Skip to main content
Tech Radar TechRadar the technology experts
Sign in
  • View Profile
  • Sign out
RSS
Asia
flag of Singapore
Singapore
Europe
flag of Danmark
Danmark
flag of Suomi
Suomi
flag of Norge
Norge
flag of Sverige
Sverige
flag of UK
UK
flag of Italia
Italia
flag of Nederland
Nederland
flag of België (Nederlands)
België (Nederlands)
flag of France
France
flag of Deutschland
Deutschland
flag of España
España
North America
flag of US (English)
US (English)
flag of Canada
Canada
flag of México
México
Australasia
flag of Australia
Australia
flag of New Zealand
New Zealand
  • Phones
  • Computing
  • TVs
  • AI
  • Streaming
  • Health
  • Audio
  • VPN
  • More
    • Cameras
    • Home
    • News
    • Reviews
    • Opinion
    • How to
    • Versus
    • Deals
    • Coupons
    • Best
Tech Radar Pro
Tech Radar Gaming
Trending
  • Amazon Prime Day
  • Smart Home Week
  • Nintendo Switch 2
  • Best VPN
  • ChatGPT
  • Best web hosting
  • NYT Wordle today
  • Best laptop

Recommended reading

A Nintendo Switch 2 system with one Joy-Con angled away from the main piece
Gaming Nintendo confirms its return to Gamescom this year, presumably with a bunch of Switch 2 games
Summer Game Fest 2025 live.
Gaming Resident Evil 9 has been revealed, plus everything else announced at Summer Game Fest 2025 and my live reactions as it happened
Call of Duty: Black Ops 7
Xbox Xbox Games Showcase 2025: everything revealed from Call of Duty: Black Ops 7 and Persona 4 remake to a new handheld
PlayStation Wrap Up 2020
Gaming PlayStation State of Play June 2025: everything announced from Silent Hill f finally getting a release date to Final Fantasy Tactics remake reveal as it happened
The artwork for the June 2025 Konami Press Start live stream
Gaming Konami Press Start as it happened: original Silent Hill remake confirmed, plus updates on Metal Gear Solid Delta: Snake Eater and Silent Hill f
Baldur's Gate 3 official artwork showing Astarion, Showdowheart, Gale, and Tieflings
PC Gaming The 21 best PC games to play in 2025
Firing dual guns in Wolfenstein II: The New Colossus
Gaming Don't miss the chance to grab a free copy of one of the best FPS games on Xbox and PC with Amazon Prime
  1. Gaming
  2. Consoles & PC

Gamescom 2018: 10 things you need to know from Europe's largest gaming show

News
By Kevin Lee published 24 August 2018

The best from Cologne, Germany

When you purchase through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission. Here’s how it works.

The biggest announcements from Gamescom 2018

The biggest announcements from Gamescom 2018

Gamescom might not be E3 2018 in terms major announcements and reveals, but it's a fantastic show for actually playing everything that was announced a year prior. This year the European gaming convention has plenty to offer, with an extended look at Battlefield V, exciting (and disappointing) release date updates, and even new graphics cards.

Read on for the biggest announcements and reveals from the show. Plus we're still on the show floor playing games, so stay tuned for our latest impressions of the newest games and hardware.

  • Looking for the best games to be playing right now, we've sorted the list you need
Page 1 of 11
Page 1 of 11
Viva la wireless

Viva la wireless

We’ve been waiting a long time for wireless virtual reality headsets and HTC announced it’ll be here in a month. At Gamescom, the electronics firm announced that the HTC Vive's wireless adapter will be available starting on September 24, finally giving users the ability to play VR titles without being tethered to a PC. For $299 (£299, AU$459), the Vive Wireless Adapter includes a wireless adapter, link box, one HTC QC 3.0 battery pack, which is expected to last for up to 2.5 hours of continuous use.

Page 2 of 11
Page 2 of 11
Blizzard is a busy bee

Blizzard is a busy bee

While the Summer Games are in full swing in Overwatch, Blizzard is already moving forward with it next major map. Busan is a new control map, featuring three prominent sights which serve as control points (areas that teams capture/defend): Sanctuary, Downtown, and MEKA Base. To celebrate the momentous occasion, Blizzard also released a new animated short called Shooting Star featuring D.Va (aka Hana Song) and a bit more of her backstory – sadly Gremlin D.Va doesn’t make an appearance.

Page 3 of 11
Page 3 of 11
A royal tease

A royal tease

When DICE first revealed Battlefield V at E3 2018 it promised the game would include a royale mode, and now we might have gotten our first glimpse of it in action. Although the newly released Devastation of Rotterdam trailer doesn’t explicitly reveal a royale mode, a massive a ring of fire closing in on players seems to be an unmistakable hint. During Gamescom, DICE also announced an open beta for Battlefield V will begin on September 4 for early access and September 6 for players on Origin, PlayStation 4 and Steam.

Page 4 of 11
Page 4 of 11
Nvidia's ultimate graphics cards

Nvidia's ultimate graphics cards

We all but expected Nvidia to announced new graphics cards featuring ray tracing, but we were still blown away by the announcement of the GeForce RTX family. Based on our hands-on impressions of the Nvidia RTX 2080 Ti and what Nvidia tells us about the RTX 2080, the two top GPUs from this Nvidia Turing generation will be able to play games at 4K and 60fps.

Page 5 of 11
Page 5 of 11
Take two on the finding the meaning of life

Take two on the finding the meaning of life

We finally know what Life is Strange 2 is all about thanks to a new trailer released at Gamescom. The video reveals the game will focus on two new protagonists, brothers Sean (16) and Daniel (9) Diaz. The five-part episodic tale will follow the brothers as they set off on a road trip to their family’s hometown of Puerto Lobos following a tragic accident that turns their life in Seattle, Washington upside down.

Page 6 of 11
Page 6 of 11
Still finding those sailors

Still finding those sailors

Shenmue III is officially releasing next year on August 27, 2019 for the PlayStation 4 and PC. The release date comes a little later than we would have wanted – especially since the game’s original Kickstarter in June 2015, but at least Koch Media and YS Net Inc. delivered the news alongside a new trailer for the game. If you want to catch up with the past two Shenmue games, they're now available on the PlayStation 4, Xbox One and PC.

Page 7 of 11
Page 7 of 11
Bringing horror back

Bringing horror back

Metro: Exodus is just the reinvention the Metro series needed. At Gamescom, we got some hands on playtime and found it refreshing to get finally get out of the Moscow underground and explore the irradiated ruins of Russia. But just because we're not in dark and dank tunnels anymore, doesn't make this game is any less scary as the open world is full of dangers and a major shortage of ammunition. Click through and read on for our Metro: Exodus hands on.

Page 8 of 11
Page 8 of 11
Going gold

Going gold

PlayerUnknown's Battlegrounds is officially leaving Early Access and going gold on the Xbox One on September 4. Users who have been playing the prototype version of Battlegrounds thus far will get an 1.0 update download that will bring introduce a fast-paced Sanhok map (read: smaller map) and A War Mode deathmatch. The update also brings new features like dynamic weather, additional weapons and microtransactions. These microtransactions will be limited to cosmetics and the new Event Pass - which unlocks sensitive challenges within the game.

Page 9 of 11
Page 9 of 11
SSSensational release date

SSSensational release date

Prepare to get Devil Triggered as Capcom has confirmed Devil May Cry 5 will release on March 8, 2019. We would have preferred a release date within the end of the year, but at least we have a new gameplay trailer to keep up satiated until then. In the video we can see some returning baddies such as the scissor welding phantom from the first Devil May Cry game as well as a load of new bosses that this fifth installment will feature – not to mention first footage of Dante in action with his weaponized motorcycle.

Page 10 of 11
Page 10 of 11
Resurrection is my hobby

Resurrection is my hobby

On March 22, 2019, you’ll be able to play Seriko: Shadows Die Twice’s refreshing take on Souls game formula. The release date was announced at Gamescom alongside the first ever playable demo - which we’re hoping go get our mitts on later this week. 

Sekiro already looks to be a much more story-focused experience in the ‘Soulsborne’ genre, in which you'll follow a warrior on a journey to rescue their master and defeat their arch nemesis. There are also some big gameplay changes as you'll be able to resurrect yourself after defeat and the main character’s prosthetic arm includes a variety of tools like a grappling hook.

Page 11 of 11
Page 11 of 11
TOPICS
Nvidia Overwatch
Kevin Lee
Kevin Lee
Social Links Navigation

Kevin Lee was a former computing reporter at TechRadar. Kevin is now the SEO Updates Editor at IGN based in New York. He handles all of the best of tech buying guides while also dipping his hand in the entertainment and games evergreen content. Kevin has over eight years of experience in the tech and games publications with previous bylines at Polygon, PC World, and more. Outside of work, Kevin is major movie buff of cult and bad films. He also regularly plays flight & space sim and racing games. IRL he's a fan of archery, axe throwing, and board games.

Read more
A Nintendo Switch 2 system with one Joy-Con angled away from the main piece
Nintendo confirms its return to Gamescom this year, presumably with a bunch of Switch 2 games
Summer Game Fest 2025 live.
Resident Evil 9 has been revealed, plus everything else announced at Summer Game Fest 2025 and my live reactions as it happened
Call of Duty: Black Ops 7
Xbox Games Showcase 2025: everything revealed from Call of Duty: Black Ops 7 and Persona 4 remake to a new handheld
PlayStation Wrap Up 2020
PlayStation State of Play June 2025: everything announced from Silent Hill f finally getting a release date to Final Fantasy Tactics remake reveal as it happened
The artwork for the June 2025 Konami Press Start live stream
Konami Press Start as it happened: original Silent Hill remake confirmed, plus updates on Metal Gear Solid Delta: Snake Eater and Silent Hill f
Baldur's Gate 3 official artwork showing Astarion, Showdowheart, Gale, and Tieflings
The 21 best PC games to play in 2025
Latest in Consoles & PC
Sidestepper taking first place in Mario Kart World
I’ve clocked up more than 60 hours in Mario Kart World – here are my 3 top tips for getting first place
Nintendo Switch 2 Pro Controller
Nintendo Switch 2 Pro Controller review: a remarkable improvement
PS5
The Nintendo Switch 2 has arrived, but we still consider the PS5 the best gaming console to buy in 2025 – here are the three reasons why it's number one
Leon S Kennedy, Evelyn Parker, and Isaac Clarke
Steam Summer Sale is even better than I thought – here are the most worthwhile deals
Nintendo Switch 2
Accessory maker Dbrand responds to botched Nintendo Switch 2 Joy-Con grips, admits its initial reaction to unhappy fans was 'a spectacularly terrible response to the issue at hand'
ROG Ally using Bazzite vs Switch 2
The Switch 2's value has just been diminished significantly due to its poor display - and it's another reason you should opt for a handheld gaming PC
Latest in News
ANAHEIM, CALIFORNIA - JUNE 27: Jake Paul weighs in ahead of his fight against Julio Cesar Chavez Jr at Honda Center on June 27, 2025 in Anaheim, California. (Photo by Cris Esqueda/Golden Boy/Getty Images)
Jake Paul vs Chavez Jr LIVE: fight stream, how to watch, cheapest PPV deals for tonight's boxing blockbuster
iPad Pro 13-inch with M4 chip on a wooden table
Apple could finally go all-screen with the iPad Pro, as new leak hints at slimmest-ever bezels
Apple iPhone 16 Review
This ‘meh’ iPhone 17 Air camera tip might give us more insight than meets the eye
A Tesla car, James Bonds and Samsung's foldable promo image
ICYMI: the week's 7 biggest tech stories from Tesla finally launching robotaxis (kinda) to Samsung's foldables teaser
A phone showing the download page for Microsoft Authenticator
Microsoft is phasing out passwords soon – here's why passkeys are replacing them and what to do next
Verizon logo on a building with blue sky above
Hackers claim to be selling 61 million Verizon records online, but it might not be what it seems
LATEST ARTICLES
  1. 1
    Apple could finally go all-screen with the iPad Pro, as new leak hints at slimmest-ever bezels
  2. 2
    Candy-colored kitchen appliances are everywhere this summer, and these are 5 of the cutest
  3. 3
    I used to play Marvel Snap every day but I’m so frustrated by its recent changes I’m leaving for my new favorite card game
  4. 4
    After years of using Things 3, iOS 26 could move me to Reminders
  5. 5
    Millions of Windows 10 business devices haven't been updated to Windows 11, says survey - here's what you should do to secure yours

TechRadar is part of Future US Inc, an international media group and leading digital publisher. Visit our corporate site.

  • About Us
  • Contact Future's experts
  • Contact Us
  • Terms and conditions
  • Privacy policy
  • Cookies policy
  • Advertise with us
  • Web notifications
  • Accessibility Statement
  • Careers

© Future US, Inc. Full 7th Floor, 130 West 42nd Street, New York, NY 10036.

Please login or signup to comment

Please wait...