It’s that time of year again, the time when it seems every gamer in the Western hemisphere descends upon the unsuspecting city of Cologne, ready to walk miles of corridor searching for anything gaming. That isn’t happening in-person this year but that doesn’t mean Gamescom 2021 hasn’t gone ahead. This year the virtual conference has seen a bumper crop of gaming announcements and news coming from the show. There’s a lot to cover, so let’s dive into all the biggest news and announcements from Gamescom 2021.
Saints Row
That’s right, Saints Row is back. After a few years away we’re getting a reboot of the series, taking away some of the more genre-busting aspects of the latter games and returning to its roots as a series about gang warfare. That said, the new Saints Row trailer still shows off much of the trademark series’ silliness. Volition will be releasing Saints Row on February 25, 2022.
LEGO Star Wars: The Skywalker Saga
Experience the full Skywalker Saga in the next LEGO Star Wars game. Featuring elements and stages from all nine Star Wars films, this looks to be a fitting end-cap on a series that goes back to 2005. There’s no firm release date just yet with Spring 2022 being the current window after many delays.
Death Stranding Director’s Cut
Want more Death Stranding in your Death Stranding? The Death Stranding Director’s Cut will add new equipment, modes of transport, performance fixes, and much more, meaning this will be the definitive version of the post-apocalyptic delivery game. You can expect to start your ascent up the game’s many mountains on September the 24th, 2021 on PlayStation 5.
Call of Duty: Vanguard
The eighteenth Call of Duty game (!) sees players experience a brand new storyline across World War II. In the above video, we got to see a playthrough of the Stalingrad level, featuring Russian sniper Lt. Polina Petrova of the Red Army 138th Rifle Division. With next-generation graphics on show, this’ll be definitely one to watch out for when it releases on November the 5th, 2021.
DokeV
Monsters? Robots? Combat? Dancing? Music? Skating? DokeV has it all, the next game from Black Desert Online developers Pearl Abyss is a striking departure from their previous MMO, focusing much more on open-world action and adventure in a stunningly colourful world. No release date to share just yet, but we’ll be definitely keeping our eyes on this one.
You can also get more information about DokeV in the gameplay overview trailer, which shows off much more about what you’ll exactly be doing when you dive into its world.
Halo Infinite
It’s amazing how just a few notes can bring back such emotion. Halo Infinite’s cinematic trailer for the multiplayer mode looks brilliant, and lets us know that we’ll be able to finally get our hands on it on the 8th of December, 2021. In addition, 343 Industries and Microsoft announced a limited edition Xbox Series X and Elite Wireless Series 2 controller, which both sold out with stunning speed.
Marvel’s Midnight Suns
Firaxis Games surprised the world with the revamped XCOM series, taking a fan-favourite and injecting it with love, care, and attention. Now they’re doing the same for Marvel, with Marvel’s Midnight Suns, a game we don’t have a huge amount of information about just yet but we know we’ll be seeing some familiar faces like Iron Man, Doctor Strange, Captain Marvel, Ghost Rider, Wolverine, and more. You’ll be able to make your own superhero when you start your adventure in March 2022.
Wasteland 3: Cult Of The Holy Detonation
Wasteland 2 was a stunning return for this ancient RPG series but Wasteland 3 has managed to take everything to a whole new level. A new piece of DLC, titled Cult of the Holy Detonation, focuses on a cult who worships the bombs which destroyed civilisation and much of the world. Join the ranks of the faithful on the 5th of October, 2021.
UFL
There’s always room for another football game. UFL was announced at Gamescom 2021 and whilst there’s scant information about it just yet, we know that developers reckon it’ll be free to play – as well as fair to play.
Dying Light 2
Dying Light 2 feels like it’s been coming for a long time but we’re nearing the final release date now. This open world zombie parkour-em-up features expanded mechanics from the original game as well as a larger universe to play in, with multiple factions allowing you to change the world as you play. This latest trailer shows off exactly what makes this such an exciting game, and you’ll be able to start playing Dying Light 2 on December the 7th, 2021.
Age of Empires 4
Forget games, if you were anywhere near social media on the night of the Xbox Gamescom 2021 stream you’ll have seen the yells of TREBUCHET. This Age of Empires 4 snippet focused less on the game and more on medieval re-enactment, with a full trebuchet built and tested to show how it works in real life. The game will feature a Hands-On History mode which’ll show players a series of short documentaries about the units they’re using in Age of Empires 4 and their real-life counterparts, making it a learning opportunity as well as a chance to seize victory.
Forza Horizon 5
Forza Horizon games are often about the tracks and the beautiful locations you visit in the series, but this 9 minute showcase shows off the other side of the game: the cars. Of course it’s not just a chance to stare at some wheels, the stunning Mexican scenery is shown off throughout, giving us all a chance to see where we’ll be burning rubber come November the 5th, 2021.
Century: Age Of Ashes
There’s nothing wrong with wanting to fly a dragon and Century: Age of Ashes realises that. This PvP game will release on November the 18th, 2021, and this trailer gave us a little look at how that dragon action will go down.
Synced: Off-Planet
If there’s one thing worse than a robot uprising it’s a nano-robot uprising. Synced: Off-Planet received a story trailer during Gamescom 2021 and we got to see more about why you’re fighting for survival with, and against, other players in this PvPvE game.
State Of Decay 2: Homecoming
State of Decay 2’s getting a brand new update on the 1st of September. Titled Homecoming, this DLC will add the entire first game’s map to the sequel, giving you a tonne of familiar places to explore and survive in. This DLC will be free for anyone who already owns State of Decay 2, so there’s no excuse not to head back to the apocalypse.
The Gunk
Take to space and suck up the globular Gunk in The Gunk, a new game coming from Steamworld Dig and Steamworld Heist creator Image & Form Games (now part of Thunderful Development). This third person action platformer looks utterly intriguing, with the focus on cleaning up a problem rather than necessarily just chucking bombs at it. You’ll be able to get your hands on The Gunk in December 2021.
Splitgate
Splitgate has kicked off a new season for the competitive portally shooter with Season 0. Featuring a new take on Outpost titled Karman Station, a Battle Pass, new weapons, a new team mode called Contamination, and much more – it’s already started and you can check out all the details on their blog.
Into The Pit
This retro-FPS sees your hands become weapons as you plough through monsters without pity, mercy, or care. This roguelike sees you dive into a mysterious pit in the centre of a village, gaining magical powers and upgrades as you descend into its monster-filled depths. You’ll be able to get your hands (sorry) on Into the PIt on the 19th of October, 2021.
Valheim – Hearth & Home
New treasures and a brand new food system are incoming for the Hearth & Home update for Valheim which will release on the 16th of September. We don’t know what else will be in store, but with a name like that we’re hoping that we’ll be able to make our Viking homes a little more homely.
Microsoft Flight Simulator
Microsoft may have included an entire world in the latest Microsoft Flight Simulator but it doesn’t appear they’re content with stopping there. New expansions are incoming for MCS, with an announcement that they’ve partnered with the Reno Air Racing Association to include STIHL National Championship Air Races as a competitive multiplayer mode. In addition, later this year we’ll see the Top Gun DLC released as well as World Update 6, which will improve several locations around the world such as Switzerland, Germany, and Austria.
Life is Strange: True Colors
We’re heading back to Life is Strange for another chapter of the weird, wonderful, and soul-wrenching series in Life is Strange: True Colors. This features new character Alex Chan who can use her powers to analyse a person’s emotions, getting an insight into their thoughts and their feelings. You’ll be able to dive into emotions alongside her when it releases on September the 10th, 2021.
Stray Blade
Combining Dark Souls-esque combat with a more colourful and cartoony style, Stray Blade looks to be a lighter but no more in-depth take on the Soulsborne formula. Also you get a sidekick, so at least you don’t have to go alone.
TMNT: Shredder’s Revenge
Our favourite turtles aren’t going to be fighting alone, they’re bringing along a few friends. Announced at Gamescom 2021 is April O’Neil who’ll team up with you to kick Shredders’ butt in glorious marigold style.
Midnight Fight Express
Sometimes you just want to punch something; Midnight Fight Express looks to satisfy that urge for overwhelming violence. Developed by a solo developer from Poland, this isometric brawler sees you take on a huge variety of foes in brutal hand-to-hand combat.
Moonglow Bay
Moonglow Bay, the utterly delightful game about mastering fishing in a voxel-based world, has received a release date. You’ll be able to fish alone or with friends in its charming seas on October the 7th, 2021.
Jett: The Far Shore
The team behind Superbrothers: Sword and Sworcery are launching into space with Jett: The Far Shore. This trailer gave us a look at the game’s story as well as the spaceship, or jett, based gameplay. It’s safe to say that whatever happens, there’ll be some surprises in this one when it releases on the 5th of October, 2021.
Far Cry 6
Far Cry 6 will release on the 7th of October but at Gamescom we saw a little more of the story behind the game. The main draw, of course, is getting to see Breaking Bad alumn Giancarlo Esposito as the game’s main villain.
Trading Time
Sometimes you wake up in bed, sometimes your boat gets caught in a storm and you wake on a mysterious island surrounded by frog people, that’s just how it is. Trading Time sees your character do exactly that in this exploration based frog-filled adventure game. No release date just yet, but we’ll let you know as soon as we hear more.
Madison
Fatal Frame and Outlast collide in Madison, a first-person horror game where your primary weapon against the onslaught of horror is your instant camera. You’re trying to get evidence that demons are real, so you’ll have to brave the terror and snap away if you want to get that essential proof. Madison will release on PC later this year and on consoles in 2022 and it’s definitely looking like a horror game to remember.
The Outlast Trials
Speaking of Outlast, here’s The Outlast Trials. This gameplay trailer showed off exactly how the game will play out and what horrors you and your team will be facing as you try to survive these horrific tests. Outlast Trials will begin testing sometime in 2022.
Park Beyond
From the developers behind the Tropico series comes a park management game that’ll let you build the theme park of your dreams. We don’t have many details about this one just yet, the trailer mainly showed off the game’s backstory, but we’ll be keeping an eye on it for its 2022 release.
Vampire: The Masquerade – Bloodhunt
We received a new trailer for Vampire: The Masquerade – Bloodhunt which showed off the different clans you’ll be able to fight for or against in the game, as well as an Early Access release date. Become one with the night on the 7th of September, 2021.
Jurassic World Evolution 2
The sequel to the ‘Theme Park but the visitors keep getting digested’ game received a release date, you’ll be able to manage your own park and hopefully keep your dinosaurs (also flying ones this time) in line on November the 9th, 2021.
Cult Of The Lamb
Coming early 2022, Cult of the Lamb sees you take on the mantle of a lamb, possessed by something terrifying, who’s out to repay an ominous stranger who saved you. Using your powers you’ll build your own cult to gather resources, appease the gods, build structures, and delve into dungeons in order to uncover secrets and finally become free of the debt you owe.
Nine Years of Shadows
Finally, we come to Nine Years of Shadows. This metroidvania platformer looks set to fill the void in the heart of anyone wanting more games like Hollow Knight, Bloodstained: Ritual of the Night, or Ori & the Will of the Wisps. With a truly stunning art style and powerful-looking combat, Nine Years of Shadows might be one to watch out for.
