The latest Gamescom event Opening Night Live was one of the most anticipated gaming events of the summer. Many have compared the event to the importance of other hallmark video gaming events like E3, perhaps becoming even more relevant than the Electronic Entertainment Expo in recent years. Fans each had their own big expectations for the Geoff Keighley-led event, with many highly-anticipated announcements rumored to be on the docket.
Prior to the event, Keighley had teased that over 30 games would make an appearance at Gamescom Opening Night Live. Some video games were guaranteed to appear at the Germany-based event, like Telltale’s The Expanse and upcoming horror game The Callisto Protocol. Others, like Assassin’s Creed Infinity and Avatar Frontiers of Pandora were only prevalent rumors that didn’t come to fruition.
Gamescom Opening Night Live 2022 proved to be an epic night for video game reveals. Many previously unknown titles were announced, alongside a slew of interesting new footage from upcoming games. The event was so jam-packed with announcements, it may have been hard for viewers to keep track of everything that was revealed – here are some big moments players may have missed.
Moving Out 2 Fixes Moving Out’s Biggest Problem
The beloved chore-centric Moving Out is receiving a sequel that will fix what a chief complaint for many players about the original game. While the delightful title is largely considered a co-op masterpiece, Moving Out only allows for couch co-op play, with no online options to speak of. For a game that so largely centers around teamwork, this was a major issue for many fans. The Gamescom trailer for Moving Out 2 revealed that the sequel will include both local and online multiplayer, a new feature which is bound to please players when the game releases sometime in 2023.
Players Can Sign Up For The Dune Awakening MMO Beta Now
Upcoming MMO Dune Awakening was revealed with a trailer showing off a terrifying sandworm. Following the recent film, Dune games like Dune Spice Wars have had a resurgence, and now the IP is getting a survival MMO spin. Awakening will pit players against one another on Arrakis as they work to survive and control the spice in a dangerous open-world environment. Although it’s not yet clear when the game’s beta will open, the Gamescom trailer revealed that fans can sign up now on the Dune Games website to take part in the online experience as soon as the beta launches.
Unknown Worlds’ New Game Will Let Players Paint Figurines
One of the largest announcements of Gamescom was the collaboration between Mistborn author Brandon Sanderson and Subnautica developer Unknown Worlds: an RTS game with a focus on figurines called Moonbreaker. The upcoming game, which releases in early access for PC on September 29, takes heavy influence from tabletop games, including the fact that many players enjoy painting their character figurines. Moonbreaker will feature an incredibly detailed figurine painter feature which will allow for things like different styles of painting and custom palette mixing.
Telltale Is Working On The Expanse, Not Tales From The Borderlands Sequel
When developer Telltale Games shut down in 2018, all hope of a Tales From the Borderlands sequel was squashed. Although Telltale Games was revived years later, fans may be surprised to learn that the upcoming More Tales From the Borderlands that was officially announced at Gamescom is no longer affiliated with the developer. However, Gamescom Opening Night Live also revealed exciting new information about the upcoming Telltale series The Expanse.
The narrative-driven Expanse is set in the universe of the Syfy television show, but before the events of the series. New footage featured protagonist Camina Drummer exploring eerie, destroyed ships scavenging for cargo, showing off the tone of the game. No release date is currently known for the game, but unlike previous Telltale titles, all episodes of the story will release simultaneously.
Many Big Games Like Lies Of P Will Come To Xbox Game Pass Day One
Gamescom revealed upcoming soulslike game Lies of P will be coming to Xbox Game Pass directly upon release, to the delight of many subscribers. The upcoming game is a dark tale starring Pinnochio and Gepetto that promises Bloodeborne-style gameplay. Other highly anticipated games set to come to the service include the Stardew Valley-esque Disney Dreamlight Valley, Forza Motorsport reboot, and High On Life, the upcoming game from Rick and Morty creator Justin Roiland, which brought new, surprisingly lackluster gameplay to the event.
New Sonic Frontiers Footage May Assuage Fans’ Fears
Until Gamescom Opening Night Live, many Sonic fans have had reservations about the upcoming title Sonic Frontiers. Early footage from the game had an environment that seemed barren to some, with bland combat that was lacking in the typical charm of Sonic games. The new trailer revealed more information about the game’s story, and showed new environments that look more like those that players know and love. New locales like decaying roads, forests, and levels that look reminiscent of classic, side-scrolling Sonic titles have given new hope to many expectant fans, although they’ll have to reserve their final opinions for when the game releases November 8.
Dead Island 2 Looks Like The Pulpy Sequel Fans Have Been Waiting For
Although Dead Island 2 leaked on Amazon earlier this month, until now very little was known about the title. A new over-the-top trailer premiered at Gamescom Opening Night Live, showcasing the game’s combat and tone. The trailer centered around character Jacob, which Lead Narrative Designer Khan stated is one of six playable characters in the game. The zombie apocalypse-centered title will have the focus on melee combat the series is known for, and is described as a “love letter to classic cult Hollywood B movies.” The game is set to release February 3, 2023, over a decade after the original Dead Island.
Overall, Gamescom Opening Night Live 2022 contained an overwhelming amount of good news for players. Unexpected news, like Moonbreaker and MMO Dune Awakening were incredibly exciting surprises, and the new information gleaned from content like the Sonic Frontiers and Dead Island 2 trailers makes for an incredibly promising year ahead for video game fans. Although there were undoubtedly some games that players are disappointed did not make an appearance at Gamescom, the showcase overall provided a host of different things for players to look forward to.
