
The Biggest Announcements at Gamescom Opening Night Live 2025
Newsweek AI is in beta. Translations may contain inaccuracies—please refer to the original content.
Entertainment gossip and news from Newsweek's network of contributors
Gamescom Opening Night Live has just wrapped up, with over two hours of announcements for games big and small having been shown off by host Geoff Keighley, best known for The Game Awards and Summer Game Fest.
The show brought with it dozens of announcements and trailers for upcoming games and game-adjacent projects, like film and TV adaptations, and despite its lengthy runtime, was a pretty decent watch overall.
Chinese deity Zhong Kui riding atop a tiger, foggy mountains in the background, in a teaser trailer for Black Myth: Zhong Kui.
Chinese deity Zhong Kui riding atop a tiger, foggy mountains in the background, in a teaser trailer for Black Myth: Zhong Kui.
Game Science
If you don't have two and a half hours to kill, though, don't worry — we've put together this list of the biggest announcements at Gamescom Opening Night Live 2025, including trailers for each and every one of them.
Bubsy 4D Announcement
Bubsy is back in an all-new 3D platformer called Bubsy 4D. The Bubsy IP has had a bit of a rough run since its inception, but Bubsy 4D is looking very good, so perhaps this is the turning point for the series. Bubsy 4D is coming to pretty much every gaming platform at some point in the future.
Call of Duty: Black Ops 7 Gameplay Trailer
After being revealed earlier this year, Call of Duty: Black Ops 7 finally got a gameplay trailer — if you can call it that. It did, at least, reveal that there are all sorts of fun gadgets and abilities to play around with, like wingsuits and wall-running set to make an appearance, and the entire campaign will be playable in co-op.
Sekiro: No Defeat Anime Announcement
Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice is one of From Software's more unique titles, having much more of a focus on active storytelling than other games from the studio like Dark Souls and Elden Ring. That storytelling focus has led to an exciting new project, an anime called Sekiro: No Defeat. It's got a beautiful, hand-drawn art style, and it's coming to Crunchyroll in 2026.
Indiana Jones and the Great Circle Switch 2 Announcement
Opening Night Live brought a new trailer for Indiana Jones the Great Circle's upcoming DLC, The Order of Giants, but perhaps more exciting was the announcement that it's coming to the Nintendo Switch 2. We didn't get to see footage of the game running on Nintendo's new hybrid console, but it's set to be released in 2026.
Lego Batman: Legacy of the Dark Knight Announcement
A brand-new Lego Batman game is finally on the way, subtitled Legacy of the Dark Knight. It looks to have a lot of references to iconic Batman movies throughout history, an intriguing new combat system, and some great voice talent behind it. Lego Batman: Legacy of the Dark Knight is coming to Xbox Series X|S, PS5, PC, and Nintendo Switch 2 in 2026.
Fallout Season 2 Trailer
We got our first look at Amazon's Fallout season 2, with a new trailer giving us a glimpse at the sights and sounds of New Vegas. Fallout season 2 premieres on Amazon Prime video on December 17.
Silent Hill f Trailer
Silent Hill f got a brand-new trailer, showing off the English voice acting for the game's main character and a good look at its town, creatures, and story. It looks and sounds suitably terrifying, and should bring plenty of scares when it launches on September 25.
Resident Evil: Requiem Trailer
Gamescom Opening Night Live's penultimate focus was a new trailer for Resident Evil: Requiem, the next game in the famous survival horror series. The trailer gave us a better look at the game's protagonist, Grace Ashcroft, and her beginnings as she gets swept up in the whole zombie mess that the series is known for.
Black Myth: Zhong Kui
And finally, the show ended with the announcement of a new game from Game Science, the developer behind Black Myth: Wukong. A sequel is officially in development, focused on the Chinese myth of Zhong Kui, a deity who walks the line between the world of the living and the world of the dead and vanquishes demons and spirits. No release date was announced.
Hashtags

Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Yahoo
30 minutes ago
- Yahoo
'Call of Duty', 'Black Myth' wow Gamescom trade show
A twisted futuristic version of "Call of Duty", Batman in Lego form and the "Resident Evil" series' ghoulish monsters had gamers salivating Tuesday as the vast Gamescom trade show opened in Cologne. A two-hour showcase of upcoming releases, including "Call of Duty: Black Ops 7" slated for November 14, belied an industry that has been weathering a rough patch with tens of thousands of job cuts. The first-person shooter has enlisted American actor Milo Ventimiglia (known for TV series "Heroes" and "This Is Us") as its protagonist in a near-future conflict against psychedelic backdrops evoking the movie "Inception". More than 5,300 packed one of the giant halls of western German city Cologne's convention centre Tuesday, a record opening night according to organisers. The event showed off footage from titles like "Requiem" -- the next instalment in the long-running "Resident Evil" horror series -- and rambunctious space adventure "The Outer Worlds 2". Set for a 2026 release, a new "Lego Batman" will take fans back to "iconic moments and deep-cut references from decades of Batman TV shows, comics and games" in humourous plastic brick form, director Jonathan Smith told the audience. And there was a surprise reveal for "Black Myth: Zhong Kui" -- a follow up to Chinese 2024 smash hit "Wukong". Gaming's influence on the broader culture was also on show, as the stars of hit game-to-TV adaptation "Fallout" introduced the Amazon Prime series' second season with a December 17 release. - Hands-on testing - While last year's Gamescom drew 335,000 visitors, organisers hope 2025 can recover to pre-Covid levels of around 370,000 between Wednesday and Sunday. The show brings together industry professionals and lovers of the medium, with around 1,500 exhibitors laying on large stands -- many offering the opportunity to try out the latest, or even unreleased, titles. Nintendo is back after staying away last year, surfing on the success of its record-breaking Switch 2 console launch in June. And Microsoft's Xbox division will be showing off its own portable console, slated for release towards the end of the year. But Japanese PlayStation maker Sony has elected to stay away in 2025. Fans' interest on opening night was especially piqued by horror titles, as "Resident Evil" battles for the horror crown with a new episode for the "Silent Hill" saga. Organisers also spotlighted "Hollow Knight: Silksong" -- the sequel to a beloved indie platformer finally on the doorstep after an eight-year wait. With budgets far lower than multiple-hundred-million behemoths like "Call of Duty", such games "prove something important: small teams with big ideas can change the industry," the event's master of ceremonies, Canadian TV presenter Geoff Keighley, said Tuesday. The impact indie games can have on fans was clear from the small clusters and individuals wearing the red beret and striped shirt sported by characters in French indie hit "Clair Obscur: Expedition 33". "It's a little bit of a community, so when you see each other... you say hi, and everyone is smiling," Cologne-based fan Vera Sperber, 36, told AFP. The hall's bright lights, lasers and crowd noise were on hold for a moment as Lorien Testard, who crafted the entrancing music for "Expedition 33", gave a live performance with singer Alice Duport-Percier. - 'Not pretty' - Exhibitors may be less ecstatic than fans at this year's show as the industry endures an extended rough patch. "The sector hasn't had an easy time of it in the last two years, there was a lot of consolidation, job cuts, some studios closed, some projects were ended prematurely," Felix Falk, managing director of Germany's GAME industry association that co-organises Gamescom, told AFP. "That's not unusual for the highly dynamic games industry but it's nevertheless not pretty when it happens," he added. Tracking website Game Industry Layoffs has tallied almost 30,000 job cuts since early 2023, with more than 4,000 this year alone. But revenue in the global games market should hold steady at just under $190 billion this year, data firm Newzoo has forecast. kf-tgb/rmb

San Francisco Chronicle
42 minutes ago
- San Francisco Chronicle
‘Ne Zha 2' review: The record-breaking Chinese animated epic is a must-see in IMAX
A scene in "Ne Zah 2." A24 'Ne Zha 2' is a wild, subversive adventure and a work of astounding visual imagination. The Chinese epic has already raked in $2.2 billion worldwide, making it the highest-grossing non-English film and one of the top five films of all time — and now it's coming to the U.S. in IMAX. Fans of the first film, 'Ne Zha' (2019), might have been concerned a sequel couldn't match the seemingly endless inspiration in that blockbuster. But this follow up raises the bar. It's funnier, features amazing character designs and environments, and even has a greater emotional punch. The two movies, and 2020's 'Jiang Ziya,' are part of a growing cinematic universe based on the oft-adapted 16th century novel 'The Investiture of the Gods.' Ne Zha, a beloved figure in Chinese mythology is portrayed as a hilarious loose cannon here, but his journey toward self-realization is well-earned. Advertisement Article continues below this ad A scene from the Chinese animated film 'Ne Zha 2.' A24 The 2019 film is streamable, and the recommendation is to see it first — not only because it will explain a lot, but because it's really good, even if its grandeur is reduced on a small screen. More Information 'Ne Zha 2': Animated fantasy. Starring Michelle Yeoh, Crystal Lee, Rick Zieff. Written and directed by Jiao Zi. (Not rated. 144 minutes.) Dubbed into English from the original Mandarin. In theatres Friday, Aug. 22. In that film, we learn Ne Zha was supposed to be born to a noble human couple as the reincarnation of the divine Spirit Pearl. Through jealous machinations, however, he was born as the embodiment of the Demon Orb. That makes the boy a super-powered hellion, feared and despised by all but his human parents and mentor, Master Taiyi, despite his aspirations to heroism. Ne Zha eventually meets the actual reincarnation of the Spirit Pearl, Ao Bing, the magnificent son of the Dragon King. Though diametrically opposed, the boys join forces to prevent Ne Zha's prophesied death by heavenly lightning. Their efforts result in the destruction of both the Demon Orb and Spirit Pearl, though Master Taiyi preserves their spirit forms. Advertisement Article continues below this ad Master Taiyi (voiced by Rick Zieff), left, and Flying Pig in a scene in "Ne Zha 2." A24 'Ne Zha 2' begins with goofy attempts to craft physical forms for those spirits. Both Ne Zha (voiced by Crystal Lee) and Ao Bing (Aleks Le) become housed in Ne Zha's temporary physical body, setting up funny personality-switching gags. For instance, Ne Zha must sedate himself to conceal his demonic nature while Ao Bing's spirit uses his body to execute heavenly trials to win a permanent body of his own. Meanwhile, tension between the humans of Ne Zha's village and the dragons and sea creatures under the Dragon King's command threatens to erupt into all-out war. And that's just the setup. The visuals are never less than inspired. A boulder-like projectile breaks apart into armored crabs with bladed claws. Mystical fish transform into constellations that assemble into a magical crystal decanter. The multiple manifestations of a mountain demon, the incredibly detailed permutations of a tree dragon, a super-cute leopard boy and magic combat mixed with meticulously specific kung fu action — it all needs to be seen to be believed. The film's epic scale deserves big-screen treatment, making 'Ne Zha 2' ideal for IMAX. Advertisement Article continues below this ad The two Sheildos, voiced by Eric Bauza, in "Ne Zha 2." A24 Apart from Ne Zha's impudent antics, the clumsy fussiness of Master Taiyi (Rick Zieff) and a number of characters voiced by Eric Bauza (including two tiny-but-eager guardians), plus a riff on the 'Mirror, Mirror' scenario and deft physical comedy (especially in a hilarious mid-credits scene) provide ample humor. Then there's the great Michelle Yeoh, whose voice work as Ne Zha's mother, Lady Yin, is limited but effective in infusing some of the most touching moments in the film. Lady Yin, left, and Ne Zha in a scene from 'Ne Zha 2.' A24 'Ne Zha 2' surprisingly contains a sincere-feeling theme of individuality, of resisting what society commands a person to be rather than embracing their nature. The film is anti-establishment and anti-authoritarian, calling out leaders' hypocrisy — qualities you might not expect to appear in Chinese animated megahits. Advertisement Article continues below this ad Both films are written and directed by Jiao Zi (real name Yang Yu), who is reportedly developing a third installment. That is great news for fans of animation, and fans of inspired, imaginative, well-made movies.

Newsweek
2 hours ago
- Newsweek
Mercedes' Toto Wolff Left Embarrassed by His Cameo Scene in F1 Movie
Based on facts, either observed and verified firsthand by the reporter, or reported and verified from knowledgeable sources. Newsweek AI is in beta. Translations may contain inaccuracies—please refer to the original content. Mercedes AMG Formula One team principal Toto Wolff has opened up on his cameo scene in the F1 movie, revealing that it makes him "cringe" every time he watches it. The F1 movie made big headlines in the world of entertainment and premier-class racing, with the box office collection nearing $600 million. The movie became popular for its F1 realism, given that its co-producer, Lewis Hamilton, was in charge of ensuring the movie portrayed the sport in the most realistic way. Filming took place on actual Grand Prix weekends to ensure everything looked genuine, including the other drivers and teams. Brad Pitt, playing the role of veteran driver Sonny Hayes, is called into the APXGP F1 team to transform it into a winning outfit and help rookie driver Joshua Pearce, played by Damson Idris. Wolff's cameo role arrived after Pearce crashed out in the final stages of the season finale in Abu Dhabi, which then helped his teammate Hayes win the race. The Mercedes team boss offered Pearce a seat in his team for the following season, which Pearce refused. While the scene looked legitimate, Wolff was unhappy with the details. Speaking about his brief appearance in the Wall Street Journal, as quoted by Planet F1, he said: Toto Wolff Team Principal of Mercedes AMG Petronas F1 Team looks on during the Qualifying Session ahead F1 Grand Prix of Monaco at Circuit de Monaco on May 24, 2025 in Monte-Carlo, Monaco. Toto Wolff Team Principal of Mercedes AMG Petronas F1 Team looks on during the Qualifying Session ahead F1 Grand Prix of Monaco at Circuit de Monaco on May 24, 2025 in Monte-Carlo, Monaco. Emmanuele Ciancaglini/"At the end I have this little cameo. "They say it's great, but I think they're lying to me. It makes me cringe. It was in Abu Dhabi after the race. There was no hair and makeup. "They were like, 'Let's do this now.' "They were a bit annoyed with me because I think I did the scene five times. I wanted it to be good — not that the outcome actually was good." While the perfectionist in Wolff pushed the crew for several retakes, one of F1's co-producers, Jerry Bruckheimer, opened up about how specific Hamilton was during the filming of the movie to ensure all details synced with real-world Grand Prix racing. Newsweek Sports reported his comments: "Lewis Hamilton saw a part of it and gave us a critique of how the drivers actually do various things. The level of specifics that he gave us, like in Silverstone in Turn 3 you're in second gear, and he could hear with his ear we [Pitt] were in third gear. "So it's that kind of thing that he's bringing to the movie. And he said... when he finishes a race, especially like Singapore, where it's very hot, he can barely get out of the car, they lose 10 pounds... and it's not only him, it's all of them. They're just completely exhausted [and] we're going to show what it takes to be an F1 driver."



