This weekend marks the ninth annual Gamescom Germany. While the trade show is not at the E3 level in terms of showing off and announcing new games, it represents one of the last public get-togethers before the big games rush in the fall. AAA developers and publishers will be on hand, including Microsoft. In 2016, Microsoft ditched a traditional press conference in favor of a Fan Fest event which let gamers take the company’s latest games for a spin before launch. This year, Microsoft will continue on with its Fan Fest, but prior to that, Microsoft will take the stage to offer up some news on its upcoming Xbox One X. Here’s how to watch and what to expect from Microsoft’s Gamescom showing.
How to watch
The action kicks off Sunday at noon (PT). Microsoft will stream the conference on Mixer, which you can download the app for on iOS, Android, or your Xbox One. We also have the stream in this post, so you can keep it right here and watch with us.
On Monday, at noon, a live-stream dedicated to the Age of Empires franchise will occur. Age of Empires: Definitive Edition, a remastered version of the original, was revealed at E3 earlier this year. The Gamescom live-stream will give fans their first peek at gameplay. Also hosted on Mixer, you can tune in for the Age of Empires steam here.
What to expect
As far as the Sunday press conference goes, the main bit of expected news pertains to the Xbox One X. Microsoft plans to officially unveil pre-orders during the press conference. According to The Verge, pre-orders for the Xbox One X will be made available following the press conference’s conclusion.
Outside of the Xbox One X and Age of Empires: Definitive Edition, we know from a July update that Microsoft will discuss and show Forza Motorsport 7 and Sea of Thieves. Forza Motorsport 7 is right around the corner with its October 3 launch date, while Sea of Thieves is on the horizon for 2018.
Throughout the rest of the week at Gamescom, Microsoft will let the press and fans play 27 different games coming to Xbox One in the future. While we don’t know what all will be playable, there is a chance some will be discussed during the press conference.
