As Gamescom grows, its team talks Opening Night Live and the specter of Silksong

Some questions are immortal. What is the meaning of life? What is love? Hollow Knight Silksong? The latter has appeared in every chat at every streamed showcase since the game's reveal back in 2019, and oftentimes has been left without any real answer. But following the news that Team Cherry's highly anticipated Metroidvania will arrive this year, and that a playable demo will be available at Gamescom as part of Xbox's ASUS handheld collaboration, it finally feels like we may, in fact, get a solid release date pretty soon. Ahead of the event, I asked Gamescom directors Stefan Heikhaus and Tim Endres that age old question, and while they didn't tell me too much, this year's event is still shaping up to be amazing.

Heikaus' response to "Hollow Knight Silksong?" is pretty simple: "We can't confirm any specific game appearances ahead of time that are not yet announced. That's part of the fun of tuning in. Gamescom Opening Night Live thrives on surprises, and the full line-up is revealed during the show itself." So, yes, exactly what you expected. But I tried, chat… I tried.

"What we can promise is that the show will again feature world premieres, major updates, and unique festival moments that set the tone for the biggest week in gaming." That isn't a no, so don't lose hope, Metroidvania fans: given the scale of this year's showcase, if the Hollow Knight Silksong release date is going to appear anywhere, I reckon it's here.

Endres tells me that "Gamescom has grown to a 233,000 square meter exhibition space this year. That also includes an additional hall for the entertainment area as well as the biggest indie area to date. We're also enhancing both the on-site and digital offerings so the community's experience around the world is improved, too.

"We could list dozens of changes and improvements we've made for this year's event," he continues, noting that "Gamescom Opening Night Live [has moved] to Hall 1, giving us the space and infrastructure to take the production to an even higher level.

"The list could go on, but the bottom line is this: our entire team has worked hard to refine every aspect of Gamescom. We've taken last year's feedback from all our communities to heart, and we're committed to making this year's event even better than the last." Endres also confirms that increased security is a priority in the wake of 2023's infamous stage invasion, stressing that this absolutely won't happen again.

Endres and Heikhaus also note that Gamescom is seeing "steady growth" in international attendance. "In 2024, the number of trade visitors from North America has seen the biggest growth along with trade visitors from Japan," Heikhaus says.

"This year, we've seen more exhibitors than ever coming from more countries than ever. The absence or scaling back of other events may contribute, but the main driver is that companies recognize Gamescom as the most effective platform to connect with the industry and to reach a global audience, both physically and digitally. Our hybrid model means their investment goes further - engaging hundreds of thousands in Cologne and millions online."

He sees other shows and livestreams as "complimentary" rather than as rivals, saying that "games companies now have multiple
channels to reach their community, and Gamescom plays a unique role within that ecosystem. The buzz generated by livestreams, dedicated showcases, and community events throughout the year often feeds directly into the excitement and attendance at Gamescom. The variety of touchpoints makes the industry even more dynamic, and Gamescom's strength lies in being the one place where they all converge."

Gamescom is clearly expanding, which, while awful for my poor little legs, will hopefully lead to bigger and better events. I'll be there with fellow staffer Jamie next week, and PCGamesN will be feeding you all of the Opening Night Live headlines as they land. We're hoping to see some of the most anticipated upcoming PC games, from triple-As to much-hyped indies. If you catch us on the ground, be sure to say hello!

If you're looking for some friends to watch ONL with, check out our dedicated PC gaming Discord - making new friends is good, and new gamer friends are even better.