Skip to main content

Xbox at Gamescom 2021 stream: How to watch and what to expect

E3 may be long over, but Gamescom is coming in hot this week. The three-day trade show will feature digital streams full of new announcements. It will kick off in a big way with a 90-minute Xbox stream — an event that is sure to be one that you won’t want to miss. Here’s how you can catch the action, as well as what to expect from the broadcast.

When is Xbox’s Gamescom event?

While Gamescom doesn’t officially begin until August 25, Xbox will kick it off a day early. The event will take place at 10 a.m. PT on Tuesday, August 24. The showcase will run for about 90 minutes.

How to watch Xbox Gamescom

There are dozens of ways to watch the showcase, with Xbox pushing it to a myriad of different platforms. It will be streamed on the official Xbox channels on YouTube, Twitch, Facebook, Twitter, and more around the globe.

What will we see at Xbox Gamescom?

Xbox confirmed that the showcase won’t be focusing on new releases or major surprises, but will be sharing a lot of information. Expect to see updates on upcoming releases coming this year, titles on their way to Xbox Game Pass, and more. This could mean we may get more information on holiday releases like Forza Horizon 5 and Halo Infinite.

For the latter, perhaps we’ll hear more details on its campaign following the announcement of the lack of multiplayer split-screen on launch day. Halo Infinite still doesn’t have a firm release date either, so there’s a chance we finally get one here.

What won’t be shown at Xbox Gamescom

As mentioned, there won’t be any new announcements or major surprises, so it’s ill-advised to go in with an E3-type mindset. Don’t expect to see massive games like Perfect Dark or Fable this time around. If they weren’t at E3, there’s no reason to think Microsoft was saving them for a show just two months later. However, there may be some hype-worthy announcements regarding previously announced titles, so it’ll still be worth tuning in.

DeAngelo Epps
Former Digital Trends Contributor
De'Angelo Epps is a gaming writer passionate about the culture, communities, and industry surrounding gaming. His work ranges…
Surfaced patent shows what an Xbox streaming console would’ve looked like
An Xbox Series X sits next to both Series S models.

There have been a few Xbox devices that have never come to fruition, one of which was Keystone, a prototype for an affordable game streaming device you could hook up to your TV or monitor. Thanks to a surfaced patent, we've gotten an even closer look at what it would've potentially looked like.

The patent, first spotted by Windows Central, gives us a more complete view of the device. We've previously seen the Keystone in the flesh. Microsoft Gaming head Phil Spencer is known for hiding teases and interesting collectibles on the shelf in his office. In a 2022 X (formerly Twitter) post congratulating Bethesda on Fallout's 25th anniversary, you can see a small white device on the top shelf that's actually a Keystone prototype. Xbox told Digital Trends that it was a version of the device made before it decided to "refocus our efforts on a new approach.”

Read more
I replaced my Xbox with a smart TV, and it went better than I expected
A Samsung TV shows the Xbox Game Pass app that comes in the Samsung Gaming Hub.

Can a TV replace your video game console?

That’s a question Samsung has flirted with for over the past two years. It started with the reveal of Samsung Gaming Hub, a handy smart TV widget that brought several cloud streaming apps together. With it, anyone with a recent Samsung TV could instantly cloud stream games from Amazon Luna, GeForce Now, and, crucially, Xbox Game Pass. Samsung is even doubling down this year with the introduction of exclusive games that can be played with nothing more than a TV and phone. There’s a very real world in which someone could not own a single console and still have access to an enormous library of games.

Read more
Nintendo Direct June 2024: How to watch and what to expect
Luigi with the Poltergust 5000.

The next Nintendo Direct, confirmed earlier this year alongside a Switch successor, is nearly upon us. Nintendo took to X (formerly Twitter) to confirm that a lengthy Nintendo Direct is just one day away. This is shaping up to be quite a significant Direct for the Nintendo Switch, as it's quite possibly the last one that we'll get without knowing more about whatever the hybrid gaming platform's follow-up is going to be.

With unreleased Nintendo Switch games like Nintendo World Championships: NES Edition and Metroid Prime 4 still on the horizon, we know Nintendo has some important upcoming games it can talk about. There are bound to be some surprises as well, so all Nintendo fans should be tuning in. If you're planning to do just that, we've rounded up all the necessary information you need to know before watching the June 2024 Nintendo Direct.
When is the June 2024 Nintendo Direct?
The June 2024 Nintendo Direct will begin at 7 a.m. PT on Tuesday, June 18. Nintendo says the presentation will last "roughly 40 minutes," so it'll be wrapped up well before 8 a.m. PT.
How to watch the June 2024 Nintendo Direct
Nintendo Direct 6.18.2024 – Nintendo Switch

Read more