Gamescom 2020: how to watch, opening night and what to expect

Gamescom 2020, the annual video game event which is usually held in Germany, is going online-only this year due to the coronavirus.

Behind E3, it is one of the biggest Summer gaming events to look forward to and there's plenty already to look out for when it goes live today, Thursday, August 27.

From Thursday until Sunday there will be non-stop game trailers, announcements, live gameplay demos, exclusive develop interviews and much, much more.

The first main event is a pre-show on Thursday called Opening Night Live, which already has revealed some of what we're going to see announced during the show, but there will be a lot of surprises too.

Here is the full schedule for Gamescom 2020.

Gamescom 2020 date and start time

Gamescom 2020 will be going live officially on Thursday 27 August at 6:30 pm BST, which will be kicked off with the first show called Opening Night Live.

This event will be hosted by journalist Geoff Keighley and feature multiple video game reveals and new looks at gameplay trailers like Ratchet & Clank on PS5.

The entirety of Gamescom runs from Thursday until Sunday, so there's plenty to keep you occupied.

Where to watch Gamescom live in the UK

The event will be viewable from anywhere in the world with an internet connection, simply visit the official Gamescom website right here.

Alternatively, the live stream can be seen on YouTube, Twitch, Twitter and Facebook.

What we expect to see at Gamescom 2020

A lot of what to expect from the Opening Night Live event happening on Thursday has been shared on Twitter, but there are still some surprises.

Expect to see plenty of news on upcoming games, gameplay demos, trailers and brand new announcements over these four days of gaming glory.

From Indie spotlights to AAA studios, people are already excited to see there will be a brand new demo of Crash Bandicoot 4 and the new Ratchet and Clank game, the latter of which will be a PS5 title.

Gamescom 2020 schedule

Thursday 27:

Gamescom will begin with the opening show, which so far is going to show us at least nine new exclusive gameplay trailers or reveals.

So far, the above image is everything we've been told about that will be announced during the opening show, but this won't be everything — expect to see more added to this list and some surprises which will remain a secret.

The below is the schedule for Thursday, which again begins at 6:30 pm BST.

6:30 pm BST

• Opening Night Live with Geoff Keighley

8:30pm BST

• Unannounced Game - Trailer reveal

• Unannounced Game - Trailer reveal

• Project Cars 3 - Trailer reveal

• Observer: System Redux - Trailer reveal

• Unannounced Game - Trailer and gameplay reveal

• Retro Machina - New gameplay reveal

9pm BST

• Godfall - New gameplay reveal

• CaptainTsubasa: Rise of New Champions - Trailer

• Unannounced Game - Trailer

• Solasta: Crown of the Magister - Trailer

• EVERSPACE 2 - Trailer and New gameplay

9:30pm BST

• Pumpkin Jack - New gameplay

• Dual Universe - Trailer

• Unannounced Game - Trailer

• Jump Force Deluxe Edition - Trailer

10pm BST

• Humble Games - 2020 Lineup Trailer

• Dual Universe - New gameplay

• Monster Truck Championship - Trailer

• Speed Limit - Trailer

• X4: Foundations - Trailer

• Giants Uprising - Trailer

10:30pm BST

• Tinkertown - New Gameplay Reveal

• Giants Uprising - New Gameplay Reveal

• X4: Foundations - New Gameplay Reveal

Friday 28

Friday's show will begin at 3:30pm and run until 10pm.

3:30pm BST

• Goldilock One - Trailer reveal

• The Dark Pictures Anthology: Little Hope - Gameplay reveal

5pm BST

• Genshin Impact - Trailer reveal

• Scarlet Nexus - Gameplay

• Ponpu - New gameplay

• Unannounced Game - Trailer reveal

• Conarium - Trailer

• Naser: Son of Man - Trailer

• Unannounced DLC - Trailer

• Humankind - New gameplay

5:30pm BST

• Age of Empires III - Developer interview

• Little Nightmares II - Gameplay preview

• Stronghold: Warlords - New gameplay

• Morbid: The Seven Acolytes - New gameplay

6pm BST

• Captain Tsubasa: Rise of New Champions - Launch trailer and gameplay

• Transient - Trailer

• HAAK - Trailer

• Zelter - Trailer

• Overloop - Trailer

6:30pm BST

• Sakuna: Of Rice and Ruin - New gameplay

• The Waylanders - New game footage

• Sea of Thieves - Developer update

• Medal of Honor: Above and Beyond - New gameplay

• Unexplored 2 - New gameplay

• Crash Bandicoot - Developer interview

7pm BST

• Street Power Soccer - Trailer

• Drake Hollow - Trailer

• Raji: An Ancient Epic - Trailer

• Dirt5 - Trailer

• Drone Swarm - New gameplay

7:30pm BST

• Ikenfell - New gameplay

• WRC 9 - New gameplay

• The Medium - New gameplay

• Alaloth – Champions of the Four Kingdoms - New gameplay

• ANNO: Mutationem - New gameplay

• Project Haven - New gameplay

8pm BST

• The Medium - Developer interview

• Up at Noon with Max and Brian (featuring voice actor Troy Baker)

• Tony Hawk Pro Skater Remaster - Developer interview

8:30pm BST

• Per Aspera - Trailer Reveal

• Sherlock Holmes: Chapter One - Trailer

• Wonhon: A Vengeful Spirit - Trailer

• In Sound Mind - New gameplay

• Weaving Tides - New gameplay

• Spacebase Startopia - New gameplay

• KeyWe - New gameplay

9pm BST

• Gatewalkers - New gameplay

• Humble Games - 2021 Lineup Trailer

• The Wild at Heart - New gameplay

• Project Wingman - Trailer

• Unannounced Game - Trailer

• Unannounced Game - Trailer

• Prodeus - New gameplay

9:30pm BST

• Gamescom Daily Show

• Just Die Already - Trailer

Saturday 29

Saturday's show will begin at 3:30 pm and run until 10pm.

The Awesome Indies show will be taking place today and there will be more exclusive announcements through the day.

3:30 pm BST:

• Gestalt: Steam & Cinder - New gameplay

• Hello Neighbor 2 - New gameplay

• Haven - New gameplay

4pm BST

• Ace Combat 7: Skies Unknown - Gameplay trailer and interview

• Medieval Dynasty - Trailer

• Scourgebringer - Trailer

• Blazing Sails - Trailer

• Potion Party - Trailer

• Dark Fracture - New gameplay

4:30pm BST

• Remothered: Broken Porcelain - Trailer

• Iron Harvest - Trailer

• Minute of Islands - Trailer

• Core - Trailer

• Demon Turf - New gameplay

• Kings Bounty II - New gameplay

5pm BST

• Toodee and Topdee - New gameplay

• Blankos Block Party - New gameplay

• Gonner2 - New gameplay

• Proto Corgi - New gameplay

• Cyber Hook - New gameplay

5:30pm BST

• Grindstone - Nintendo Switch gameplay reveal

• Chained Echoes - New gameplay

• Minecraft Dungeons - New gameplay

6pm BST

• Awesome Indies Show

• Unannounced Game - Trailer

• The Last Spell - New gameplay

• Skul: The Hero Slayer - Version 1.0 gameplay

• Spinch - Trailer

• Gone Viral - Trailer

• Paradise Lost - Trailer

• Ariel_Knight's Never Yield - Trailer

• Terror Squid - Trailer

6:30pm BST

• Adventures of Chris - New gameplay

• Out of Place - New gameplay

• Blade Assault - Trailer

• Exo One - Trailer

• Space Crew - Trailer

• Tamarin - Trailer

• Unannounced Game - Gameplay reveal

• Endling - Gameplay reveal

7pm BST

• Riftbreaker - Trailer and New gameplay

• Gamedec - Trailer

• Unannounced Game - Trailer

• GRIME - Trailer

• Ghostrunner - Trailer and gameplay reveal

7:30pm BST

• Wonder Boy – Asha in Monster World - Trailer and gameplay reveal

• Necronator: Dead Wrong - Trailer

• Kosmokrats - Trailer

• Aeon Drive - Trailer

• A Juggler's Tale - New Gameplay

• ID@Xbox - Lineup trailer

• Skeleton Crew - Trailer

• Ostranauts - Trailer

• Away: The Survival Series - Gameplay reveal

8pm BST

• Mafia: Definitive Edition - Gameplay preview

• Ary and the Secret of Seasons - New gameplay

• F.I.S.T.: Forged In Shadow Torch - New gameplay

8:30pm BST

• GigaBash - New gameplay

• The Signifier - New gameplay

• Roboquest - New gameplay

• Wargaming - Developer interview

• Vigor - Trailer

9pm BST

• Rune II - Trailer

• As Far As The Eye - Trailer

• Hundred Days – Winemaking Simulator - Trailer

• Death of Rose - New gameplay

• DARQ - New gameplay

• Hotshot Racing - New gameplay

9:30pm BST

• Borderlands 3: Psycho Krieg and the Fantastic Fustercluck - New gameplay

• Speed Limit - New gameplay

• Doom Eternal: The Ancient Gods - Developer commentary

10pm BST

• Gamescom Daily Show

• Warriors: Rise to Glory - Trailer

• Hypercharge: Unboxed - New gameplay

• DustoffZ - New gameplay

Sunday 30

The last day of the event will still have some gameplay reveals and some cosplay events lined up, running from 3:30 pm to 9 pm BST.

Best Awards of the show will be handed out on this day, honouring the most impressive reveal.

• Unto the End - New gameplay

• 8-Bit Adventures 2 - New gameplay

• Konrad's Kittens - New gameplay

• The Outer Worlds: Peril on Gorgon - New gameplay

• Gamescom Best Of Awards Show

That's everything coming from Gamescom this year and it's looking to be one heck of a show with all these announcements and trailers.

It's great to see we're getting a look at some more PS5 titles and others which will be potentially shown as running on next-generation consoles.

Make sure you catch the show over on the official Gamescom website.