Gaming
Games
7 unexpected Gamescom Opening Night Live reveals you might have missed
Gamescom Opening Night Live 2026 kicked off the world’s biggest gaming trade fair. Here are seven key reveals and surprises that may have slipped under your radar.
The 2026 edition of Opening Night Live, the traditional kick-off for the massive Gamescom fair in Cologne, was as jam-packed with gaming news and big reveals as ever. Following a 30-minute pre-show, the two-hour main programme got things properly underway, making for a total of 150 minutes of entertainment. The result: a packed programme of world premieres, new gameplay sequences and updates on long-awaited titles. If you missed the show, we've already covered the biggest news from the night, but read on for a rundown for some exciting nuggets you might've missed.
01
Game of Thrones: War for Westeros finally shows gameplay
Game of Thrones: War for Westeros
© PlaySide
More than a year after its first cinematic trailer, PlaySide Studios finally showed gameplay from Game of Thrones: War for Westeros at Opening Night Live. The licensed real-time strategy game lets you lead one of four factions: Stark, Lannister, Targaryen or the White Walkers, led by the Night King. Each faction brings its own units to the battlefield, ranging from classic infantry and cavalry to the Targaryens’ dragons.
Particularly exciting for fans of the series, familiar characters such as Jon Snow, Daenerys Targaryen, Jaime Lannister, Robb Stark, Tywin Lannister and the Night King himself are playable heroes, each with their own abilities. They also feature the likenesses of the HBO actors in the game. The aim is to capture outposts, destroy enemy bases and ultimately claim the Iron Throne, though you’re free to let the story unfold very differently from the series.
War for Westeros is due to launch in early 2027 for PC via Steam. Developer PlaySide had already postponed the release, which was originally planned for 2026, to give the game the polish needed to satisfy both RTS and Game of Thrones fans. A playable beta has also been announced ahead of launch, although specific dates have yet to be confirmed.
02
1001 Threads of Mizan brings Arabic mythology to gaming
1001 Threads of Mizan is set to be a co-op highlight
© MBC Game Studio
One of the biggest surprises of the evening came from the brand-new MBC Game Studio. The team, made up of veterans from BioWare, Hi-Rez, Ubisoft Montréal and Bungie, unveiled its debut game, 1001 Threads of Mizan, a co-op action-adventure inspired by One Thousand and One Nights.
You take on the role of one of three heroes – Yusra, Malik and Sufyan – who are brought together by the legendary storyteller Shahrazad. Together, they must recover the lost power of Mizan before an ancient jinn king can take his revenge on humanity. At the heart of the game is travel by flying carpet, allowing the three of you to journey through the world in drop-in, drop-out co-op and battle colossal jinn bosses.
1001 Threads of Mizan is coming to PC, PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X/S and Nintendo Switch 2, although a release date has yet to be confirmed.
03
LEGO Skylines turns city building into a brick-by-brick experience
Anticipation for LEGO Skylines is building
© Paradox Interactive
Paradox Interactive and Iceflake Studios, the developers of Cities: Skylines II, have joined forces with the LEGO Group to announce LEGO Skylines, a city-building game with a distinctly brick-based twist. You build your city brick by brick, starting with a single plot of land and growing it into a metropolis while managing electricity, water and waste collection – just like in the real world – all wrapped up in the light-hearted LEGO style. Iceflake describes the goal as delivering the most personalised building experience possible, with only your imagination setting the limits.
LEGO Skylines is coming to PC, PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X/S and Nintendo Switch 2. There’s no release date yet, but you can already add the game to your wishlist.
04
Rainbow Six Tactics takes Ubisoft into turn-based strategy
Rainbow Six Tactics is a turn-based strategy game in the mould of XCOM
© Ubisoft
Ubisoft surprised us with Rainbow Six Tactics, a genuine XCOM-style spin-off. As Commander Six, you select familiar operators from Rainbow Six Siege, including Ash, Doc, Glaz, Sledge, Montagne and Nokk, upgrade your headquarters between missions and send squads of up to four operators into turn-based missions. On the ground, you’ll encounter destructible environments and synchronised breaches, allowing you to work together to break through doors and walls.
The game will be completely free of microtransactions and is due to launch in 2027 for PC, PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X/S. That makes it the first console instalment in the series since Rainbow Six Extraction in 2022.
05
Warlock: Dungeons & Dragons shows off its first gameplay
Wizards of the Coast and Invoke Studios have revealed the first gameplay footage of Warlock: Dungeons & Dragons. You play as Kaatri, a Weapon Master who forges a pact with the powerful Archfey Tasha, gaining access to so-called Raw Magic. Combat and exploration merge into a single system in which you can tactically use your surroundings, enemy positions and even the weather, while combining spells with melee attacks.
Warlock is due to launch in 2027 for PC, PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X/S, although an exact date has yet to be announced. Watch the trailer here.
06
No Law is a dark new cyberpunk shooter from Sweden
Deus Ex fans should definitely make note of No Law
© KRAFTON, Inc.
Things took a decidedly darker turn with No Law from Swedish studio Neon Giant, best known for The Ascent. This first-person cyberpunk shooter casts you as ex-soldier Grey Harker in the run-down city of Port Desire, where you hunt down so-called Mayors.
The new gameplay trailer showcased hacking, stealth sequences and action-packed combat against a dark, neon-lit backdrop. Not much is known yet, but No Law looks closer to a potential new Deus Ex game than anything we’ve seen since Mankind Divided.
07
ANANTA finally gets a release date
Things have become a little clearer for ANANTA, the open-world action role-playing game that has often been described as an ‘anime GTA’. The game is due to launch on January 15, 2027, for PlayStation 5 and will be free-to-play. A new trailer accompanied the release-date announcement, giving fans a clearer idea of when they can finally get their hands on the game after it was first revealed without a specific launch date.
About the author
Assassin's Creed Black Flag Resynced
For the leap of faith.
How well do you know the Credo? Take the quiz, test your knowledge, and a unique in-game reward awaits those who complete the challenge.
