The great German video game fair fulfilled what was expected of it. Throughout Gamescom 2022, the cards have been turned face up with respect to the remainder of the year and, in the process, also some of the most interesting of the even more promising 2023. From blockbusters of the caliber of The Callisto Protocol to Hogwarts Legacy passing through The Last Case of Benedict Fox or the expected return of Monkey Island and System Shock. Until PlayStation presented by surprise a new model of DualSense.
Not every week you have the opportunity to condense into the same event more than two hundred announcements, previews, surprises and even the resurrection of sagas and sequels that have not fallen into oblivion. In the specific case of Dead Island 2, in addition, we even had the opportunity to play for the first time. Gamescom 2022 has definitely been quite the journey. And what a journey!
The great summer events continue in mid-September with the Tokyo Game Showbut before we set our sights on the always fascinating Japan, it’s time to process Gamescom 2022 and, continuing our tradition in LifeExtra, put in common and in the same place our impressions. Both the good and what we liked the most as well as what has disappointed us or, simply, has not finished convincing us.
Gamescom has been quite an experience that we have had together, readers and editors, and The time has come to value it as property. First we will get wet, we who write to you every day. Then, just a little further down, we invite you to join the conversation. As you can see, we all have an opinion. And yours we care.
“Gamescom 2022 is yet another proof that this industry prefers quantity over quality”: Alberto Martín’s opinion
It’s over Gamescom 2022. Another video game event not to remember even by chance. Another 4 days in front of the screen seeing a few news among a huge amount of rehashed content: announcements already announced, videos already uploaded/shown and interviews that do not reveal anything interesting.
Gamescom 2022 is yet another proof that this industry prefers quantity over quality. It is something very evident when you mentally review the last few days and realize that you have neither enjoyed yourself as a user nor as a professional. could have been resolved in a conference. I’m convinced.
And since I don’t like to leave the balance unbalanced, I’m going to end by commenting on the video games that have moved me the most to see:
Without a doubt, Lies of P Y High on Life are the games shown at Gamescom 2022 that have all the love in my heart.
“There have been other much better editions of Gamescom“: the opinion of Sergio Cejas (Beld)
When a video game fair is approaching, I can’t help but feel excited and wanting to discover what surprises the companies have in store. The truth is that I don’t know why it gives me that feeling because Over the years I have had more disappointments than joyswith some soporific conferences or that perfectly if they had saved them absolutely nothing would have happened.
The same is what has happened with Gamescom 2022. Each of the four days that it has lasted has taken place a different conference and the only one that has been saved has been the Opening Night Livebecause in the others, removing some very punctual advertisement, it has not been possible to scratch anything that was worth spending several hours in front of the screen, especially in Microsoft’s.
I am not sure if it is due to the number of delays that have occurred for next year or because the companies are saving their biggest blows for another time, but there have been other editions of Gamescom much better than this last one. Without a doubt, seen what has been seen, nobody would have found it strange if he had stayed for a single day.
Regarding the games that have been shown, there are several that have completely captured my attention. I want to immerse myself fully in the Dune MMORPG, see in more depth The Lords of the Fallen, smash my face with a multitude of robotic enemies in Lies of P and above all I am very curious to see if the proposal of A Little to the Left is as good as it looks.
In addition to all this, I was very happy to see that Dead Island 2 is more alive than ever and its development is getting closer to completion after almost a decade since it was announced. And of course I have set the date for Return to Monkey Island on the calendar, not only because it is one of my favorite sagas, but also because it falls on my birthday, so double the joy.
“Where were Kratos, Pikachu and Bayonetta when they were needed most?”: Frankie MB’s opinion
When the great themes of the video game world, such as the sudden increase in the price of PS5, have occurred outside and without any relation to the Gamescom 2022 gives to think about the real impact that it leaves us. It was easy for it to be the biggest video game fair of the year, but we find that the so-called non-E3 ended up being much juicier. With its own absences, but rounder when it comes to ads and content.
The great video game fairs are much more than events scheduled events and shows, and Gamescom is no exception. Attendees were able to preview upcoming games, attend to the concert of Metal: Hellsinger and, if you have a game or project in hand, strengthen ties with publishers and large companies in the spaces dedicated to it. Also, tons of demos were enabled on Steam. That adds points, but does not fall in love.
But for everyone else, Gamescom 2022 has ended up being an endless video game showcase in which there was a lot of quantity and a lot of variety, but totally devoid of those stellar moments that give meaning and purpose to the whole. The good news is that it was delivered exactly as expected, but the price to pay was a conspicuous lack of emotion in the four main events and what happened between them.
And that has completely played against him.
Go ahead, as I mentioned, the Gamescom 2022 format is great, but removing Dead Island 2, whose surprise jumped ahead of time, there were hardly any emotions at the Opening Gala, we choked on the 50 games at the Future Games Show and Microsoft lost a golden opportunity to get muscle with Forza Motorsport or Starfield. We know that the bethesda space odyssey was at the fairbut instead of dazzling us with news about it they talked for no less than six hours of the future of Flight Simulator, Grounded, Sea of Thieves and too many titles shown in previous events.
At least, and being fair, Xbox said present and strengthened its long-term projects. PlayStation just showed off a new improved controller and Nintendo focused on Splatoon 3, despite all the tricks it has up its sleeve for this year. Where were Kratos, Pikachu, and Bayonetta when they were needed most? From here on, we fear, it’s time to dream of a Tokyo Games Show that not only excites us, but also give us back the illusion.