The Gamescom 2026 schedule is set to kick off in a matter of weeks, so if you're looking to get ready for the big gaming event and all of the showcases it will bring, then you've come to the right place.
Not only will the event offer up players attending in person the opportunity to try out some upcoming games ahead of release, but Gamescom Opening Night Live hosted by Geoff Keighley is sure to be packed with fresh looks at some of the major new games landing in the future. And with other major publishers confirmed to be taking part, as well as some other showcases lined up to follow the main opener – including the return of the Future Games Show – Gamescom 2026 looks set to deliver plenty of gaming goodness.
So you don't miss a thing, I'm here to break down the Gamescom 2026 schedule for you right here. With all of the showcases confirmed so far listed with the times and dates at a glance, I've also gone into more detail for each showcase further down, with overviews on where you can watch everything and what you can expect from each showcase. For any other questions you may have, you can find a handy FAQ section at the bottom of this page, too.
Gamescom 2026 dates
When is Gamescom 2026?
Gamescom 2026 week runs from August 26 - August 30. Opening Night Live kicks things off on August 25 before the event opens to the public on August 26 in Cologne, Germany at the Koelnmesse.
You can find all of the dates and times of the showcases happening during the Gamescom 2026 schedule listed below at a glance, with a more detailed overview of what you can expect and where you can watch each showcase further down.
At a glance
Show |
Date |
PDT |
EDT |
BST |
CEST |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Gamescom Opening Night Live pre-show |
August 25 |
10:30am |
1:30pm |
6:30pm |
7:30pm |
Gamescom Opening Night Live |
August 25 |
11am |
2pm |
7pm |
8pm |
Xbox live broadcast 1 |
August 26 |
7am |
10am |
3pm |
4pm |
Future Games Show at Gamescom |
August 26 |
10am |
1pm |
6pm |
7pm |
FGS Live from Gamescom |
August 26 |
Immediately after FGS showcase |
Immediately after FGS showcase |
Immediately after FGS showcase |
Immediately after FGS showcase |
Xbox live broadcast 2 |
August 27 |
7am |
10am |
3pm |
4pm |
Gamescom Awesome Indies show |
August 27 |
TBC |
TBC |
TBC |
TBC |
FGS Best of Gamescom |
August 30 |
TBC |
TBC |
TBC |
TBC |
Gamescom 2026 schedule
Gamescom Opening Night Live 2026
WHEN: August 25 at 11am PDT / 2pm EDT / 7pm BST / 8pm CEST
Following a pre-show that will begin 30 minutes prior, Opening Night Live kicks off the Gamescom 2026 schedule with a showcase that promises to feature plenty of premieres, exclusive announcements, trailers, gameplay reveals, and some surprises. Hosted by Geoff Keighley and Eefje Depoortere, we so far know that we're set to see another look at Final Fantasy 7 Revelation with game director Naoki Hamaguchi, and The Witcher 3 Wild Hunt: Songs of the Past expansion will also be popping up during the showcase.
WHERE TO WATCH: YouTube / Twitch
Xbox Gamescom 2026 broadcast 1
WHEN: August 26 at 7am PDT / 10am EDT / 3pm BST / 4pm CEST
Xbox will be at Gamescom 2026 to "celebrate 25 years of play" with some of its biggest upcoming Xbox Series X games, including the likes of Fable. With two broadcasts running across the event, the first live show will kick off on August 26 from Cologne, Germany, where we can expect to see plenty of trailers, gameplay reveals, interviews, and some special guests.
WHERE TO WATCH: YouTube / Twitch
Future Games Show at Gamescom
WHEN: August 26 at 10am PDT / 1pm EDT / 6pm BST / 7pm CEST
The Future Games Show is once again returning to Gamescom to bring you over 90 minutes of gaming goodness. Hosted by Resident Evil Requiem actors Nick Apostolides (Leon Kennedy) and Angela Sant'Albano (Grace Ashcroft), you can expect developer deep dives, demo drops, world premieres, and exclusive trails during the showcase.
WHERE TO WATCH: YouTube / Twitch / Facebook / Twitter / X, and right here at GamesRadar+.
FGS Live from Gamescom
WHEN: August 26 immediately following the Future Games Show
Right after the Future Games Show wraps up, the FGS editorial team will be back to report from the showfloor in FGS Live from Gamescom. Here, you can expect to catch more world premieres, with a helping of news, and some interviews in Cologne, Germany.
WHERE TO WATCH: YouTube / Twitch / Facebook / Twitter / X, or right here at GamesRadar+
Xbox Gamescom 2026 broadcast 2
WHEN: August 27 at 7am PDT / 10am EDT / 3pm BST / 4pm CEST
After the initial live broadcast on August 26, Xbox is putting on a second one the following day where you can once again expect to see some new games in action, along with developer interviews, news, surprises, and special guests.
WHERE TO WATCH: YouTube / Twitch
Gamescom Awesome Indies 2026
WHEN: August 27 (timing TBC)
Gamescom Awesome Indies is returning as part of the Gamescom 2026 schedule to showcase some exciting upcoming indie games and spotlight innovative indie games from around the world. Set to run for around 60-75 minutes, you can expect to see a host of game previews, exclusive trailers, interviews, and gameplay for new indie games on the way during the show.
WHERE TO WATCH: YouTube / Twitch
FGS Best of Gamescom
WHEN: August 30 (timing TBC)
Finishing out a trio of digital shows from the FGS team this year, FGS best of Gamescom will see out the event and wrap things up on August 30. During the show, you'll be taken onto the Gamescom show floor and see a recap of all of the biggest announcements, along with booth tours and some developer insights.
WHERE TO WATCH: YouTube / Twitch / Facebook / Twitter / X
Gamescom 2026 FAQs
What is Gamescom?
Gamescom is a big annual gaming event that takes place over the course of a week in the Koelnmesse convention center in Cologne, Germany. Initially open to trade visitors and select media, Opening Night Live kicks things off before the show floor then opens to the public, where booths with demos for new and upcoming games can be played.
What will be at Gamescom 2026?
Lots of big game publishers have been announced as partners for Gamescom 2026, with the likes of Bandai Namco, Xbox, Nintendo, Krafton, NetEase Games, Ubisoft, Sega, HoYoverse, Team17, and more. With lots of playable demos set to be available on the show floor, the official Gamescom website highlights the likes of Gears of War: E-Day, Rayman Legends Retold, Stranger Than Heaven, Minecraft Dungeons 2, Forza Horizon 6, Persona 4 Revival, and Alien Isolation 2, among others.
Xbox Wire also listed a host of Xbox Series X games that will be at the Xbox booth this year, including some anticipated new games such as Fable, Call of Duty Modern Warfare 4, and Metro 2039.
Bandai Namco confirmed its playable lineup, too, with The Blood of Dawnwalker, Ace Combat 8: Wings of Theve, and Dragonball Xenoverse 3.
