Gamescom 2020: Dates, How To Watch, And What To Expect

Gamescom is one of the biggest events in the video game industry: the European equivalent to America’s E3. This year will look a little different, as the event has shifted to an all-digital format in light of the ongoing coronavirus pandemic. But that also means that you get to watch the festivities from the comfort of your home.

Here are all the details.

When Is Gamescom?

Gamescom is scheduled to take place August 27-30, a slight nudge from its previous August 25-29 schedule. That includes two special events to begin and end the proceedings. On August 27, Geoff Keighley will host Opening Night Live starting at 11 AM PT / 2 PM ET, with a pre-show beginning a half-hour before. On August 30, the event will end with a Best of Show presentation.

Gamescom Opening Night Live Start Times:

  • 11 AM PT
  • 2 PM ET
  • 8 PM CEST
  • 4 AM AEST (Friday)

How To Watch Gamescom

Since the event is streaming, you’ll be able to watch using the Gamescom YouTube channel. Gamescom is also being treated as the culmination of Keighley’s Summer Game Fest event, which has aired on The Game Awards account.

What To Expect

Gamescom organizers haven’t shared specific details on what to expect from this new slimmed-down format. Typically, Gamescom is full of publishers sharing additional details about games announced at E3, and occasionally making new brand-new announcements. It’s also often a highlight for European publishers, including Cyberpunk 2077 studio CD Projekt Red.

Keighley recently promised over 20 games as part of its Opening Night Live showcase, with news and new footage from upcoming games. That’s likely to give us a broad overview for any further plans from developers to showcase their games in more depth.

With only months left before the launch of PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X, there are still a lot of questions surrounding both platforms. Neither Sony nor Microsoft have promised any hardware reveals at Gamescom itself, but it’s possible that either or both could host another event in the near future. Nintendo, meanwhile, has gone mostly quiet about its own fall plans, though rumors have circulated that it is planning another Nintendo Direct for next week.

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