5 best announcements from Gamescom 2025

Gamescom 2025, taking place in Cologne, Germany, opened with two hours full of reveals, surprises, and some of the best announcements in gaming this year. The showcase, hosted by Geoff Keighley and Eefje Depoortere on August 19, inaugurated one of the world's biggest gaming events.

Here’s are five announcements that stole the show at Gamescom 2025.

Note: Parts of this article are based on the author's opinion, and the list is not ranked in any particular order.

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Listing the five best announcements from Gamescom 2025

1) Black Myth: Zhong Kui reveal

Black Myth: Zhong Kui is one of the biggest announcements of Gamescom 2025 (Image via Game Science)

Just when fans thought they were getting more news about Black Myth: Wukong, developer Game Science flipped the script with the announcement of Black Myth: Zhong Kui. This upcoming single-player action RPG introduces Zhong Kui, the Taoist ghost-catching god from Chinese mythology.

While the teaser kept things brief, the spotlight on Zhong Kui set the stage for a whole new chapter in the franchise. Known as a deity who hunts spirits between the realms of Hell and Earth, he’s an equally iconic figure as Sun Wukong.

To make the transition clear, Game Science even announced a shift in branding: all social channels will drop “Wukong” and go simply by Black Myth. That alone hints at the start of a wider universe.

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2) Vampire: The Masquerade – Bloodlines 2 release date revealed

Gameplay still from Vampire: The Masquerade – Bloodlines 2 (Image via Paradox Interactive)

After years of delays, Vampire: The Masquerade – Bloodlines 2 finally has a release date. Players can dive back into the World of Darkness on October 21, 2025, across PC, PS5, and Xbox Series X|S at $59.99. The new trailer offered more than just a date, cementing the game as one of the best announcements of the year.

It showed two realities of modern-day Seattle, as Elder vampire Phyre, and a dreamlike 1920s Seattle through the eyes of Malkavian detective Fabien. Which one is real remains a mystery, but that’s exactly the intrigue for which fans waited two decades. Pre-orders are live and come with a neat bonus: a Bloodlines Nostalgia Jukebox for your Haven, stocked with classic tracks from the first game.

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3) Monster Hunter Wilds x FFXIV crossover

Omega Planetes will be an additional monster in the game (Image via Capcom)

Capcom and Square Enix team up again, this time bringing Monster Hunter Wilds and Final Fantasy XIV together. Announced during Opening Night Live, the crossover is part of Title Update 3, scheduled to arrive in late September. The trailer teased plenty of content, from a Chocobo-themed Seikret skin to the arrival of Omega Planetes, a towering new foe for hunters to take on.

Monster Hunter World players would also identify the return of Cactuar, the spiky little pest who rains needle storms on everybody. At the same time, FFXIV Online will get themed gear and crossover goodies, so it's a two-way street for fans of both franchises.

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4) New first-person soulslike from the Ghostrunner studio

Valor Mortis gameplay glimpse shown at Gamescom 2025 (Image via Lyrical Games || One More Level)

The developers behind Ghostrunner are making a dramatic shift with their next title, Valor Mortis. The game is a first-person soulslike set in an alternate timeline of the Napoleonic Wars that combines precision combat and cosmic horror elements. You play as William, a French soldier reanimated with a mysterious substance called Nephtoglobin.

Gameplay promises melee, ranged, and transmutation abilities, all layered into Metroidvania-inspired maps. A closed playtest is already planned for the weeks after Gamescom 2025, with the full release lined up for 2026 on PC and consoles, making it one of the best announcements this year.

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5) LEGO Batman: Legacy of the Dark Knight

LEGO Batman: Legacy of the Dark Knight is here (Image via Warner Bros. Games)

The Caped Crusader is back in brick form. Gamescom 2025 revealed LEGO Batman: Legacy of the Dark Knight, bringing an open-world Gotham to life with the familiar LEGO style. Launching in 2026, the game promises new difficulty modes like “Caped Crusader” and “Dark Knight” for those wanting a proper challenge.

Players can step into the shoes of Batman, Catwoman, or even Jim Gordon as they traverse Gotham, fight familiar enemies like Joker and Poison Ivy, or drive around the streets in the Batmobile. The Batcave hub also returns, with even more customization options for suits, trophies, or Bat-vehicles.

Just to make it sweeter, anyone with a Warner Bros. Games account will be able to get the Golden Age Batsuit (designed as an homage to Batman’s first appearance in 1939) at the launch of the game.

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That covers all the five best announcements from Gamescom 2025. For more game-related content, be sure to follow Sportskeeda.

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