Opening Night Live 2026: METRO 2039 and Witcher 3 Songs of the Past Confirmed
Buried inside gamescom's latest press release about the sold-out 2026 show floor is the kind of detail that makes trailer hunters sit up straight: Opening Night Live will feature news on METRO 2039 and on Songs of the Past, the newly announced return to The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt, both currently expected to launch in 2027. Geoff Keighley returns as host on the evening of August 25, and this year he is officially joined by co-host Eefje "sjokz" Depoortere. Here is what we can piece together about gamescom's big opening show so far.
Two heavy hitters already confirmed
Opening Night Live usually keeps its lineup close to the chest until the final weeks, which makes this early confirmation unusual. According to the organizers, viewers can expect updates on METRO 2039, the next entry in the atmospheric post-apocalyptic shooter series, and on Songs of the Past, the surprise return to The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt, the game that defined an entire RPG generation.
Both projects are slated for 2027, so nobody should expect release-date-and-done marketing beats. This is the sweet spot in a game's promotional cycle where studios actually show substance: extended gameplay, story setup, maybe a proper deep dive. For Metro fans, any sign of life is exciting, the series has been quiet since Exodus, and the jump implied by the title raises plenty of questions about where 4A Games takes the surface world next. And for The Witcher, revisiting Geralt's world in Songs of the Past while The Witcher 4 continues development elsewhere is a fascinating move by CD PROJEKT RED that deserves a closer look on the big stage.
sjokz joins Keighley on stage
The other notable detail: Opening Night Live is getting a second host. Eefje "sjokz" Depoortere, best known as one of the most respected presenters in esports, will co-host the show alongside Geoff Keighley.
That is a meaningful change for a format that has essentially been a one-man marathon since it launched in 2019. A co-host opens the door to a different rhythm on stage, more back-and-forth, more room to breathe between world premieres, and sjokz brings genuine credibility with European audiences, which feels right for a show broadcast from Cologne to millions of viewers worldwide.
The show around the show
Opening Night Live is only one piece of gamescom's streaming offensive this year. The press release also confirms that the gamescom awesome indies show is being expanded together with IGN, giving independent studios a bigger international spotlight. Between ONL, the indie showcase, and the newly announced gamescom GDQ speedrunning marathon streaming from Friday to Sunday, there will be more official gamescom programming to watch from home than ever before.
The context makes this year special, too. gamescom 2026 is completely sold out for the first time in the event's history, with newcomers like Embark Studios, Konami, and Tencent Games joining an exhibitor list that already reads like a who's who of the industry. A packed show floor tends to mean a packed announcement calendar.
When to tune in
gamescom Opening Night Live airs on the evening of August 25, 2026, one day before the main show opens in Cologne on August 26. The fair itself runs through August 30, while the gamescom week starts on August 24 with the gamescom dev conference.
If the early METRO 2039 and Songs of the Past confirmations are any indication of the caliber of this year's lineup, August 25 should be firmly circled in every gamer's calendar.
