Gamescom Opening Night Live 2022 live coverage - All the news as it happens
Kicking off the Gamescom 2022 festivities, Geoff Keighley's Opening Night Live showcase starts at 11AM PST / 2PM EDT / 7PM BST today, August 23. We'll be covering the stream live here on GamesRadar+, starting with what we know we're going to see.
Here's how to watch the Opening Night Live 2022 showcase
According to Keighley, "you can once again look forward to the latest world premieres from all over the world", with news on over 35 titles. Gamescom Opening Night Live 2022 is going to be a pretty chunky two-hour stint, so you can imagine it's going to be pretty full with new info. Keighley has said it will include "a combination of previously announced titles and new unannounced games".
Keighley's Opening Night Live showcase is just an hour or so away. The man himself has been hyping specific games and updates that will feature in his showcase via his Twitter feed, and over on The Game Awards' own feed too, so we have a good idea of at least some of the games that will feature. Let's see what they are, shall we?
THE CALLISTO PROTOCOL
Sony's State of Play June 2022 event revealed a brand new trailer and December 2, 2022 release date for The Callisto Protocol, followed by more info and the first gameplay footage at Keighley's own Summer Game Fest showcase later that month. However, it turns out there's more to see of this new space horror game from Glen Schofield (aka the Dead Space co-creator). This will be "brand new gameplay" presented by none other than Schofield himself.
When it drops later this year, you'll be playing as Jacob Lee, an inmate of the maximum-security prison found on Jupiter's moon – the titular Callisto. But, when the other prisoners start turning into bizarre and horrific alien creatures, it all goes a bit wrong. Lee must work to not only survive but discover various secrets that lie deep down in the bowels of the prison itself. Everything we've seen of this game looks terrifying and amazing in equal measure, so it'll be awesome to see more.
HOGWARTS LEGACY
Next up, Keighley is offering an "exclusive new look" at Hogwarts Legacy. The last we saw of the game was at a special PlayStation State of Play event back in March. That reveal was for the first gameplay of the title, which was wonderfully long and detailed – including information on classes, potions, spells, and other activities. The game has since been delayed again to February 10, 2023, but this will be the first we've seen of it since that major March event.
If you need a reminder, this is the game that's going to drop you into the School of Witchcraft and Wizardry as a fifth-year student with a link to ancient magic. It's set some 100 years prior to Potter and co, and She Who Shall Not Be Named isn't part of the project.
HIGH ON LIFE
Another one definitely set to feature is High on Life, the latest video game from the brain of Rick and Morty's Justin Roiland and his development team at Squanch Games. Officially announced at the Xbox and Bethesda Game Showcase in June, it was originally due to land this October, but has since been delayed to December 13.
As with Hogwarts Legacy, we're expecting to get an "exclusive new look" at the game, which sees you plays as a human who's forced to team up with a race of sentient guns and weapons in order to save humanity from an alien drug cartel that wants to literally get high on human life. It looks brilliantly bizarre, as you'd expect from Roiland, so any more insight into the title is bound to appeal.
90 MINUTES TO GO
We're just an hour and a half away from ONL kicking off! Set your timers folks!
SONIC FRONTIERS
This one gets an upgrade from an "exclusive new look" to a "world premiere new look" at Opening Night Live. That's right, Sonic Frontiers is going to get a decent slot in the spotlight at ONL later, which will involve some news about the title. Could it be that we're about to get the release date for the upcoming Sonic title? Officially, it's still circling around a 'Holiday 2022' launch window and is yet to pin down a specific day. But, according to an official ad for Sonic Frontiers that leaked earlier today, it's going to launch on November 8 - the day before God of War Ragnarok.
The reception around the game has been pretty mixed so far, so could fresh gameplay and a release date turn more heads for the blue blur's next adventure?
NEW GAME FROM SUBNAUTICA DEVS
One brand new game that we know is going to make its debut at Opening Night Live is the next title from Unknown Worlds – the developer behind the Subnautica games. Interestingly, it's going to be a "turn-based, sci-fi strategy game" according to Unknown Worlds, which is quite different from any of the team's previous titles. Before Subnautica, the studio made an FPS / strategy hybrid called Natural Selection (which received a sequel simply called Natural Selection 2), but again didn't involve turn-based combat.
The Opening Night Live section for the game – which has yet to be officially named – will apparently feature "lots of gameplay", so it seems we're going to get a good sense of what Unknown Worlds' next project is.
GOAT SIMULATOR 3
Goat Simulator 3 is making a return after its original reveal at Summer Game Fest back in June with a trailer that seriously baited Dead Island 2 fans. Since then, we've got confirmation the title is dropping on November 17 and will feature four-player co-op. But, we're going to get the gameplay premiere for the no doubt zany title at Opening Night Live.
Is anyone going to mention the fact there wasn't a Goat Simulator 2…?
1 HOUR TO GO
Opening Night Live will start in one hour! You have been warned!
RETURN TO MONKEY ISLAND
Is Return to Monkey Island getting a release date at Opening Night Live? We sure hope so. All Keighley is giving away is that a) it's going to be a part of the showcase and b) that entails a "brand new look" at the game. Could be that it's a fresh trailer, but with that release date still listed as a loose 2022, it's ripe for an unveiling.
The game is continuing the story of Guybrush Threepwood that we last picked up way back in 1991 with Monkey Island 2: LeChuck's revenge. It's going to be a brand new point-and-click adventure with friends old and new, all brought to life by original creator Ron Gilbert, who's joined by a host of top-notch developer friends.
THE EXPANSE: A TELLTALE SERIES
Telltale Games is back with a brand new game series based on the TV show of the same name – The Expanse: A Telltale Series. Joining up with Life is Strange: Before the Storm developer, Deck Nine Games, this new title will see you play as XO Camina Drummer, who's a big character in the TV series. Set in the near future on the outskirts of an asteroid belt, your choices will determine the fate of the ship, the Artemis, after a bloody mutiny breaks out. The first gameplay for the series is going to debut at Opening Night Live, which is rather exciting indeed.
LIES OF P
This might be one that hasn't been on many people's radar yet, but it definitely will after today's showcase I'd imagine. Lies of P is a game inspired by the story of Pinocchio, but is an action Soulslike set in what's being described as "a dark Belle Époque world". You'll play as Pinocchio as he relentlessly tries to become a real boy by finding Mr Geppetto. You'll have to lie to everyone if you stand a chance of becoming human, with procedural 'lying quests' that play out depending on how you lie. It looks mad, sounds amazing, and should be an interesting part of today's showcase. No release date or launch window for this one yet either.
30 MINUTES TO GO
Just 30 minutes to go until Opening Night Live. Time to gather your snacks!
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