It’s official: Gamescom 2026 has started, and the ONL show was full of surprises that many of us didn’t see coming. Be it a new trailer, a brand-new game, an unexpected free upgrade, or more details about long-awaited games, we had it all. But in case you missed this show and just want to take a look at some of the most exciting reveals, here we have a list of the five big announcements that surprised us the most.
1. HoYoverse Unveils Nodusfall
The first big surprise of the night was undoubtedly Nodusfall. At first, many of us thought it would be another Souslike, but once we saw more of its gameplay, we quickly realized it would be an action co-op experience, developed by none other than HoYoverse. While there aren’t a lot of details about it yet, we just loved the fact that the studio is aiming for a dark fantasy approach and some jaw-dropping boss fights we’ll be able to tackle with other players.
2. Ananta Announces Its Release Date
Many of us were blown away by the scope of Ananta when we first saw it, and sort of thought it was “too good to be true.” Well, it is that good, and it is true, and most importantly, it has a release date. Ananta will officially launch on January 17, 2025, which, if you think about it, isn’t that far away. Plus, we got to see even more details about the game, including combat, the charismatic protagonist, more characters, and some amazing references that anime fans will instantly recognize.
3. Gears of War: E-Day Premieres Its Campaign Trailer
The time to see the story that started it all is upon us, and we’re talking about Gears of War: E-Day. While many are still gushing about the multiplayer beta, The Coalition and Xbox Game Studios have us today with an extended look at the campaign mode, which looks as gorgeous and visceral as we all expected. Fortunately, the game is right around the corner, so those eager to get into that COG armor will be able to do so in just a couple of weeks.
4. Final Fantasy 7: Revelation Showcases ‘Weapons’
While we all knew Square Enix would appear at Gamescom 2026 with Final Fantasy VII: Revelation, we had no idea as to what it would show. Well, the big surprise was a lengthy and action-packed trailer focusing on the iconic Weapons, as well as how some of the encounters will play out at the end of this trilogy. Furthermore, we also got glimpses at a new summon, as well as another look at Tifa’s new job skills, which will be part of Revelation once it launches sometime during Spring 2027.
5. The Witcher 3 Gets a Remaster and an Expansion Teaser
Last, but certainly not least, CD Projekt Red stole the whole Gamescom show with not one, but two announcements. First, we got to see The Witcher 3 Remastered, a brand-new version featuring several upgrades, such as a better loot system, new boss mechanics, improved combat VFX, and many more. Plus, it will be free to all owners of The Witcher 3, and those who, for whatever reason, still haven’t played the DLCs are also free as we wait for the Remastered version to arrive on September 29. And of course, we also got a teaser for Songs of the Past, the new expansion that will bridge Geralt’s final adventure with Ciri’s debut as a Witcher.
Overall, Gamescom 2026 was a fantastic show with several surprises for all gamers out there. The great thing about many of these reveals is that some of them are already upon us, so that means we won’t have to wait long to add even more titles to our ever-growing gaming libraries.
