The Xbox Series X should have a big showing at Gamescom 2021 — even though Gamescom 2021 may look a little unrecognizable this year. The huge gaming convention, which takes place every August in Cologne, Germany, won’t have a physical component this year due to public health concerns.
However, the show will go on virtually, and Microsoft is planning two big livestreams for the event: an Xbox Stream on August 24, and an Xbox opening night ceremony on August 25.
Information comes from the official Xbox Wire blog, and includes some hints about what we might see at the event. Microsoft promises to show off its “biggest exclusive games line up ever,” although doesn’t describe exactly what that entails. We don’t expect to hear about too many new titles, as Xbox Games Marketing VP Aaron Greenberg acknowledged on Twitter:
- Play the best Xbox Series X games
- Also try the best Xbox One games
- Plus: Xbox Series X getting killer night mode — here’s how it works
“To set expectations, no new reveals or major surprises,” he said.
Join us digitally @gamescom this year. Our @Xbox stream is focused on game updates coming this year. So to set expectations, no new reveals or major surprises, but team has a fun stream planned with our amazing hosts @vicious696 @kateyeager ! More here:https://t.co/FbkM1p7Ok3August 9, 2021
Putting two and two together, then, we can expect to hear a lot of news about first- and third-party Microsoft exclusives that we already know about. That includes games like Halo Infinite, Starfield, Age of Empires IV, Redfall, Fable 4, Avowed and more. Some of these games are admittedly pretty far out, so we’d expect the focus to be on games that are coming in the near future. (If I were a betting man, I’d say it’s about time for a definitive Halo Infinite release date.)
The Xbox Stream on August 24 seems like it might be the more substantial of the two. It will take place at 10 AM PT/1 PM PT/6 PM BST on August 24, and will be available via YouTube, Twitch and other official Microsoft channels.
The Gamescom Opening Night Live ceremony, which may include some additional Microsoft information, will take place on August 25 at 11 AM PT/2 PM ET/7 PM BST. It’s also available on YouTube, Twitch and similar sites.
Bethesda fans should also be aware of Bethesda MainStream, which will begin on August 26 and take place over the course of several days. Since it’s a multi-day livestream, we’re not sure when (or if) we’ll hear news about upcoming titles; it may focus on community initiatives and updates to existing titles instead. It will also probably be in German, as Bethesda Germany is hosting this one. If you plan to tune in, you may want to do so with a native German speaker on hand. You’ll be able to watch this Bethesda MainStream on Twitch.
Microsoft also points out that Xbox FanFest will still be taking place this year, albeit online. Fans can check the official Xbox FanFest website in the coming days for more details. Furthermore, Microsoft will host an Xbox Gamescom sale, during which it will discount relevant titles up to 75% off. As to which games these will be, specifically, we’ll have to wait until August 24 to find out.
