Gamescom 2025 is in full swing, and the announcements are coming thick and fast. This year’s incarnation of the massive annual trade fair kicked off with a bang thanks to a two-hour Opening Night Live show that was jam-packed with news around the very latest and greatest upcoming releases.
From the latest Call of Duty: Black Ops 7 trailer to the reveal of a new Lego game that comic fans are sure love, there’s plenty to get into. If all that wasn’t enough, some of the biggest gaming brands are now showing off all kinds of exciting products in the halls of Koelnmesse, a huge exhibition center in Cologne, Germany.
The TechRadar Gaming team is on the ground reporting live from the event, but there’s no need to worry if you’ve missed any of our coverage – here are the six biggest announcements of Gamescom 2025 so far.
1. The long-awaited Xbox handhelds finally have a release date
Having been unveiled as part of an Xbox Games Showcase earlier this year, Microsoft has finally given us the low-down on its upcoming systems, which we now know will launch on October 16.
Created in collaboration with computing hardware giant Asus, the ROG Xbox Ally X and ROG Xbox Ally are new licensed Xbox versions of two popular PC handhelds.
The ROG Xbox Ally X is powered by the cutting-edge AMD Ryzen AI Z2 Extreme SoC, backed up by 24GB of DDR5 ram and 1TB of storage while the ROG Xbox Ally has the more modest AMD Ryzen Z2 A with 16GB of DDR5 ram and 512GB of storage. Both have a 7-inch IPS display with a blisteringly fast 120Hz refresh rate and, with specs like these, you should be able to achieve fantastic performance in first-party Xbox titles like Forza Horizon 5 or the upcoming Gears of War Reloaded.
Some intriguing software features were detailed too, such as the dedicated Xbox full-screen experience – a customized version of Windows 11 that looks more like a console UI and minimizes background tasks for maximum gaming performance. The Xbox button of both handhelds has been similarly tweaked and opens an enhanced version of the Game Bar, or Asus’ Armoury Crate SE software.
Tantalizingly, Microsoft then confirmed that the handhelds will also offer an aggregated gaming library that combines “leading PC storefronts” into one streamlined UI to eliminate the need to juggle multiple applications if you frequently switch between games.
The only catch is that we don’t know the prices of either yet. Hopefully they won’t be too damaging to our wallets…
2. There’s a new Lego Batman game on the way, and it looks incredible
Lego lovers rejoice: a new Lego game is on the way from legendary developer TT Games. Responsible for certified classics like Lego Star Wars: The Complete Saga and Lego The Lord of the Rings, this next project is a true successor to its popular Lego Batman trilogy.
Titled Lego Batman: Legacy of the Dark Knight, it charts the origins of the caped crusader in an original story that draws upon some of the very best comic book adaptations to date.
Its flashy reveal trailer was filled with references to everything from the gritty Christopher Nolan movies to the dark and brooding scenes of The Batman. I even spotted some similarities to the iconic Arkham games in there, with hints of a detective vision ability and a satisfying combo-driven combat system.
Featuring an open-world Gotham city, it looks like it’s shaping up to be the ultimate comic book tale. And that’s before I get into the fact that British comedian Matt Berry will be the voice of Bane – talk about a match made in heaven!
3. Hollow Knight: Silksong will be here sooner than you might think
Although technically not a formal part of the Gamescom 2025 schedule, indie developer Team Cherry put out a special live stream after a brief appearance in Opening Night Live. It finally gave us an official release date for Hollow Knight Silksong, a game that was first revealed all the way back at the start of 2019.
The sequel to one of the biggest indie hits of 2017, the all-new gameplay footage hinted at a massive map and mechanical innovations like a crafting system. After seven years in development, this is likely to be one huge game and the developers have already announced that it will receive plenty of extra content after its launched.
It’s set to release on September 4, 2025, and is coming to every major platform – including Nintendo Switch 2.
4. Sony unveiled a fresh batch of Inzone gaming gear
I’m a big fan of Sony’s Inzone line and consider them some of the best peripherals around if you’re playing on PC or PS5.
Right at the start of Gamescom, the brand announced a swathe of new products including a flagship gaming keyboard, the Inzone KBD-H75, and matching Inzone Mouse-A gaming mouse. There was also the reveal of two mousepads to go with them – the Inzone Mat-D and Mat-F.
Console gamers aren’t missing out either, thanks to the new Inzone H9 II gaming headset. It’s an overhauled version of the existing Inzone H9 and features the same driver unit as the superb Sony WH-1000XM6 headphones. It’s lighter than its predecessor, and now offers the ability to detach the included microphone for a more streamlined look.
First-person shooter fans should also keep an eye out for the Inzone E9, a pair of first-person shooter gaming earbuds. It comes with a unique USB-C audio box that can store your customized EQ settings, allowing you to seamlessly take them between platforms.
All of the gear was developed in collaboration with esports team Fnatic, which should hopefully mean that it delivers serious performance.
5. Call of Duty: Black Ops 7 got an explosive reveal trailer
Call of Duty: Black Ops 7 is undoubtedly going to be one of the biggest games of the year, and it got a bombastic gameplay reveal trailer as part of Opening Night Live.
Set in 2035, it’s a direct follow-up to the events of Black Ops 2 that sees returning protagonist David Mason dealing with the aftermath of the supposed death of fan-favorite villain Raul Menendez.
We got our first glimpse of the campaign, which will offer up to four-player co-op for the first time and embrace the darker, more abstract tone that the Black Ops series is known for. Set across a range of global locations including the icy wastes of Alaska, war torn streets of Los Angeles, and colorful rooftops of a neon-lit near-future Tokyo, it seems like the spectacle will be dialed up to 11.
Developers Treyarch and Raven also revealed the Endgame – a highly replayable, open-world campaign finale set in the fictional state of Avalon. It sounds like nothing that we’ve ever seen in the series before, and while I am sceptical that the studios will actually be able to actually pull off that kind of radical reinvention, the freshness is undeniably exciting.
6. JBL revealed not just one, but three new gaming headsets
Audio brand JBL wasn’t going to let Sony have all the fun and also took the chance to refresh its line of gaming headsets with not just one, but three new models.
First up there’s the entry-level JBL Quantum 250, a lightweight wired pair with 50mm carbon dynamic drivers, spatial audio support, and a basic boom mic.
The JBL Quantum 650 is then the new mid-range offering, boasting dual wireless connectivity and up to 45 hours of battery life. It has a lovely modern design, and is compatible with a range of platforms either through its 2.4Ghz low-latency dongle of Bluetooth 5.3.
For those craving the very best performance, the premium JBL Quantum 950 is the one to go for. It’s similar to the 650, but comes with a wireless base station complete with RGB lighting, a range of EQ pre-sets, and controls for game-chat balance.
It is also the only model here with active noise cancelling (ANC), plus an ambient aware mode. Throw in spatial audio with 3D tracking and you have a well-rounded high-end offering, though the battery life does take a hit thanks to all these extra features.
You’re only getting 25 hours per battery charge, but luckily the headset comes bundled with two batteries that can be hot swapped to keep your gaming session going when you’re running low.
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dash.wood@futurenet.com (Dashiell Wood)
