My first year of attending gamescom was full of adventure ranging from incredible to hands on and hands off demos to some surprises I wasn’t expecting whatsoever. I’ve tried to condense those moments into this list and can’t wait to see what 2027 brings.
1. The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt — Songs of the Past and Remastered
No, I wasn't expecting news around an 11-year-old game to top my list, let alone appear at gamescom at all but the wizards at CD Projekt RED have done it again. The Remastered arrives as a free upgrade on September 29th, bringing overhauled visuals, reworked combat, new finishers, transmogrification, and even Hearts of Stone and Blood and Wine bundled in for anyone who didn't own them. And that's before you even get to Songs of the Past, the brand new expansion that takes Geralt to Letten, a new region rich in folklore that hides a long-dormant evil beneath its idyllic surface.
Dark, funny, and classic Geralt through and through, watching the extended look at what's ahead had me like a kid on Christmas morning. The September remaster is already a must-download and the 2027 DLC co-developed with the Witcher veterans at Fool's Theory looks absolutely stunning. This one came out of nowhere and landed at the very top. CDPR, you never cease to amaze.
While some may not love Witcher and especially the third entry, from what I saw, it’s time to fall in love all over again or at least give it another try. It’s one of the best and deepest universes in gaming and well worth your patience and effort.
2. Tomb Raider: Legacy of Atlantis
Coming off one of our top moments at SGF 2026, what we saw at gamescom blew us away all over again. Embargo is still firmly in place so we can't share specifics, but every time we get a new look at this title it only climbs higher on the most-anticipated list.
Flying Wild Hog and Crystal Dynamics are clearly doing something very, very special here. Yep, it’s confirmed. 2027 is gonna be absolutely packed with quality releases and Tomb Raider is near my top already.
3. Warlock: Dungeons & Dragons
Going from a game that was barely on my radar before the show to one that shot near the top of my most anticipated list is no small feat, but that's exactly what happened. The incredible ONL trailer already had our attention, but getting behind the scenes with the Invoke Studios team for a live demo sealed the deal completely. Set in the fog-shrouded Ravenloft domain of Darkon, the game follows Kaatri voiced brilliantly by Tricia Helfer as she wields eldritch magic across an open world where spells are the answer to everything: combat, traversal, puzzles, all of it.
It is almost surreal trying to fully process what we saw and heard during that session. With Maggie Robertson (Lady Dimitrescu herself) voicing the menacing patron Tasha, and a magic system unlike anything we've played in a D&D game before, this thing has GOTY potential written all over it. Are you seeing a theme yet? 2027 cannot come soon enough for this incredibly unique and impressive title.
4. Tides of Annihilation
From one of the most impressive booths at gamescom 2026, we finally got our hands on this absolutely unique and captivating title from Eclipse Glow Games. The team behind it has credits spanning Yakuza, For Honor, Persona, and Assassin's Creed, and that pedigree shows in every frame. You play as Gwendolyn, carving a path through a shattered, fog-draped London that has been torn apart by an Outworld invasion, weaving between the ruined city and the mythical realm of Avalon as you search for answers about your newfound powers.
Admittedly, a lot of mechanics are happening in a short demo, and the learning curve is real but we walked away not only impressed with the silky smooth action and punishing, deeply rewarding combat, but genuinely moved by the visual storytelling on display. The Knight System is genuinely innovative, and the set pieces we experienced left our jaws on the floor.
Hopefully 2027 brings us a release date, because this one deserves all the attention it gets.
5. Guild Wars 3
I was already looking forward to Guild Wars 3 before the show, but gamescom sent it rocketing near the top of my most anticipated list. Even in what ArenaNet acknowledges is an early state, and we can’t share much right now, I’m confident in this project and the people behind it.
As a huge fan of both GW1 and GW2, watching where they're taking this world feels like a genuine love letter to everyone who has been along for the ride since the beginning. The beta targeted for next year cannot get here soon enough.
6. Silent Hill: Townfall
I am not much of a horror fan to be brutally honest but what I saw and played from Silent Hill: Townfall was not only memorable, it was one of the best demos I experienced at the entire show. Screen Burn Interactive, the small Scottish studio behind this entry, has done something remarkable. Set in the fictional seaside town of St. Amelia in 1996, the atmosphere is suffocating in the best possible way from thick layers of coastal fog, unsettling sound design, and genuinely creepy moments that had me jumping even in a busy convention hall with my headphones cranked.
The first-person perspective is a bold and brilliant choice, pulling you right into the dread without the buffer of watching a character move through it ahead of you. From moments bathed in deep red light to the oppressive, grey haze of the town's fog-choked streets, this thing looks stunning. Launching September 24th and I am already bracing myself. Did we just find a new horror game fan? Methinks so.
7. Path of Exile 2 — 1.0 Release
The announcement of Path of Exile 2's full 1.0 release date on December 11th, free-to-play to boot was a massive moment at ONL, and we had the privilege of going hands-on with the new Duelist class alongside Game Director Jonathan Rogers and the incredible GGG team at the show. The Duelist is everything PoE2 needed: sword and shield, aggressive melee, slick finishers, and a combat rhythm that feels genuinely earned. After nearly two years of spears and crossbows, swords have finally arrived in Wraeclast and they were worth the wait.
The 0.5 season was already one of the best ARPG experiences in recent memory, and if what we played at gamescom is any indication, 1.0 is shaping up to be something truly special. The final two campaign acts, all remaining classes, and the full free-to-play launch arriving in one drop this December?
There are going to be a lot of very busy weekends ahead. Gorgeous, polished to a high shine, and offering a staggering number of build varieties, PoE2 is not done impressing. LOGIN!
8. Silver Palace
What looked like another generic entry from the outside has turned out to be one of the most polished and impressive-looking games on the entire show floor. Silver Palace, built in Unreal Engine 5 by Elementa and Silver Studio, is a dark fairy-tale open-world action RPG with a striking detective narrative, elegant characters, and genuinely beautiful environments that contrast sharply with the twisted creatures lurking in the shadows.
The hands-on demo revealed a game with surprising depth the kind you don't expect to find until you're already hours in. Sometimes we judge books by their cover and I admit, I did on this as well. Coming to PC, PS5, iOS, and Android, this one is not for everyone, but I personally cannot wait. Don’t overlook it!
9. Enshrouded 1.0
Not only was this one of the most fun and impressive sessions I had at gamescom, it was absolutely the most I laughed during the entire show. Thorsten Röpke is a genuine gem of a human being, and walking through everything Keen Games has built into the 1.0 version dropping October 15th on PC and PS5 with that level of infectious passion and joy was an experience I won't forget quickly.
After more than two years in Early Access, Enshrouded arrives as a fully realized product with new biomes, a reworked combat system, Adventure Sharing, new world content beyond Embervale, and dynamic weather that makes the already stunning world feel truly alive. If you haven't been following Enshrouded, now is absolutely the time to start paying attention. Absolutely one of the best devs in gaming that shows true heart, passion, and love for their game and fans.
10. NVIDIA
While this particular tech behemoth continues to dominate the gaming landscape, nothing could have prepared us for what we saw behind closed doors at gamescom 2026.
We can't share details just yet, but let's just say that what's coming represents another genuine revolution the kind that makes you sit back in your chair and quietly reassess everything you thought you knew about where games are headed visually.
The embargo will lift soon enough. When it does, the conversation around next-generation gaming is going to shift in a very big way. Stay tuned. For now, now that DLSS 4.5, RTX Remix (Morrowind) and more are already announced and that’s just the tip of a huge iceberg of more to come.
Bonus Mentions
Aion 2 - Looking amazing as ever and my hopes for THEE MMO experience of 2026.
Castlevania: Belmont's Curse - Another example of how to mix both old and new elements into a stunning demo.
Dragon’s Dogma 2: Dark Arisen - Also not everyone’s cup of tea but the demo and new content were friggin’ awesome
Valor Mortis - Even though only featured during a quiet section of ONL, it looks stunning and from the demos we’ve played so far, we can’t wait!
