Gamescom 2023 schedule, dates, location, attendees, and what to expect

Gamescom 2023 is almost here, and we’ve got all the details you need to know about the event.

Gamescom is the world’s largest video game event (in terms of attendee numbers) and takes place annually in Cologne, Germany. This huge event sees players and media alike getting their hands on some of the biggest upcoming games. Arguably the most exciting part of the event, however, is the Opening Night Live kickoff showcase. Hosted by The Game Awards’ Geoff Keighley, ONL is usually packed with world premiere trailers, announcements, and reveals for huge games. 

Want to know more? Read on for everything we know so far about Gamescom 2023, including when and where it takes place, who is confirmed to attend, and what we expect to see.

When and where is Gamescom 2023?

Gamescom 2023 is taking place from Aug. 23 to 27 in the Koelnmesse Congress Center in Cologne, but there are some Gamescom events taking place in the days leading up to the event. 

While Gamescom is an in-person event, with tickets available to buy now, the Opening Night Live showcase will be streamed live globally on Aug. 22 at 11am PT / 2pm ET / 7pm BST / 1pm CT.

Gamescom 2023 schedule

Unlike E3 or Summer Game Fest, the Gamescom schedule is a bit more digestible. It is worth noting, though, that the event is only open to the public on certain days and certain areas are restricted to trade visitors and media. 

Check out the schedule below:

Gamescom 2023 attendees and what to expect

A number of big-name attendees have already been confirmed for Gamescom 2023, but there are also some notable absences.

Below you’ll find all the confirmed attendees for Gamescom and what we expect to see from them at the event, as well as publishers and developers that have confirmed they won’t be attending. Even if a company is confirmed to attend the show, that doesn’t mean their games won’t make an appearance during Opening Night Live. There are also many companies who haven’t confirmed either way at the time of writing, so we will update this article as more attendees are confirmed.

Confirmed

Xbox and Bethesda

Xbox and Bethesda are now officially confirmed to attend Gamescom 2023. After all, you don’t tend to get one without the other these days. We know that the pair will be appearing on the show floor, but we expect they will also make an appearance during Opening Night Live. 

It’s possible we could get another look at Starfield during the showcase and maybe even some Elder Scrolls Online news, but I’m hoping we will finally get a look at the Indiana Jones game Bethesda is publishing. When it comes to Xbox, we could get a closer look at Hellblade 2: Senua’s Saga, Forza Motorsport, and maybe even Everwild (remember that?). If I’m honest, what I really want to see is more Fable.

Nintendo

Thanks to June’s Nintendo Direct, we now know that the House of Mario has a boatload of games on the horizon. Nintendo will likely have a spot on the show floor, but we’re hoping that a few of those upcoming games will make an appearance at Opening Night Live. Further details on the upcoming Pokémon Scarlet and Violet DLC will likely be kept for a future Pokémon Direct, as could further information on Detective Pikachu Returns. I’m hoping that Super Mario RPG or Super Mario Bros. Wonder makes an appearance. 

Sega

Sega has a lot of games in the pipeline, so we expect it’ll have a fairly large presence at Gamescom 2023. The key games we’re hoping will make an appearance at Opening Night Live are co-op shooter Hyenas, Sonic Superstars, Like a Dragon Gaiden: The Man Who Erased His Name, and Total War: Pharaoh. 

HoYoverse

HoYoverse, the developer behind Genshin Impact and Honkai: Star Rail, will be showcasing the two games (plus Honkai Impact 3rd) on the show floor. Both Genshin Impact’s 4.0 update and Honkai: Star Rail’s 1.2 update will have been released by then, but we’re hoping HoYoverse could use Opening Night Live to tease what’s next for the games.

Not attending

PlayStation

According to industry publication GamesMarkt, PlayStation won’t be attending Gamescom 2023, so it won’t be exhibiting on the show floor. This likely means we won’t see any PlayStation exclusives during Opening Night Live, but expect other PS4 and PS5 games to make an appearance.

THQ Nordic

Despite going big for Gamescom 2022, THQ Nordic is skipping this year’s event. The publisher posted the news on its website, saying the reason it is not attending Gamescom 2023 is “because we decided to stop all major show-related activities for 2023.” Instead, the publisher will host its own digital showcase on Aug. 11.