Gamescom 2021: 60 giants, 255 indie developers - lots of games

This week it starts: Gamescom 2021 officially starts on August 25th at 20 p.m. (CEST) with the big opening show Gamescom: Opening Night Live. The organizers Koelnmesse and game - Association of the German Games Industry announced further details today shortly before the start of the world's largest event for computer and video games and gave an overview of the entire program.

On the content hub Gamescom now Fans can already register free of charge now and discover all announcements, news and highlights in one place from the start of Gamescom 2021.

Game boss Falk: "It's finally starting again"

Around 60 major international publishers and developers are participating as partners of Gamescom 2021: They present themselves and their new game titles extensively at Gamescom and above all at Gamescom now. A strong signal for Gamescom's digital concept: Compared to the previous year, the number of large companies has doubled. In the last few weeks, other well-known representatives of the games industry have joined them, including: Amazon Games, Epic Games, Humble Games, Konami Digital Entertainment BV, Nekki, Netmarble, Pearl Abyss, Sharkmob AB (Tencent Games), Techland and Warner Bros. Games. Companies such as Activision, Bandai Namco Entertainment, Bethesda Softworks, Electronic Arts, Koch Media, SEGA Europe, Ubisoft, Wargaming and Xbox have been on board since mid-July.

Felix Falk, Managing Director of game - Association of the German Games Industry eV, says: “It's finally starting again: Gamescom 2021 is the start of the event that the global games community is looking forward to. With the experience from last year, we have extensively further developed Gamescom's digital concept. Whether Gamescom now, the Gamescom Shows, our new Gamescom EPIX campaign or the numerous campaigns by Gamescom partners: From August 25, gamers around the world can look forward to days full of announcements, news and talks about the most anticipated games. "

In addition to around 60 major publishers and developers, there are 255 indie developers who present themselves in the virtual world of the Indie Arena Booth Online (IAB Online). 120 curated top games will be shown at large, virtual booths. IAB Online is exclusively integrated into Gamescom now.

Also with a view to media and reach partners who carry the content and shows of Gamescom all over the world, there are some (international) newcomers, including: Bilibili (CN), CHIP.de (DE), Douyu (CN), eSports1 / Sport1 (DE), Fomos (KR), Game Bonfire (CN), Games.cz (CZ), GamesMarkt (DE), GameStar (HU), Gry-Online.pl (PL), Huya (CN), INVEN (KR), JaRock (PL), Merlin'in Kazanı (TR), Play4UK (UK), Ruliweb (KR), SECTOR (SK), Wehype (including SE, DK, NO).

“Gamescom is THE event for the global gaming community. I am therefore all the more pleased that, on the one hand, we have succeeded in increasing the foreign share among our partner companies this year to 75 percent compared to the previous year - with this we are showing a very international picture of the industry on Gamescom now. On the other hand, I am also pleased that we can consistently bring the content of these companies to the global gaming community thanks to the numerous, internationally active media and reach partners. So our concept is working, ”says Oliver Frese, Managing Director and COO of Koelnmesse.

By the way: In addition to the partners already mentioned, the community can also look forward to one or two surprises. Some partners will only be announced with the start of Gamescom: Opening Night Live.

New this year: Gamecom Epix

The Gamescom EPIX community action, which was launched for Gamescom 2021 for the first time, has already cast a spell over the community: At the official start of Gamescom 2021 on August 25th, the community will probably have already completed the first 15 quests that the lively mascot EPI is under now.gamescom.de regularly poses. Gamescom VAULT will then open itself with first prizes. There are another 15 quests during Gamescom. Once all the tasks have been completed, Gamescom VAULT opens again and reveals the main prizes from around 30 partners.

Cosplay and retro have always been essential parts of Gamescom. At Gamescom 2021, both areas will join forces to provide fans with an unparalleled show program. On August 26th and 27th, the virtual cosplay village opens the live stream with cosplays, music, arts & props and various workshops from 12:00 to 17:30 (CEST).

In the second half of the day, it will continue on both days from 17:30 p.m. to 22:30 p.m. (CEST) with game developers, collectors, fans, connoisseurs of classic games as well as new games in modern retro Style. The entire streaming program is available for fans free of charge at Gamescom now.

If you can't get enough of cosplay, this year you will definitely be delighted with the second, purely digital edition of the Gamescom cosplay contest. In the past few weeks the sewing machines have been running hot again, great disguises have been made, enchanting pictures taken and now the 20 finalists of the Gamescom cosplay contest 2021 have been determined. The free choice of this year's winners in three different categories will be broadcast on Gamescom now on August 27 from 21:00 p.m. (CEST).

Koelnmesse and the game Association launched the gamescom forest for Gamescom 2020. The goal: Together with the community, to help reforest Germany's threatened forests and make a contribution to the fight against climate change. In 2020 it was already possible to reforest 12.000 m², for gamescom 2021 the forest should now grow to over 15.000 m². Anyone can participate at the following link with a donation of one euro or more: https://gamescomforest.betterplace.org.

The official kick-off of gamescom 2021 on August 25 at 20:00 p.m. (CEST) is the big opening show gamescom: Opening Night Live with Geoff Keighley, in which over 30 hotly anticipated games will be presented. On August 26th and 27th, the German- and English-speaking gamescom studio will provide fans with new trailers, played demos, interviews and many surprises. On August 26th, the gamescom: Awesome Indies show will also present the most exciting titles from independent developers. The gamescom congress, Europe's leading conference on the potential of computer and video games in a digitized world, will also take place on August 26th and 27th.

Throughout the entire gamescom days, visitors to gamescom now will find brand-new content - such as image and video material on new games - from the gamescom partner. The partners will also broadcast their own live streams and appear in the gamescom shows. From August 25th and into the weekend, indie fans can also explore the virtual world of the “Summer Camp of Doom” at the Indie Arena Booth Online with their own avatars. Cosplay and retro fans will get their money's worth with full-day live streams on August 26th and 27th.

The gamescom 2021 experience is rounded off by the supporting program of various media and reach partners. For example, Rocket Beans TV, Freaks 4U Gaming and INSTINCT3 are once again jointly organizing the “Game Evasion”. Top streamer Gronkh, Papaplatte and Trymacs are teaming up as SPIELESAUSE for the first time. Numerous creator networks and online platforms also co-stream and comment on the gamescom shows in various languages.

Last updated on 25.05.2023/XNUMX/XNUMX / Affiliate Links / Images from the Amazon Product Advertising API. * = Affiliate links. Images from Amazon PA API