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We've arrived!
Our team has arrived at Gamescom 2025!
Here's the current situation outside the convention center. It's not super busy, but we already know from Keighley's posts that lots of people are waiting indoors for Opening Night Live 2025 to begin.
Look at that lovely clear sky though. I'm a little jealous…
The first Call of Duty: Black Ops 7 images are here!
The Xbox store page for Black Ops 7 has been updated ahead of the show, giving us our first look at some in-game screenshots!
We see plenty of robots, as you might expect given the futuristic setting, and what are likely some launch multiplayer maps. There are also some soldiers wearing very Black Ops 2 inspired body armor, plus a glimpse of the Zombies crew.
You can see them all for yourself here.
Our on-site team are starting to head to the venue
I've just received an update from our crew on the ground, who are now busy making their way over to the Opening Night Live venue.
I'll be able to give you some updates on what the atmosphere is like over there once they arrive!
Just one hour to go…
Here's an important time reminder for you!
The Gamescom Opening Night Live 2025 show is now exactly one hour away with the pre-show set to begin in just 30 minutes.
Grab some snacks and get comfy, because it will be here before you know it…
Playable Silksong has been sighted!
Full #SilkSong Nintendo Booth @ Gamescom pic.twitter.com/xMdlIQpfwpAugust 19, 2025
Here's some big news for anyone waiting for Hollow Knight: Silksong out there.
The game will apparently be available to play at a large Gamescom booth in a demo that seems to be running on Nintnedo Switch 2 systems.
The information comes from a streamer, who has posted some interesting videos that they claim were taken from inside the halls at Gamescom.
The demo stations currently appear to be password protected though, so I don't think we're going to see any real gameplay until the event is fully open.
We'll be getting new info on the Fallout TV show
We already know that we will be seeing more of the Fallout TV show tonight in a first look at its second season.
I was a big fan of the original season, which is an Amazon Prime Video exclusive. The storytelling isn't the best around, but it's still an impressively faithful adaptation of the games' world. It's got plenty of action and a surprising amount of gore, but also the franchise's trademark comedic elements to balance it all out.
I'm hoping that we will see some other Fallout reveals tonight on top of the show, ideally a remaster or remake of one of the older games. With the second season on the way, it would be the perfect time to revisit Fallout 3 or Fallout: New Vegas.
Remember those early appointments that I mentioned? My colleague Rob has just been to see ASUS and spotted some absolutely adorable PC hardware.
It comes as part of the Asus x Hatsune Miku collection, with special TUF gaming gear based on the design of the iconic virtual singer. All of it looks incredible, and I'd love to have it as part of my PC setup.
I most like the look of the special edition TUF Gaming H1 Gen 2 headset, not to mention the TUF Gaming Mini Wireless Mouse and TUF Gaming K3 Gen 2 keyboard. Of course, the matching TUF Gaming P1 mouse pad is an essential too.
Could this be the cutest gaming hardware that we will see over Gamescom? It's a definite possibility.
Don't forget about the pre-show!
The main Gamescom Opening Night Live stream might be the biggest attraction, but that doesn't mean that you should forget about the pre-show.
Set to start 30 minutes before the main event, Keighley has already confirmed that it will “have multiple new game announcements”.
They're generally smaller titles than the ones that that are featured in the main event, but if you have an interest in indies you might see something that you really like the look of.
You'll be able to watch it via the regular Opening Night Live stream too, so it's the perfect thing to have on in the background before the event begins in full.
Queues are starting to form
Geoff Keighley has posted an update from the Opening Night Live 2025 venue, showing plenty of eager gamers waiting to get in to the show.
Fans have been lining up all day to get into @gamescom ONL tonight — see you all soon!! pic.twitter.com/RCrwRXajDDAugust 19, 2025
Tickets are currently sold-out, so I'm expecting the hall to be absolutely packed tonight.
Just under three hours to go…
We're now just under three hours away from the start of the Gamescom Opening Night Live 2025 show!
That's plenty of time to get anything done that you might want out of the way before the action begins. You're going to want to make sure that you have a clear schedule, as this year's show is shaping up to be massive.
Not feeling the hype? Check out this sizzle reel
You can catch a Gamescom Opening Night Live sizzle reel over on the official Game Awards YouTube channel, potentially giving us some insight into what's in store.
It features loads of titles, with some of the most significant being Call of Duty: Black Ops 7, Ghost of Yotei, and Resident Evil Requiem. I also spotted some Silent Hill f in there, not to mention a clip from the Fallout TV show.
We've finally got some Hollow Knight: Silksong news!
This is not a drill – we finally have some official news about Hollow Knight: Silksong!
Developer Team Cherry will be hosting a ‘Hollow Knight: Silksong – Special Announcement' in just under 48 hours time.
What will this ‘special announcement' be? It's too early to say, but I think that it's almost certainly going to be a release date of some kind.
Bloomberg reporter Jason Schreier is claiming that there won't be a Silksong release date tonight, but I wouldn't be surprised if we still see a trailer.
We're going to learn all things Black Ops 7
Call of Duty: Black Ops 7 will be getting an expansive trailer as part of Gamescom Opening Night Live 2025. The follow-up to the successful Call of Duty: Black Ops 6, this next entry takes the series back to a futuristic setting for the first time in years.
It's set in 2035 and will feature a co-op campaign set right after the events of Call of Duty: Black Ops 2. As usual, you can expect expect a wealth of multiplayer modes and a separate zombies mode too.
The game was first revealed back in the June Xbox Games Showcase, with a trippy cinematic trailer that showed off its dark tone and plenty of futuristic technology.
We also know that Black Ops 2 protagonist David Mason will be returning. Leaks also indicate that fan-favorite villain Raul Menendez will play an import role in the plot, which is set to take place across both Japan and Avalon – a fictional European city featured in Black Ops 6.
The game is set to release on November 14, 2025, so it's about time we learned more about it.
This is a bit of a weird one, but I have received confirmation that there will be at least one automobile present in the halls at Gamescom 2025.
It's a special version of the Aston Martin Vantage coupe, with custom artwork based on the Victoria Housekeeping Co. faction from Zenless Zone Zero.
It will be showed off at the game's booth in Hall 6, booth C-031, where visitors will be able to bask in all of its glory. Those going to the booth will also be able to complete check-in missions, and win prizes including a special 1:18 scale model of the Aston Martin car.
You can find full details on the competition via the X / Twitter post below.
Aston Martin × Zenless Zone Zero Collab: Gamescom Event AnnouncementDear Proxies, complete missions at the event site to receive exclusive collab merch! You'll also have a chance to win a limited edition 1:18 scale model car of the 2024 Aston Martin Vantage!#zzzero… pic.twitter.com/6JsKf8qBh7August 18, 2025
Last year Hoyoverse had a huge booth in the public area, and I expect Gamescom 2025 to be no different.
The brand's presence at the trade show also suggests that there will be some interesting announcements during the Opening Night Live show, potentially new seasonal content for games Zenless Zone Zero or Genshin Impact.
Our agents on the ground have arrived
I might be stuck behind a computer screen this year, but that doesn't mean that we don't have some agents on the ground right now.
My colleagues Rhys and Rob reached Cologne, Germany, this morning and are currently scouting things out and attending a few early appointments ahead of Opening Night Live.
They tell me it's quite quiet over there at the moment, as I'm sure you can imagine, but I'm expecting all of that to change as the show nears.
Expect a Lords of the Fallen 2 reveal
It looks like Lords of the Fallen 2 will be revealed later tonight, following a fairly transparent teaser posted by the official Lords of the Fallen X / Twitter account.
The image, which shows part of a character in gothic armor, features the word “tonight” with the letter “i” replaced by the Roman numeral for two.
I was a fan of the latest Lords of the Fallen game, which released back in 2023. In fact, I did a expansive cover feature with a multiple-page preview of the title back when I worked on the UK's PlayStation Magazine, so it's a series that's pretty close to my heart
Despite the name, Lords of the Fallen 2 would actually be the third Lords of the Fallen game. That's because of 2014's Lords of the Fallen, which is not to be confused with its 2023 successor.
Have any burning Opening Night Live thoughts or predictions?
You can send them my way by posting to X / Twitter and tagging us @techradar! Alternatively, you can email me directly using the handy email button at the top of my author page.
Whether you have created your own bingo card, have a list of wild hopes and dreams, or just want to offer some comments on the whole Opening Night Show, I'll be sharing the very best contributions here on this page throughout the evening.
Just remember to keep it PG, or I'll get in big trouble with my boss and we don't want that, do we?
We're in for a live music performance
Geoff Keighley has confirmed that we will be in some music tonight.
It will be the first ever live performance of music from the popular RPG Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 from composers Alice Duport-Percier and Lorien Testard.
Exactly which songs will be performed is currently up in the air, but lovers of the game definitely won't want to miss this…
Is Hollow Knight: Silksong news on the cards?
Hollow Knight: Silksong is easily one of the most anticipated games right now. A sequel to the 2017 indie hit, fans have been waiting for more news about this upcoming instalment for more than six years.
Could we hear more about it tonight? It's definitely likely, as presenter Geoff Keighley has been teasing something Silksong related.
Yesterday, he posted a photo of himself wearing a clown nose to his X / Twitter account, captioned “First time? See you tomorrow for Gamescom ONL.” It might not seem like much, but it's a reference popular meme featuring the protagonist of Hollow Knight wearing a similar clown costume.
First time? 🤡 See you tomorrow for @gamescom ONL. pic.twitter.com/59ef5sFysJAugust 18, 2025
He actually posted the original meme last year, alongside clarification that there would be “no Silksong“, so this seems like an intentional call-back.
Hopefully we're in for some kind of exciting update regarding the game tonight.
ICYMI: the latest Nintendo Direct is underway
It's not technically part of Gamescom, but the timing of this latest Nintendo Direct is definitely deliberate and likely an attempt by Nintendo to squeeze in their own short presentation before attention shifts to the big Opening Night Live show.
The Direct is focused on the upcoming racing game Kirby Air Riders, and is our first real look at the title since its announcement back the Nintendo Switch 2 Direct earlier this year.
The broadcast is currently live right now, so you can tune in if you're interested in learning all about it.
Good afternoon gamers!
This is the very start of my Gamescom Opening Night Live 2025 coverage. If you're just tuning in, then don't worry – you haven't missed anything yet!
With the show set to take this evening, I'll be walking you through the build up, sharing the latest news as it happens, and a few of my own personal predictions then bringing you a steady stream of announcements once the broadcast begins.
