Gamescom 2019 Conference Roundup: Schedule And News From Geoff Keighley, Nintendo, Xbox, And Google
Gamescom 2019 has begun in earnest, with a series of press conferences taking place throughout Monday. These brought a ton of news about newly revealed and other upcoming games, both big and small. Nintendo started things out with a showcase of Switch indie games, followed by an Inside Xbox stream, the next Google Stadia Connect, and a news-packed Opening Night Live event hosted by Geoff Keighley.
We even got the surprise releases of several games across PS4, Xbox One, Nintendo Switch, and PC, with a Call of Duty: Modern Warfare alpha test to come soon for free on PS4. Meanwhile, there have been numerous Gamescom game trailers making their debut, and we’ve rounded up some of our favorites for you to check out.
Some of the biggest news from this week didn’t come specifically from any of the official events. Maybe the most notable example is that we learned Sony bought Insomniac, the maker of Marvel’s Spider-Man.
Gamescom is held every year in Cologne, Germany. This year’s key date is August 20, when the show kicks off. However, as is the norm with Gamescom, that day is for press and trade visitors only; members of the public can get in from the day after, Wednesday, August 21. The last show day is Saturday, August 24. But it’s Monday, August 19 that is the big one for news, and below you’ll find all of the highlights from the day’s many press conference-style events and livestreams.
Google, Xbox, and Geoff Keighley
Before the show started, Google hosted its second Stadia Connect presentation, which delivered on its promise of “brand-new trailers” and behind-the-scenes chats with partner developers. That followed the Inside Xbox presentation that delivered a variety of news for Xbox One and PC gaming fans.
Then, the event more formally began with Gamescom: Opening Night Live. This presentation was hosted by Geoff Keighley and, as promised, brought numerous new game announcements and reveals. The last portion of the broadcast was dedicated to showcasing Death Stranding, including a look at gameplay and the character Mama. Hideo Kojima appeared on stage to further hint at just what the game is, although–as you’d expect–it largely remains a mystery.
This year is Gamescom’s 10th anniversary. Over 370,000 people from around the globe attend each year, making it the world’s biggest gaming convention. Let us know what you’re looking forward to seeing at Gamescom in the comments and check the schedule below to plan your viewing accordingly.
Nintendo Gamescom Indies Showcase – August 19
Nintendo’s indie showcase opened the show and, as expected, featured some very exciting announcements. While the bulk of the stream was a roulette of indie games that are on the horizon, Nintendo also surprised us with a few game launches. Both Superhot and Hotline Miami are available on witch now. The biggest news, however, was that Ori and the Blind Forest–a game published for Xbox One and PC by Microsoft Studios–is coming to Switch. You can rewatch the stream and catch up on all the news using our Nintendo Gamescom Showcase recap.
Inside Xbox Press Conference – August 19
It was a fairly standard live Inside Xbox broadcast from Microsoft, though that doesn’t mean it was lacking for news. There were plenty of trailers and reveals, including that of Gears 5’s Horde mode, new colors of Xbox One controllers, new Xbox Game Pass games, and more. Notably, Bungie also appeared during the broadcast to talk about Destiny 2: Shadowkeep; until now, Destiny had an exclusivity arrangement with PlayStation that meant the game was typically only showcased during Sony events. You can catch up on all the new in our Inside Xbox Gamescom recap.
Stadia Connect Press Conference – August 19
The Gamescom Stadia Connect event was very much a straightforward presentation packed with game trailers. Many of these were for games that had not previously been confirmed for Stadia, including Cyberpunk 2077.
Gamescom Opening Night Live – August 19
Geoff Keighley’s Opening Night Live event marked the final big pre-Gamescom event of Monday. There were numerous premieres of new games and content, and a variety of news, like a release date for The Witcher 3 on Switch. The end of the presentation was headlined by an appearance from Hideo Kojima, who showed up to talk about Death Stranding and show off new gameplay.
