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In the past, Gamescom has proven it can be one of the most important gaming events of the year, and it looks like it’s getting ready to do that again. The video games trade fair takes place annually in Cologne, North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany, and features several major studios and independent publishers.

This year, Gamescom has already announced Xbox Game Studios, SEGA, Warner Bros., etc. as part of the program, along with a few confirmed games. The show will be split into four main events: Gamecom Opening Night, Future Games Show, Xbox Booth Live, and Awesome Indies Show.

In addition to the confirmed titles, Gamescom 2022 includes a large assortment of new trailers for previously announced games and a handful of world premieres.

Note: This article reflects the opinion of the writer.


Five games fans can expect at Gamescom 2022

1) A Plague Story: Requiem

Xbox Game Studios has confirmed to present more of A Plague Tale: Requiem at Gamescom 2022, with a release date set for October 2022. The game is a sequel to A Plague Tale: Innocence and sees the return of siblings Amicia and Hugo as the protagonists.

The plague appears to have returned to France as new troops try to trap Hugo for their own needs.

The title takes place six months after the events of the first game, which ended when the siblings set out with their mother to start a new life. Plague’s re-emergence is a curious aspect, as it was gone at the end of the previous title. Still, the story will potentially connect it to Hugo and his growing abilities.

Based on the earlier trailers, it can be noted that the gameplay will largely remain the same. Players will control Amicia through stealth-based sections in which she must dodge soldiers and stay out of sight.

Lethal and non-lethal takedowns are an option to occasionally take out soldiers, while Hugo’s abilities seem to play a more integral role in combat.


2) Pentiment

Developed by Obsidian Entertainment, Pentiment is an adventure video game to be released in November 2022. It is a story-focused game with role-playing elements in which users take on the role of Andreas, who uncovers the mystery behind the murder of a prominent person.

The title is set in Germany during the Middle Ages and is set over 25 years. In this day and age, gamers must try to exonerate Andreas’ friend, who has been wrongly convicted of the crime. They can talk to characters in the game to find clues and explore areas to gather evidence and develop the story further.

At the beginning of the title, players can choose Andreas’ background and his study place. These choices will influence his research style, as well as the options of various game-changing decisions they can make.

It has been confirmed that Obsidian will be showing more of the game at the upcoming Gamescom event.


3) Sonic Limits

The next Sonic game is Sonic Frontiers, developed by Sonic Team and published by SEGA. The publisher has announced that it will be attending their panel at Gamescom 2022, so hopes are high for new gameplay reveals and release date news.

This is the first time a Sonic title is set in an open world, with the iconic hedgehog heading to the Starfall Islands to collect the Chaos Emeralds. The open world encompasses a diverse landscape of fields, forests, ancient ruins and deserts.

In this iteration, Sonic can also use combat attacks to fight enemies scattered across the map.

So far, the game doesn’t have much of a story background, which could be adapted at Gamescom with a story trailer, accompanied by a revealed release date. Many have speculated that it could be delayed until 2023, as it hasn’t indicated a release date yet.


4) Layers of fears

Bloober Team was a mainstay in the horror game genre, and one of their very first titles is Layers of Fear, which was originally released in 2016. It was followed by a sequel titled Layers of Fear in 2019, which established the game as a series.

A compilation of the two games, titled Layers of Fears, will be released in early 2023.

According to the developer, the title will feature an expanded story and new gameplay built into Unreal Engine 5. The team said the project will further enhance the psychedelic experience of previous games and not just be a simple recreation of the two titles.

The developers seem to be taking a new approach to the story and have teased that it’s something fans hope for and enjoy.

While no specific details about the game are known, his presence at Gamescom 2022 will certainly shed new light, possibly with a brand new trailer.


5) The Dark Pictures Anthology: The Devil In Me

Another upcoming horror game that will be appearing at the upcoming Gamescom event is The Devil In Me, part of the Dark Pictures Anthology. From developer Supermassive Games, this upcoming interactive drama and survival horror title will be released sometime in late 2022.

Supermassive Games has done phenomenally well with cinematic storytelling in the past, including the previous Dark Pictures Anthology series titles.

The Devil is Me brings several new gameplay features to the series, including an inventory system, tool-based puzzles, and more dynamic controls.

Like previous Dark Pictures games, The Devil in Me will also feature a cast of characters, which gamers will switch between at various points in the story. Decisions made at specific points determine how the story progresses and influence the final ending of the game.


Five titles that could appear at Gamescom 2022

1) Suicide Squad: Kill the Justice League

Warner Bros. will appear at Gamescom 2022, but which title they will present is not yet known. A good bet is Rocksteady’s upcoming game in their version of the DC Universe: Suicide Squad: Kill the Justice League, which seemingly takes place after the events of Batman: Arkham Asylum.

Aside from the gameplay, much of the game’s premise is already known and sees the Suicide Squad members head to Metropolis, where Brainiac takes control of many of the Justice League members, including Superman and the Flash.

The Suicide Squad, sent by Amanda Waller, must control the situation if possible, with the main goal of eliminating the Justice League members under Brainiac’s control.

A featurette showing live in-engine gameplay would be a welcome surprise to many fans waiting for more news about the title. An announcement of a release date could also be in the cards, and Gamescom would be a great place to reveal that.


2) Hogwarts Legacy

Another game from Warner Bros. likely to be showcased during the Gamescom panel is Hogwarts Legacy. The title is being developed by Avalanche Software and should be released in late 2022, although an exact date has not been set.

So a release date reveal would be nice at this point if the game is still aiming for a 2022 launch.

It is an action role-playing game set in the magical world of witchcraft and wizardry. Players can create their own character who will go to Hogwarts during their fifth year and be drawn into a larger plot about a mysterious new power awakening in the magical world.

The title will seemingly feature many different playable areas, including Hogwarts Castle. Users can take lessons, learn spells and make friends with various magical creatures.

A morality system will also play a role in determining certain elements, such as the gamer’s ability to learn unforgivable curses.


3) Starfield

The lineup of Xbox games showcased during the Gamescom event is already quite extensive. The publisher plans to focus on the next 12 months of game releases and will unveil those titles in the first half of 2023.

A surprise appearance from Starfield at the end, however, is likely. The title got a big reveal at the Xbox & Bethesda Showcase event, with promising gameplay and bold claims from Todd Howard.

While the game managed to wow most of the audience with the reveal, many wondered what the release date would be.

Lots of speculation about this is flying around the internet, so a release date for the game would do well to clear up much of this debate. Since Xbox’s lineup of games mostly suggests announced titles, Starfield has a good chance of showing up at Gamescom at the last minute.


4) New Bioshock Game

The Big Daddy and his little sister from Bioshock 2 (Image via 2K Games)

2K Games is a studio that will be in attendance at the Gamescom event, and there’s a lot of speculation about which games it will bring to the stage. 2K is most famous for its Bioshock series, which initially ran from 2007 to 2013.

In 2019, it was announced that the developer was developing a new Bioshock game, although updates on the project were scarce.

Gamescom would be a great place to give the public a revealing trailer for a new BioShock title. Since it’s a live event, the studio has the added benefit of getting instant response from fans when they do this.

A series as beloved as this one is sure to get a huge response when a new game is revealed.

The series is traditionally a first-person shooter, set in a retro-futuristic world where users take on the roles of different protagonists in each title. Role-playing elements are also present, giving them a degree of freedom to approach different situations.


5) Assassin’s Creed Infinity

Assassin’s Creed Infinity concept art (Image via Ubisoft)

Ubisoft is one of several notable publishers to be present at Gamescom, and it is speculated that they will be showcasing Skull and Bones. While this is a very predictable move, as the release of Skull and Bones draws closer, the publisher could also give the public a teaser for the next Assassin’s Creed game.

Assassin’s Creed Infinity is the next big game in the series and will reportedly be a live service title. How this will work in the franchise’s gameplay formula is a mystery at this point.

Several leaks and rumors suggest that Assassin’s Creed Infinity is Ubisoft’s future plan.

Since details about the title are only available from unsubstantiated sources, Ubisoft may use Gamescom as a platform to tease the public and issue an official statement.

So far, this move by Ubisoft has left fans quite divisive, and clearing up any confusion would bring them great success.

Note: This article is subjective and reflects the opinion of the author.


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