Review: Gamescom ONL fed gaming’s most fervent fandoms and came out alive – if only just

“Your reputation is legend,” says a vampire in ‘80s shoulderpads and hoop earrings. Her tone is awestruck, her expression fearful. She might as well be talking to her game’s predecessor.

Vampire: The Masquerade – Bloodlines was an RPG so beloved that its fans lifted it from buggy brokenness to cult classic status via two decades of painstaking unofficial patches. Some fear is merited, when it comes to pitching its sequel.

The pressure of following up such a legend has only been compounded by the sorry journey of Bloodlines 2: announced six years ago, delayed repeatedly, and restarted from scratch after the ugly breakup of its original team. Now, though, new developer The Chinese Room appears quietly self-assured.

Its latest trailer comes off the back of a careful campaign that has gradually won over press without promising too much. Bloodlines 2 approaches its October 21 release date from a position of strength – forefronting Dishonored-style supernatural combat and vertical exploration, as well as a narrative sophistication that evokes its predecessor without aping it. While it’s surreal to see a date attached to a title that once seemed cursed to undeath, a certain confidence in Bloodlines 2 feels well-earned.

It’s a story emblematic of Gamescom’s Opening Night Live, during which Geoff Keighley and a parade of game studios weave their way between heightened expectations and damaged reputations with qualified success. The show began by slapping a firm deadline on Hollow Knight: Silksong, the metroidvania which over long years of little communication has become Steam’s most wishlisted game – anticipation swelling in the silence since its last trailer in 2022.

“I can finally, definitively tell you that Silksong is 100% actually launching this year,” said Keighley, pointing firmly at the ground as if to anchor the new Hollow Knight to it. Summer reveal shows have left a long history of vapourware in their wake, and in rare moments like these, Keighley gets to be the face of solace and relief – a priest pulling wisp-like game concepts into the realm of the tangible. So long as Silksong really does turn up before fireworks on New Year’s Eve.

Even among annualised series which hit their release date every Autumn without fail, there’s a sense that long-neglected threads are being pulled upon. Black Ops 7 filled the Gamescom hall with the ravings of Raul Menendez, Call of Duty’s most memorable and histrionic villain. By pairing him off with the sultry star power of Milo Ventimiglia – newly joining the series’ mythical Mason family – Activision has landed on a potentially powerful combo.

True, the trippy dreamscapes and promised co-op campaign bring back unwelcome memories of 2015’s disastrous Black Ops III – mercifully the last COD campaign Treyarch ever led. But Raven Software is on a run of satisfying and experimental single-player COD entries, and has proven adept at reviving characters from the series’ past, all of which lends the studio some goodwill.

The world of television, too, finds Fallout’s showrunners capitalising on fan faith – garnered during its acclaimed first season, which won 100 million viewers, 16 Emmy nominations, and most crucially, the approval of a majority of series diehards.

“In rare moments like these, Keighley gets to be the face of solace and relief – a priest pulling wisp-like game concepts into the realm of the tangible”

With that trust behind them, Jonathan Nolan and co. are bravely stepping into the especially treasured desert of New Vegas, and playing with some of its most significant pieces – including the Obsidian invention Mr House, whose casino spire is lovingly recreated in live action. One poster shown onstage appears to depict star Ella Purnell standing inside the jaws of Dinky the T-Rex, the roadside attraction where New Vegas first met Boone, one of Obsidian’s most popular RPG companions.

Nolan’s quip about not having brought any footage to show doesn’t seem to raise a single laugh from the crowd. Perhaps it’s just the audio mix, or a valuable reminder that the show’s creators should hold their success lightly. Netflix’s Witcher adaptation also seemed untouchable at one time, but prevailing fan opinion is fickle and can turn with the wind.

Other videogame spokespeople must look on with envy when Naoki Yoshida takes to the stage. Fondly referred to as Yoshi-P by his community, Yoshida is known for transforming the fortunes of Final Fantasy XIV, and his appearance provokes one of the biggest cheers of the night. Emoting comfortably in front of millions while a translator relays his words, he communes ably with his MMO’s enormous fanbase in a way most creative directors would kill to emulate.

Some of Keighley’s own pronouncements are less inspiring. Picking up a favourite subject from Summer Game Fest, he continues to beat the drum for the dynamism of the games industry. His claim that “clever ideas from small teams are breaking through in huge ways” is undeniably true. But this is a stage where trailer time is reportedly bought for hundreds of thousands of dollars, rewarding the publishers with the deepest pockets.

Besides a brief celebration of indies tackling the tricky subject of democracy, there’s little room for any small teams to break through here, and the message rings hollow.

Similarly, while Keighley proudly recalls the Game Awards wins of Black Myth: Wukong, the announcement of its sequel leaves a bad taste in the mouth. Though gorgeous, its trailer opens with a jibe about a character’s belly. It’s hard not be reminded of the recruitment poster that Black Myth developer Game Science posted in 2015, which stated that “fatties should fuck off” – part of a wider history of intolerance that has largely gone unaddressed as the studio’s star has risen.

It’s not a pleasant note on which to end the show, but maybe it tells us something important. Although popular support can embolden developers to create their best works, it can also encourage them to double down on their mistakes. Let’s hope that the many other studios taking brave risks on the Opening Night Live stage remember to reflect on their own failings, even when their dreams come true.