategic and operational management. QPM's mission is to develop the world's first AI-based project management system, addressing the challenges organizations face in effectively managing project development processes. Many companies currently use multiple tools (2-5) but still struggle to complete tasks on time.

Gamescom 2024 promises to be an exciting event, and the Ukrainian pavilion will showcase some of the best talent and innovation the country has to offer in the gaming industry.

Supermassive Games' Little Nightmares 3 will be featured in a special presentation during the Opening Night Live event at Gamescom 2024. The world's largest gaming event is set to begin on August 20, and Little Nightmares 3 now joins the lineup of highly anticipated games scheduled to appear, alongside major titles like Call of Duty: Black Ops 6, Monster Hunter Wilds, and Marvel Rivals.

The upcoming horror game, known for its intense puzzle-solving and platforming elements, was initially revealed during last year’s Opening Night Live at Gamescom 2023. Unlike the first two games in the series, which were developed by Tarsier Studios, Little Nightmares 3 is being developed by Supermassive Games, who previously released Little Nightmares 2: Enhanced Edition.

Geoff Keighley, the host of the 2024 Opening Night Live showcase, announced on Twitter on August 16 that Little Nightmares 3 would be featured during the event, with a new trailer set to debut. The Opening Night Live event will be streamed globally on August 20, starting at 2 p.m. Eastern Standard Time and 11 a.m. Pacific Standard Time. This new trailer is expected to shed light on how the change in developers might influence the game’s direction. Supermassive Games, best known for horror titles that emphasize difficult choices, such as The Quarry and Until Dawn, also has experience in platforming, having developed DLC for the popular platformer LittleBigPlanet.

Little Nightmares 3 to Be Highlighted at Gamescom 2024

The game's inclusion in the livestream is likely to excite fans who have been eager for updates, especially after the announcement in late May that Little Nightmares 3 had been delayed. The development team shared that the release had been pushed back to 2025 to ensure the game meets the high standards fans expect and to give it "the care and love it deserves."

Supermassive Games is expected to make additional appearances at the Opening Night Live showcase. A teaser from earlier in August hinted at a Gamescom reveal for Project 8020, the first game planned for Season 2 of The Dark Pictures Anthology. Additionally, the studio is working on The Casting of Frank Stone, a narrative-driven offshoot of the asymmetrical survival horror game Dead by Daylight, which is scheduled for release on September 3.

Supermassive Games is expected to reveal the next chapter of its interactive horror series, The Dark Pictures Anthology, at Gamescom 2024. The first season concluded in 2022 with The Devil in Me, and fans have been eagerly anticipating the next installment since its successful release.

In The Dark Pictures games, players can discover clues by finding pictures that reveal short video clips of future scenes, similar to the tarot cards in The Quarry. Players must make challenging decisions that could lead to the deaths of some controllable characters. The final images in each of the four games in the first season hinted at potential fatalities in the subsequent game. This was the case with The Devil in Me, which included a trailer for the second season after the credits.

The first game scheduled for The Dark Pictures Anthology Season Two is Directive 8020, which adds a sci-fi twist to the series' signature horror style by setting it in outer space. On July 8, Supermassive Games' official Twitter account hinted at the upcoming Gamescom 2024 event, saying it will be "out of this world." While the post didn't explicitly confirm an announcement for Directive 8020 at Gamescom, the cryptic message was accompanied by an image of a purple planet that might be recognizable to those who viewed the trailer at the end of The Devil in Me. Gamescom will take place from August 21 to August 25.

The Dark Pictures Season 2 May Be Revealed at Gamescom 2024

Directive 8020 is not the only project on Supermassive's agenda. The developer is also preparing to release The Casting of Frank Stone, a narrative-driven Dead by Daylight spin-off with gameplay similar to The Dark Pictures series, as well as The Quarry and the Until Dawn remake. The Casting of Frank Stone is set to launch on September 3, so it might also be showcased at Gamescom 2024.

Fans are curious about the new direction the series will take following the passing of Dark Pictures actor Tony Pankhurst. Supermassive often includes dialogue and Easter eggs referencing its other games, but Pankhurst's role as The Curator was the thread that tied the first season's four games into a cohesive narrative. As a personification of death, The Curator introduces players to each game in his study, where he tells a story of mortality that they must help unfold. The character reappears periodically to comment on the story's progress and offer hints on how to keep characters alive.

GSC Game World has confirmed that it will attend Gamescom 2024, following rumors about their participation. The announcement was made through the studio's social media channels.

At the event, the developers plan to unveil a new demo version of S.T.A.L.K.E.R. 2: Heart of Chornobyl.

"The Zone is ready to challenge stalkers once more, same place, different year.

Prepare your detectors, clean your gas masks, and get ready for Gamescom 2024 — the S.T.A.L.K.E.R. 2: Heart of Chornobyl demo will be waiting for you in the public area."

Unleash the hero within you at the Pearl Abyss booth at gamescom2024 and get ready for an intense adventure.

We are very pleased to welcome SEGA back at gamescom 2024. The excitement is building, and we're curious to see what surprises SEGA has in store for the gaming community. What do you think they’ll show us?