This Gamescom Showcase Left Many Games in the Shadows

It’s tough to critique Gamescom’s Opening Night Live showcase without unintentionally taking aim at games that might not deserve it, but this year’s event was quite disappointing. Hosted by Geoff Keighley, known for leading the biggest English-language gaming showcases, the Germany-based presentation often feels less polished than others. This time around, it seemed to spotlight very few standout titles.

If you were to extract most of the trailers from the two-hour event, you’d likely find plenty to be excited about. However, the overall lineup at Gamescom diluted the impact of many games, as numerous titles shared similar themes, gameplay mechanics, and visual styles, resulting in a rather monotonous preview of what’s to come. While writing the recap for the showcase, I found myself struggling to say much about each dark fantasy game, edgy shooter, or anime-inspired title that passed by without leaving a mark.

Keighley did have a few major titles to highlight, but the appearance of Final Fantasy VII Revelation was disappointingly brief after nearly two hours of games that failed to stand out. The final reveal, a remaster of The Witcher 3, was perhaps the biggest surprise of the night, but ending on an 11-year-old game felt anticlimactic. At least there’s a significant expansion on the way next year, offering something fresh to look forward to.

This challenge is similar to what events like Wholesome Games face; when too many games are showcased under a specific theme, they risk blending into one another. As the show drags on, it becomes harder for viewers to process something intriguing before their attention is pulled away by the next game that lacks distinctiveness.

This year’s Gamescom felt like the underdog among Keighley’s events. With Summer Game Fest stepping in as the summer showcase everyone watches and the Game Awards aiming for the prestige of the video game Oscars, Gamescom finds itself in a peculiar position. It sometimes feels like a venue for Keighley and his team to showcase all the games that aren’t quite big enough for the flashier events. While some titles may gain exposure here, it doesn’t do them any favors to be overshadowed by a major release like Final Fantasy VII.