Gamescom 2025 Preview: Biggest Non-GTA Games — Full Breakdown & Transcript

[00:10] hardware. I'm Damon Hatfield, and this week I'm joined by Ryan McCaffrey from Podcast Unlocked and my fellow Omega Cop from GameSpot, Sam Clayborn. >> Next week is going to be a big one for video games, a certain long-awaited

[00:24] a deep dive look on Netflix of all places. And the biggest gaming show in the world is happening in Cologne, Germany. It's called Gamescom. Sam and I down the fort back home. So, next week you're going to be seeing a lot of first

[00:38] announcements, hands-on previews of some of this year's most anticipated titles, and some of next year's as well. Xbox and Nintendo will be there. PlayStation will not, even though it does have a little Wolverine game to promote. Ryan,

[00:51] highlights that they're going to have at the show include Gears of War: E-Day, Alien Isolation 2, and hands-on with Fable. That's a big one. This game was revealed 6 years ago, finally coming out in February. What do you think Microsoft

[01:04] has to prove with this game? >> Uh the first thing Well, not much would be I'm very excited about it. And the reason I say not much is because the developer direct where we got the first

[01:16] real extended look at that game back in January, that answered a lot of clearly shows that Playground understands the assignment in terms of the tone and and sort of the the moment-to-moment stuff, like the the

[01:31] intrapersonal mechanics that that are key to a a good Fable game. And then at the Xbox showcase behind closed doors, we got to see a 30-minute demo of those intrapersonal dynamics,

[01:45] which Microsoft then released. I think we're watching it right now on the with a narrated narrated commentary from the developers, and you can see it for And so, really the last box left to

[01:58] I mean, playing it is of course always key, but specifically combat. You know, this studio, as insanely talented as they are, they These guys don't make nine out of 10 games. They make 10 out of 10 games, and they've done it

[02:14] for the last three or four games here in the Forza Horizon series, but driving cars is different than swinging swords and casting spells. So, how it actually feels in combat is the key question left for for me.

[02:30] >> Sam, how about you? What are you looking for when you go hands-on with Fable? >> Well, I am very curious about running across that map and just seeing like how everything stuck together. I agree that we haven't seen the combat and and these

[02:44] deep dives into the villages make the village here makes me think that there's but I want to see the vistas and I want to see, you know, the the like what what's it like to traverse them and what kind of hidden stuff would be there.

[02:58] And, you know, I'll also add that, you know, Gamescom is now what people who remember E3, it's getting more like E3. So, one thing to look forward to about Gamescom is like they'll probably just be like a really cool build of a of a

[03:11] place to visit for fans that looks like Fable there. And, that's you know, industry that we lost when E3 went away, and I just think that's exciting. >> Well, Sam, talking about hidden stuff in Fable, one cool thing that is coming

[03:24] back, we already know, are the demon doors. So, you and the guys team will solve all the puzzles of the demon doors. >> Exactly. >> And and they just talk to you and then

[03:36] there. >> Okay, so then there's Gears of War about how Halo campaign evolved, the sales were a I think there's a very, you know, handful of reasons that the Master Chief

[03:50] Collection is available, has multiplayer included, is often available for 10 But there's also the fact that Halo just isn't what it used to be as a franchise Gears of War franchise as well, but this is of course a brand new entry, not a

[04:04] remake of an old campaign. So, how how do you think, you know, how are you days? >> Well, I can't tell you, Damon, because the embargo isn't up, but I am allowed to tell you that I have played the

[04:18] >> Oh, wow. >> And there will be coverage on IGN next week during Gamescom. So, that's one of the million things to keep an eye out the million things to keep an eye out for on IGN next week, but yes, so

[04:31] campaign thoughts are coming very soon. But you're right that like it's been a But you're right that like it's been a while. 2019 was the last new mainline Gears game with Gears 5. We got a really good campaign DLC, a sort of a side

[04:46] good campaign DLC, a sort of a side story called Hivebusters in 2020. And of War Reloaded, the sort of remaster of the original from last year. So, it's been a long time coming and I was really excited heading into it and I'm eager to

[05:01] >> Yeah. >> You know, Damon, you classified this in a funny way where you're you're saying both these series have a lot to kind of restore or get back to. I think there's a big difference in the series in that

[05:13] Halo fans are the most mad about Halo, whereas Gears fans are like, "No, Gears >> But a lot of people really liked Gears 5, but it's just the audience has shrunk >> Oh, yeah. >> And Gears 2 and that was like the square

[05:30] in the center of the Xbox 360 dominant >> Love those games. Um, you know, but but a lot of people do swear by the recent entries, whereas like, you know, people were really felt lost by Halo Infinite

[05:44] and So, some people really didn't like this remake. Now, I liked both those a lot, so I just want more Halo anyway. >> Yeah, I mean I'm one of them. I reviewed the campaigns in Gears 4 and 5 for IGN, and I love them both. I definitely think

[05:57] they've been excellent. And I I think the Coalition has done a very, very, very good job inheriting this franchise. But, you're right, like this is the 20th anniversary this year of Gears, and it's it's certainly not nearly the the

[06:11] permeating cultural force that it was, but I hope E-Day can can reclaim at least some of that cuz at the very least like it's the optimism is there because we get Dom back. We're we're kind of we get to go back in time to when Marcus

[06:26] and Dom were younger, and it I I really hope they deliver, and and they've delivered for me on 4 and 5, so I'm optimistic. >> Now, Ryan, are you prepared to talk about Alien Isolation 2?

[06:39] >> Anytime. I you know, I I am very much looking forward to playing it. I know playing it, but [laughter] um no, I I'm looking forward to playing it. I I've said I mean, it's you know, it's

[06:52] become legend at this point, its own sort of it's taken on a life of its own, but I I said in that review, and I stand by this, the first like 4 or 5 hours of that game are awesome. And then it just goes on for about 10 hours too long, and

[07:08] uh and starts to drag in a number of ways, but yeah, I'm really curious to see this come back after so long, and >> How would you like it to go on for 20 more hours in a sequel? [laughter] >> Yeah, I'm I'm excited to see more of

[07:21] It looks like it's it's going to be set on a planet instead of up in some kind of spaceship, so I don't know. I hope they stick to kind of just the whole, especially with like Alien Earth recently and

[07:35] some of the sequels, they they felt the need to sort of branch away from the Xenomorphs, but I don't know. To me, just in a survival horror kind of horror with a xenomorph is that that's what sounds more appealing to me.

[07:48] >> Well, yeah. >> Xenomorph killing. Uh Xbox also has Stranger than Heaven, RGG Studios. Uh seems to be very similar in in vain to the Yakuza games. That's out

[08:01] That'll be at the show, too. Xbox has a few other games. Um I think those are the big heavy hitters. If we turn our attention to Nintendo, Sam, let full lineup. Let me know if it sounds like anything is missing from this list.

[08:15] Nintendo is going to have Double 07 First Light, Call of Duty Modern Warfare 4, EA Sports FC 27, Metaphor: Re Fantazio, Minecraft Dungeons 2, Nintendo Switch Sports Resort, Orbitals, the expansion pass for Pokémon Picopia and

[08:29] Splatoon Raiders. >> Yeah, please be excited. Several of >> But in in Nintendo's defense, these are uh they booth and they'll allow a bunch of people to play the games that, you know,

[08:43] kind of the purpose of this and it's kind of a an interesting, you know, mix of of of games that are already out and games that aren't that are completely out. However, I will uh point out that they said at the bottom of their post

[08:56] about that This is Nintendo of Europe uh uh posted that game list. They also said that and more is, you know, collect stickers. >> Yeah. >> But maybe, just maybe, it would be a

[09:09] game like Fire Emblem Fortunes Weave or the Zelda Ocarina of Time remake. Now, the Zelda Ocarina of Time remake. Now, we haven't seen uh you know, much of Zelda at all, right? We've got a little teaser and then a lot of leaks. Uh and I

[09:22] don't know if they're they're prepared to show this in any other capacity yet because I think they're going to wait until their now legendary repeated uh offering, their Nintendo uh direct of September. It's just such a regular

[09:37] >> Yeah. Yeah, maybe I mean, or Fire Emblem is out less than a month after Gamescom. Now, I can see maybe us, doesn't demo well to just walk up to on a show floor and jump into.

[09:51] >> Yeah, yeah, yeah, there's that. >> water a bunch of, >> Hey, come on over, get in line. >> mean, I'm a little surprised, you like about how this is kind of filling a void that left by E3. Nintendo really blew

[10:05] you know, back in the day build out out in their booth, you know, it's the it's a remake of Ocarina of Time. It just seems like Nintendo is not uh, sufficiently big enough deal about it, you know, when it's supposed to be

[10:18] out in 3 months now and I don't know, a remake of what some consider the to bring it to the show so 300,000 people can check it out? Nope. against? It's going up GTA, right? There's like every everything here

[10:31] more about this game. You know, to your point, the Nintendo used to do these big themed booths and and usually they had a theme. One year was Mario Odyssey and there's just like that big hat singing a song over and over again. And another

[10:45] year it was just an entire booth dedicated to Zelda. That's again, back to the builds and how fun it is to go to these events for again, the public. This is not just for press and and industry, it's the public. It would be cool if it

[10:58] have some kind of Zelda presence there, but I really do think right after, uh, know, the Zelda release date and price, about the bundle, uh, things like that that we don't know

[11:12] they could announce still at Gamescom and beyond. our friend Geoff Keighley who puts on the Opening Night Live Showcase, which going to be down in LA in your chair there, Damon, actually hosting our post

[11:27] watch along with us and tune in to see all of our reactions and analysis, but Keighley has gotten some big Nintendo stuff in the past. Like he got what the first footage or he got some gameplay from

[11:42] Breath of the Wild, right? Way back in the day. So, he's had Miyamoto introduce stuff. So, I mean, you know, there's an outside chance. I think you're you Sam, you're probably certainly correct that it's going to be a Nintendo Direct that

[11:55] shows us gameplay and the release date, but there's an outside chance that that Keighley's uh pulled something off here and maybe we get a release date trailer Live. >> Yeah.

[12:09] Nintendo, but was there last year is Elden Ring Tarnished Edition, which I week and it was actually supposed to be out we played it at uh uh Gamescom last year and we're not

[12:23] so they delayed it and now it's coming out this week, but they don't have it on So, I don't know if that's a vote of confidence or not. >> This is the Switch 2 version of the >> 2 version of

[12:35] Elden Ring, yeah. >> Well, what what I would say is uh for FromSoftware's new thing, the Dusk Bloods Switch 2 exclusive, we have a preview hands-on preview of that on IGN right now. We sent uh one of our

[12:48] editors, Michael Higham, over to FromSoftware in Tokyo and he brought back a big old preview. So, I encourage everybody to go check that out. nail on the head there. There's there's maybe no reason to bring it to Gamescom,

[13:02] but it also could appear in another booth that's not Nintendo's, right? sure. But I do think, you know, again, over 300,000 people will go to the show and if you let people play a

[13:16] game that they could buy right then, I think that would be a reason why you Splatoon Raiders. >> Yep, [clears throat] play Splatoon Raiders. Uh we're burying the lead here, Sam, because the next Mega Man game is

[13:29] >> Unbelievable. Unbelievable. [laughter] what a year it's been for Capcom so far. >> Oh, yeah. Resident Evil Requiem, uh, Pragmata, Onimusha is out very soon. That will be at the show as well. And

[13:43] yeah, Mega Man, we don't know when that was is coming out. Doesn't going to be next year, but yeah, it's called Mega Man Dual Override. And this is interesting because other than just existing as a new Mega Man

[13:55] >> Yes. >> Sam, I think it's interesting that it's not Mega Man 12. >> Yeah, that I mean, you know, do we know then if what type of

[14:08] platformer it is or anything like that? Like that's all to be answered, right? twist is it Mega Man with a twist? Like Mega Man, the classic format is just tackle the stages in whatever you want in in any order you want, defeat

[14:21] When they're down, you go to Dr. Wily's castle. Like that's kind of all that a Mega Man game needs to be. But the fact makes me wonder if it's if there's they're twisting or, you know, the the

[14:33] formula somehow. >> And there's been so many types of Mega that it's clearly going to be a Mega Man game, not one of those, right? We know that, but like yeah, what what there's just they've added things in these games

[14:46] slide in a different way or move in a different way and that's just usually what it is. I think there was like some time stoppy stuff in the last one. Is that right? So, for a game that I loved and reviewed.

[14:58] >> Yeah, I think 11 was 2018, so it's been a minute. Since the last Mega Man. Isn't it crazy to look back now? I feel like we were so spoiled. We got two, not in one, two pixel art Mega Man games during the Xbox Live Arcade games.

[15:12] Nine and 10. Just seems crazy that we >> Splash Woman, we hardly knew you. >> Plus Bionic Commando Rearmed from that sort of same era as well. >> So many great memories of the Xbox Live Arcade era, Summer of Arcade and all

[15:26] that. Summer of Arcade. Ryan, Control Resonance going to be there. That's our IGN First this month. That's out soon. Uh pretty much a known quantity at this that I want to play this game. I'm not sure if there's anything else that we

[15:40] public to get their hands on the game, do you think? Exactly. I had the privilege of playing this at the June events a couple months ago. And I'm I'm all in. Like playing it I mean I I I'm a big Remedy fan. Uh viewers of Unlock

[15:56] know that. I've I've loved pretty much everything not called Crossfire that they've ever done. They are a great great studio and the first Control was IGN's Game of the Year in 2019. We I can say with a straight face that we loved

[16:11] it before it was cool. And now Control Resonance is is cool. And I'm I'm glad the world has woken up to it. This looks really good. It's a it's a character action game rather than a third-person shooter, but it it's uh plays great in

[16:25] my experience and and yeah, I'm happy that every all the attendees at Gamescom will get to try it out. Uh Sam, Final Fantasy VII Revelations is going to be there. Due out next spring. Yeah. Yeah,

[16:38] multi-platform, correct? Yeah. Coming to exclusives for Square. Yeah. Xbox and Nintendo Switch too at launch. Yeah, and this one seemed to it seems to own development cycle, right? But some of that

[16:52] the you know, diving from the the airship almost Tears of the Kingdom that matters is that Tifa's in this game, right? Yep. She's in the game, so >> [laughter]

[17:06] >> She will be just fine, yep. Okay. But Ryan, uh Final Fantasy Resonance again That's the next game. That's out in October, but that's not going to be there. At least not announced. They haven't announced it ahead of time.

[17:19] >> Yeah, I mean, I it's it's done incredibly well in the coverage on IGN, which just indicates a ton of interest. So, yeah, I'm kind of surprised that Square isn't showing it in their booth at at Gamescom, but you know, Damon, I

[17:33] think you and I are both, Sam, I can probably lump you in with us as well, we're huge fans of HD-2D. It is >> Mhm. >> It [clears throat] is just the coolest modern retro aesthetic. I love it so

[17:46] much, and also the first turn proper turn-based Final Fantasy in a while, I game could end up being a very, very, very big deal. >> Yeah, you know, this one is a it it started its life as a mobile port,

[18:00] but from what I understand, this is such a big remaster that it's been added to and and almost remade. So, it'll play more like a console classic. Yeah, also I'm told that the

[18:13] >> story in that mobile game is actually pretty good in the first place, so it's good. >> I don't know if this game has T fan it. >> TBD. TB TBT. Uh, the last big game that is I think been

[18:26] of stuff that hasn't been announced yet, but the one that's been announced ahead of time is an expansion of an 11-year-old game, The Witcher 3. This is get its big reveal, I think, at Opening Night Live. Sam, I know you're a big fan

[18:39] of just the Witcher universe in general. This is a an expansion for an You know, what do you want from Is this going to be Geralt's swan song as they set up Ciri to be the lead in Witcher 4? >> I mean, think of how amazing The Witcher

[18:54] 3 development platform has been. It's been like, you know, a decade of of improvements. They they've ported it up several times. And so, now, like, using the newer tools to make a possibly a bridge game between Witcher 3 and

[19:08] Witcher 4, you know, as DLC, which is what I'm expecting, It is a really interesting idea. And you know, Witcher 3 doesn't look like It looks better. It should play

[19:20] differently and generally they've made these, you know, interesting even as standalone games. And trust me, going back to The Witcher is not like riding a bike. You look at your inventory and you're like, "Why do I have all these

[19:32] to me. Um but yeah, it it'll be I can't wait make a burner file and play through it. >> Let's see let's see what this is all >> Yeah, I can't wait. >> If If this does well, which I'm the odds

[19:45] are pretty good that it's going to do pretty well as provided that it's it is actually a good expansion. I think we will see other big developers do the same thing and and revisit games that are well in their past like

[19:59] I I wonder if you know, maybe the timing doesn't quite line up, but I got to figure that Bethesda might be watching with particular interest going, "Gosh, we could have So wait, we could have done a Skyrim expansion just as a and

[20:13] sold a whole bunch of copies, but maybe they do that with Fallout 4 or you know, something else in their catalog." Like I do think this that this could become a do think this that this could become a template for other big uh like really

[20:26] mega franchise games that that have had long lives to them like The Witcher 3 >> You know, one thing that makes this possible for The Witcher is that they are CD Projekt Red and they're the same development team that's expanded and

[20:39] made these games. And they're probably have all the institutional knowledge there. Like I'd imagine it'd be hard for Mass Effect 2 to make DLC now, right? >> [snorts] >> Yeah, I I believe

[20:51] which could totally nail this. >> I believe this expansion is being co-developed with with an outside team, but I if I recall correctly, the commenters will just correct me here cuz I'm I'm just in the moment, but I think

[21:05] that the lead developers on this are ex-CD Projekt Red people, so it's it's >> Yeah. >> Yeah, that's really interesting. >> 100%. >> Those are the big games that are

[21:19] announced. Uh there's going to be a lot more popping up at the show. Uh I think something like Tomb Raider: Legacy of Atlantis cuz that's out in February. >> Me, too. >> And you're going to be able to watch all

[21:31] this on IGN next week. It all kicks off Tuesday with opening night live, and then that's going to be at 10:30 a.m. Pacific. post-show coverage of that. And then our live stream goes all the way through

[21:44] Sunday. Wednesday through Sunday, you can catch the IGN Gamescom coverage 6:00 a.m. Pacific. And then we will be doing a Game Scoop episode on Sunday. previews and trailers on IGN's YouTube channel as well. And then on top of all

[21:59] that, on top of all that, is Grand Theft Auto VI next week. going to be a big week. >> It's going to be a good >> week for games. Good week for fans. >> Big exciting week. Okay, speaking of

[22:11] to know what is your currently your most anticipated Square Enix game? I think on the way. Final Fantasy VII Revelation, Final Fantasy Resonance, Collection, Dragon Quest Monsters: The Withered World, and Dragon Quest XII.

[22:27] Head over to ign.com or Spotify to vote, and we'll go over the results on our next episode, just like we can with last episode's poll. We wanted to know uh how many full-price games besides GTA do you plan to buy this fall? The winning

[22:39] result with almost 30% was two. Two games Two games in addition to uh GTA VI. But then uh the runner-ups were tied. 20% said zero, GTA VI is all they need, and then 20%

[22:52] said one, one more game, so. That's how they plan to spend their >> So, what are the two? Maybe >> Wolverine and Call of Duty would be the those other two games would be for a lot of people.

[23:05] >> I completely agree. Ocarina of Time and Wolverine Ocarina of Time, yeah. Good right choice though is Mina the Hollower. Castlevania. >> Yeah, that's a good one actually. Yeah,

[23:18] week and then we're getting a new Castlevania in October, so. spooky season setup, right? >> That's true. All right, that's our show. games come of it all, but next gen console watch will return on Friday,

[23:32] Sam. Thank you to everyone working possible. My name is Damon and we'll see you in a couple weeks.

[23:50] was produced by Damon Hatfield, Jobert Atienza, and Sam Clayborn. Damon is also the host and Max Scoville and Ryan McCaffrey serve as regular panelists. with technical production by Marian Fransen and Amir Rakib. Audio

[24:03] Post-production editing is by Jobert Atienza and graphic design is by Justin Vachon. Next Gen Console Watch is an IGN production and part of the Geek Media production and part of the Geek Media Network.