Gamescom 2026 takes place in Cologne, Germany, from August 26 through August 30, with Opening Night Live scheduled for Tuesday, August 25. Hosted by Geoff Keighley, the opening show will provide the first major look at the event through new game announcements, world premieres, trailers, gameplay reveals, and updates from the international games industry.
Gamescom 2026 Dates and Location
The main Gamescom 2026 event runs from Wednesday, August 26, through Sunday, August 30, at Koelnmesse in Cologne, Germany. August 26 is primarily a trade visitor and media day, although a limited number of private visitors may enter the entertainment area from 1:00 p.m. with a valid Wildcard.
The main public days are Thursday, August 27, through Sunday, August 30. The official opening hours for private visitors are:
| Date | Private visitor hours |
| Wednesday, August 26 | 1:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m. with Wildcard |
| Thursday, August 27 | 10:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m. |
| Friday, August 28 | 10:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m. |
| Saturday, August 29 | 9:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m. |
| Sunday, August 30 | 9:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m. |
The broader Gamescom week begins earlier, with Gamescom dev scheduled from August 23 through August 25, followed by Opening Night Live on August 25 and the main Gamescom event from August 26 through August 30. followed by Opening Night Live on August 25 and the main public exhibition from August 26 through August 30.
When Is Opening Night Live 2026?
Gamescom Opening Night Live 2026 takes place on Tuesday, August 25, at 8:00 p.m. CEST. The show will be held in Hall 1 at Koelnmesse, with access through Confex. The official event page lists an expected end time of 10:00 p.m., making the planned runtime approximately two hours.
Geoff Keighley is returning as host and producer. Gamescom’s official information describes the program as a showcase featuring world premieres, exclusive announcements, gameplay and trailer reveals, celebrity guests, and a preview of the wider Gamescom program.
For viewers outside Germany, the confirmed start time converts to:
- 7:00 p.m. BST in the United Kingdom.
- 2:00 p.m. Eastern Time in the United States.
- 11:00 a.m. Pacific Time in the United States.
The show is planned to be streamed online. Gamescom’s official Twitch channel is available for the event, while the organizer’s Opening Night Live page remains the safest place to check for the final stream links as the broadcast approaches.
How to Watch Gamescom 2026
Attendees need a separate ticket for the physical Opening Night Live presentation, while viewers worldwide can watch the show through an online livestream. Gamescom has confirmed the livestream but has not yet published a complete list of platforms for the 2026 broadcast on its main ONL information page.
Viewers should use the official Gamescom website and its verified social channels for the final YouTube and Twitch links. The Gamescom Twitch channel is already listed for the 2026 event. Xbox has separately confirmed that its own Gamescom booth broadcasts will stream on YouTube and Twitch on August 26 and August 27 at 4:00 p.m. CEST.
Gamescom 2026 Confirmed Games
Several publishers have announced playable games or booth demonstrations. These appearances should be distinguished from Opening Night Live announcements. A game listed at a publisher booth is not automatically confirmed for Geoff Keighley’s showcase.
Xbox lineup
Xbox has confirmed 25 upcoming games and 140 gaming stations at its Hall 7 booth, making its presentation one of the largest officially announced playable lineups so far. Confirmed titles include:
- Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 4, with playable Core 6v6 multiplayer.
- Gears of War: E-Day, with the first public playable campaign experience ahead of its October 6, 2026 release.
- Minecraft Dungeons II, playable for the first time.
- Fable, featured in a live demo theater presentation by Playground Games.
- STRANGER THAN HEAVEN, with a playable demo.
- METRO 2039, playable ahead of its February 2027 release.
- Halo: Campaign Evolved, with hands-on access to its updated campaign.
- Forza Horizon 6, including new Drift Attack features.
- Microsoft Flight Simulator 2024, including the National Championship Air Races content.
Xbox also lists Alien Deathstorm, Alien: Isolation 2, Armatus, Bad Magpie, The Blood of Dawnwalker, Castlevania: Belmont’s Curse, Crowsworn, Genigods: Nezha, Resonance: A Plague Tale Legacy, STAR WARS Zero Company, Terrible Lizards, Turok: Origins, and Valor Mortis among the games appearing at its booth.
The Xbox booth is located in Hall 7 at A-0.61. Xbox has not stated that all of these games will appear during Opening Night Live.
Nintendo lineup
Nintendo will occupy Hall 9.1, stand A10, from August 26 through August 30. The company has confirmed a broad Nintendo Switch 2 lineup, including:
- Nintendo Switch Sports Resort.
- Splatoon Raiders.
- Star Fox.
- Pokémon Pokopia.
- Mario Kart World.
- Yoshi and the Mysterious Book.
- Super Mario Bros. Wonder: Nintendo Switch 2 Edition with its additional content.
- Super Mario Galaxy and Super Mario Galaxy 2.
- Donkey Kong Bananza.
Nintendo’s booth will also include partner titles such as Orbitals, Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 4, EA Sports FC 27, 007 First Light, Metaphor: ReFantazio, Minecraft for Nintendo Switch 2, and Minecraft Dungeons II. The company says visitors will be able to try numerous titles, including games that have not yet launched.
Nintendo’s announcement confirms a physical booth presence and playable demonstrations. It does not confirm that any of these titles will be shown at Opening Night Live.
Games Confirmed for Opening Night Live
The confirmed Opening Night Live lineup remains limited. Gamescom’s July announcement specifically identified METRO 2039 and The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt: Songs of the Past as titles connected to news at the opening show. The official announcement says viewers can expect news on both games, with both titles currently targeting 2027 launches.
The announcement does not provide a complete segment-by-segment lineup yet. Gamescom may add more games before August 25, but only describe a title as part of Opening Night Live after Gamescom, Geoff Keighley, or the relevant publisher or developer confirms its appearance.
Reports also suggest that Square Enix plans to show a new look at Final Fantasy VII Revelation during Opening Night Live. However, treat that appearance as reported rather than fully confirmed until Square Enix or Gamescom publishes an authoritative announcement.
Gamescom 2026 Exhibitors
The official Gamescom exhibitor announcement confirms that all available exhibition space for 2026 has been booked. Companies named by the organizer include:
- Xbox.
- Nintendo.
- Ubisoft.
- Capcom.
- Bandai Namco.
- CD PROJEKT RED.
- Electronic Arts.
- Krafton.
- SEGA.
- HoYoverse.
- NetEase.
- Focus Entertainment.
- Deep Silver.
- Konami.
- Level Infinite.
- Tencent Games.
- Embark Studios.
- GIANTS Software.
- aerosoft.
- astragon.
- Google Play.
- The LEGO Group.
- TikTok.
- IGN.
- Republic of Gamers.
This list confirms company participation or exhibition involvement, but it does not necessarily mean every company will operate a large public gaming booth. The official exhibitor search is the best source for checking individual companies, halls, and stand numbers.
PlayStation was not included among the exhibitors named in Gamescom’s latest official 2026 announcement as of publication. Readers should avoid using earlier Gamescom attendance lists as evidence of 2026 participation.
Gamescom 2026 Schedule
The currently confirmed schedule is:
- August 23 to August 25: gamescom dev.
- August 25: Opening Night Live at 8:00 p.m. CEST.
- August 26: trade visitor and media day, with limited Wildcard access for private visitors.
- August 27: first full public day and gamescom congress.
- August 28: public exhibition and scheduled community programming.
- August 29: public exhibition, cosplay contest programming, and Gamescom community events.
- August 30: final public day.
Gamescom is also expanding its digital and community programming. The gamescom awesome indies show will receive further development with IGN, while gamescom GDQ will bring Games Done Quick’s speedrunning format to Europe for the first time. Gamescom says GDQ programming will run from Friday through Sunday and will also be streamed through GDQ channels.
Xbox will stream from its booth on August 26 and August 27 at 4:00 p.m. CEST. These broadcasts are separate from Opening Night Live and are expected to include interviews, guests, gameplay reveals, and trailers.
Can Fans Attend Gamescom 2026?
Yes. Gamescom sells public tickets for Thursday through Sunday, with day ticket prices ranging from €31.50 to €41.00. Discounted, family, and evening tickets are also available through the official ticket shop, although availability can change.
The Wildcard ticket for Wednesday is currently listed as sold out. The official ticket page also lists the Superfan Bundle and Superfan Bundle Plus as sold out. These packages included access connected to Opening Night Live and Wednesday entry.
Children under four are not admitted. Children aged four to 12 must be accompanied by an adult, while visitors aged 12 and over may attend without adult supervision. Opening Night Live itself is restricted to attendees aged 18 and over.
Tickets should be purchased only through the official Gamescom ticket shop. The organizer warns visitors not to rely on unauthorized third-party sellers.
What to Expect Next
The most important confirmed developments are the return of Xbox and Nintendo with large playable lineups, the confirmed appearances of METRO 2039 and The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt: Songs of the Past in the Opening Night Live news slate, and the expanded schedule of indie, speedrunning, and community programming.
Gamescom may announce the full ONL lineup, final livestream links, additional publisher presentations, and more playable games before August 25. Update this guide as organizers confirm new trailers, demos, release dates, and showcase segments.
Final Takeaway
Gamescom 2026 runs from August 26 through August 30 in Cologne, with Opening Night Live beginning at 8:00 p.m. CEST on August 25. Geoff Keighley will host the approximately two-hour show, featuring world premieres, announcements, trailers, gameplay reveals, and updates.
Xbox and Nintendo have already confirmed substantial playable lineups, while Gamescom has identified METRO 2039 and The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt: Songs of the Past as part of the ONL news slate. The next major updates to watch are the final livestream platforms, additional Opening Night Live confirmations, and the remaining publisher and developer announcements.
