I’ve been to Gamescom six times – here’s what excited me this year
The BBC's Laura Cress reports from Gamescom in Cologne, the world's largest in-person gaming event, on her sixth visit to the show. She highlights several major titles previewed this year, including a surprise new expansion for The Witcher 3, the long-awaited sequel Alien: Isolation 2, and a 2027 reboot of Playground Games' Fable, noting the event's continued growth and the mix of blockbuster and indie developers on show.
Last year's Gamescom drew over 350,000 attendees, with this year's turnout expected to be higher still. CD Projekt Red announced a free upgrade to the original Witcher 3 alongside a new expansion, Songs of the Past, exploring Geralt's friend Dandelion's past, with voice actor Doug Cockle returning to the role. Horsham-based Creative Assembly's Alien: Isolation 2 sees players take on a new protagonist, Blake, facing the Xenomorph in both claustrophobic and open-air settings, while Leamington Spa studio Playground Games described its Fable reboot as built around "Britishness" and "fairy tales", featuring a voice cast of over 100 actors representing UK regional accents.
- Gamescom 2026 drew record crowds to Cologne showcasing major new games.
- The Witcher 3 gets a surprise expansion and free upgrade for original game.
- Alien: Isolation 2 and a UK-accented Fable reboot also previewed.
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Gamescom is a large annual video games event held in Cologne, Germany, where developers show upcoming games to the public and industry. It brings together big publishers and smaller independent studios, and drew more than 350,000 people last year.
The games mentioned come from studios in Poland and the UK. CD Projekt Red makes The Witcher series, Creative Assembly is developing a follow-up to its science-fiction horror game Alien: Isolation, and Playground Games is rebooting the fantasy series Fable.
These games matter to players and studios because major releases can attract large audiences and shape what gets made next. Gamescom also gives smaller developers a chance to show their work alongside established series.