The Gamescom Opening Night Live 2025 Pre-Show Was Better Than the Main Event

Gamescom Opening Night Live is one of the two main events hosted by Geoff Keighley, and it has effectively replaced E3. What began as a strong yearly showcase filled with reveals and announcements has gradually lost some of its initial magic.

While this is not entirely the fault of the event itself, the shows are often filled with the usual multiplayer shooters, dark fantasy action RPGs, and gacha titles with slightly different coats of paint. Still, every year, the illustrious Kyle Bosman hosts the pre-show, and it is safe to say his segment stole the spotlight of the 2025 main event.

Here are five great trailers from the Gamescom Opening Night Live 2025 Pre-Show!

Denshattack! Announcement Trailer

• Steam
• Release Date: Spring 2026

Can I just say this might be the best trailer I saw during the entire event? Because it was. In Denshattack! you flip, trick, and grind a train through more than 50 levels, constantly putting your reflexes to the test. It has everything a great trailer should deliver, bursting with energy, packed with gameplay, and set to memorable music.

Absolum Release Date Trailer

• Steam
• Release Date: October 9, 2025

I had the chance to preview Absolum a few months ago and had an absolute blast with it. Developed by one of the studios behind Streets of Rage 4, it is a fantasy beat ’em up packed with insane combo potential, a diverse cast, and addictive roguelite goodness.

If that is your thing, Absolum is your jam. During the pre-show, the last playable character was finally revealed, along with the release date of the title.

PVKK: Planetenverteidigungskanonenkommandant Reveal

• Steam
• Release Date: TBA

No, my cat didn’t step on my keyboard; that’s the actual title of the game from the developers behind Dome Keeper. In PVKK, you operate a planetary defense cannon to fend off an interplanetary invasion. All of this is done from the comfort of your cozy, but highly interactive operating room. It looks like a 3D version of Dome Keeper, mixed with the mechanical depth of a simulator and the moral complexity of Papers, Please.

Long Gone

• Steam
• Release Date: TBA

What if The Last of Us wasn’t about humanity at its darkest after a zombie outbreak, but instead a dark comedy point-and-click adventure? That’s essentially what Long Gone is. The trailer gave me a good laugh, and I really enjoyed the pixel art animation they showcased.

Outlaws Remaster! (No, not that one)

• Steam
• Release Date: November 10, 2025

Outlaws from LucasArts is coming to PC and consoles later this year. If you haven’t heard of it, it’s a solid first-person shooter with a distinctive western art style, a memorable campaign that carries all the hallmarks of an early LucasArts title, and a variety of multiplayer modes.

Nightdive Studios deserves praise for their incredible work in preserving PC classics, remastering them for modern systems without compromising what made them special, and this looks like another excellent effort!

There were a few more reveals at the pre-show, but the trailers above really stood out for me and overshadowed most of the announcements at the main show. Yes, I saw more of already announced titles like Onimusha and Resident Evil 9, but I wish Open Night Live had more creative titles as shown in the pre-show.