Gamescom 2023 Opening Night Live takes place this week on Tuesday, August 22, offering exclusive looks at major upcoming game releases.

The world’s largest event/party celebrating computer and video games will be back in-person in Cologne, Germany, again this year. Canadian video game journalist Geoff Keighley will be returning to host the gamescom 2023 Opening Night Live show alongside influencer Jasmin Gnu on Tuesday, August 22, 2023. The opening night event will show off some trailers and gameplay reveals, some talks with leading developers and creators, and many more first looks at gamescom 2023 events. The gamescom award 2023 nominees have also just been announced.

Keighley even released an epic trailer highlighting the biggest titles that will be showcased at gamescom 2023 Opening Night Live, mostly well-known titles. Keighley noted in an interview with Video Games Chronicle that “This year’s ONL is less about announcing brand new projects and more about giving fans updates on some of the biggest games due out over the next year.”

Here is a list of games included in the trailer and teased by Keighley in his post on Twitter/X:

• Alan Wake 2
• Assassin’s Creed Mirage
• Black Myth: Wukong
• Call of Duty: Modern Warfare III
• Crimson Desert
• Cyberpunk 2077: Phantom Liberty
• Delta Force
• Fort Solis
• Lords of the Fallen
• Mortal Kombat 1
• Nightingale
• Sonic Superstars
• Zack Snyder’s Rebel Moon

Who are the nominees of the gamescom award 2023?

The jury consisting of German and international games journalists and creators, has selected the most promising titles from a variety of submissions. The jury also includes one of CGMagazine’s very own Editor-in-chief, Brendan Frye! Some strong contenders for awards include Armored Core VI: Fires of Rubicon with seven nominations, The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom with four nominations, and REKA and The Wandering Village with three nominations each.

Fans and the jury will determine who will receive the dazzling trophies. Voting will begin at gamescom: Opening Night Live on Tuesday, August 22. Until Thursday, August 24 at 2:00 PM (CEST), fans and visitors of gamescom can vote for their favorites in the Arts and Platform categories, as well as the “Best of Show Floor” and “Best Trailer/Announcement” categories on the dedicated website or on-site via QR code.

The winner of the gamescom Green Studio of the Year category will be announced during gamescom Opening Night Live. All other winners will be announced during the gamescom award show on Friday, August 25, from 2:00 to 4:00 PM (UTC +2) in the gamescom studio hosted by IGN (Hall 8).

Gamescom Award Categories & Nominees:

Best Visuals

 Armored Core VI: Fires of Rubicon, From Software / Bandai Namco Entertainment
 Black Myth: Wukong, Game Science Interactive Technology
 REKA, Emberstorm Entertainment / Fireshine Games
 Sand Land, ILCA, Inc. / Bandai Namco Entertainment
 The Many Pieces of Mr. Coo, Gammera Nest / Meridiem Games

Best Audio

 Armored Core VI: Fires of Rubicon, From Software / Bandai Namco Entertainment
 Headbangers: Rhythm Royale, Glee-Cheese / Team17 Digital
 REKA, Emberstorm Entertainment / Fireshine Games
 Savant – Ascent Remix, D-Pad Studio
 The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom, Nintendo

Best Gameplay

 Armored Core VI: Fires of Rubicon, From Software / Bandai Namco Entertainment
 Paper Trail, Newfangled Games
 Shadow Gambit: The Cursed Crew, Mimimi Games
 The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom, Nintendo
 The Wandering Village, Stray Fawn Studio

Most Entertaining

 AK-xolotl, 2Awesome Studio / Playstack
 Core Keeper, Pugstorm / Fireshine Games
 Headbangers: Rhythm Royale, Glee-Cheese / Team17 Digital
 PAYDAY 3, Starbreeze Studios / Plaion
 Pizza Possum, Cosy Computer / Raw Fury

Most Epic

 Armored Core VI: Fires of Rubicon, From Software / Bandai Namco Entertainment
 Black Myth: Wukong, Game Science Interactive Technology
 Dwarf Fortress, Bay 12 Games / Kitfox Games
 Sand Land, ILCA / Bandai Namco Entertainment
 The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom, Nintendo

Most Wholesome

 Pikmin 4, Nintendo
 Pioneers of Pagonia, Envision Entertainment
 Smushi Come Home, Mooneye Publishing
 The Wandering Village, Stray Fawn Studio
 Tiny Booskhop, neoludic games

Games for Impact

 A Space for the Unbound, Mojiken / Toge Productions
 Belonging, Farbspiel Interactive
 Dead Pets Unleashed, Triple Topping Games
 Fall of Porcupine, Critical Rabbit / Assemble Entertainment
 Sky: Children of the Light, thatgamecompany

Best Microsoft Xbox Game

 Armored Core VI: Fires of Rubicon, From Software / Bandai Namco Entertainment
 Enotria: The Last Song, Jyamma Games
 Mortal Kombat 1, NetherRealm Studios / Warner Bros. Entertainment
 The Wandering Village, Stray Fawn Studio
 Towerborne, Stoic / Xbox Game Studios

Best Nintendo Switch Game

 Fall of Porcupine, Critical Rabbit / Assemble Entertainment
 Figment 2: Creed Valley, Bedtime Digital Games
 Paper Trail, Newfangled Games
 The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom, Nintendo
 The Smurfs 2 – The Prisoner of the Green Stone, Osome Studio / Microids

Best PC Game

 Armored Core VI: Fires of Rubicon, From Software / Bandai Namco Entertainment
 Dwarf Fortress, Bay 12 Games / Kitfox Games
 PAYDAY 3, Starbreeze Studios / Plaion
 REKA, Emberstorm Entertainment / Fireshine Games
 Shadow Gambit: The Cursed Crew, Mimimi Games

Best Sony PlayStation Game

 Armored Core VI: Fires of Rubicon, From Software / Bandai Namco Entertainment
 Enotria: The Last Song, Jyamma Games
 Mortal Kombat 1, NetherRealm Studios / Warner Bros. Entertainment
 Sand Land, ILCA / Bandai Namco Entertainment
 Tekken 8, Bandai Namco Entertainment

Best Mobile Game

 Genshin Impact, HoYoverse
 Marvel Snap, Second Dinner Studios / Nuverse
 Monster Hunter Now, Niantic / Capcom
 Paper Trail, Newfangled Games
 Sky: Children of the Light, thatgamecompany

Best Trailer / Announcement

Fans and visitors of gamescom, as well as the jury, vote on the coolest game trailer or the best game announcement during gamescom. The options for voting include all trailers and announcements showcased during gamescom: Opening Night Live.

Best of Show Floor

In this category, the most compelling booth presentation in the entertainment area is honored.

HEART OF GAMING Award

Any gamescom highlight is eligible for this extraordinary award: not only games, add-ons, and technologies, but also people, institutions, companies, concepts, or terms.

gamescom Green Studio of the Year

 Frontier Developments
 Ubisoft
 Xbox

What time is gamescom 2023 Opening Night Live?

Keighley confirmed the main show for gamescom Opening Night Live starts at 11 am PT on Tuesday, August 22. He has also confirmed that Kyle Bosman will host a 30-minute pre-show that runs before the event, so you’ll actually want to tune in at 10:30 am PT, if you do not want to miss anything. For those in other regions, the main show begins at 8:00 pm CET and 2 pm ET.

How to watch gamescom 2023 Opening Night Live.

gamescom 2023 Opening Night Live can be attended in-person by buying a ticket. But if you cannot make a trip to Cologne, Germany, you can watch it online. You can do so by visiting the gamescom or The Game Awards’ official YouTube and Twitch channels. Here is an embedded YouTube premiere for the livestream below so you can come back to this page on August 22 to watch the event live.