Gamescom 2012: What to Expect

Europe’s biggests games convetion, Gamescom 2012, kicks off in Germany this Wednesday, August 15, and runs a solid five days through Sunday. With the help of Game Spark, we’ve put together a little pre-show guide to keep your anticipation rising. Get reading below.

■ Capcom Press Conference

Tuesday, August 14 at 2:00 a.m. PST / 5:00 a.m. EST (more times)
Livestream Unavailable

Notable Titles: Resident Evil 6, DmC Devil May Cry, and Lost Planet 3.

Expectations: Capcom said it would showcase exclusive new content for its upcoming titles and make the briefing an “event to remember.” What could do that? Monster Hunter localization news (as teased by Capcom’s new community manager) and Darkstalkers 4, for two. And we’d love to see E.X. Troopers confirmed for an overseas release.

■ Electronic Arts Press Conference
Tuesday, August 14 at 7:00 a.m. PST / 10:00 a.m. EST (more times)
Livestream Available

Notable Titles: Medal of Honor: Warfighter, Crysis 3, Need for Speed: Most Wanted, Army of Two: The Devil’s Cartel, Dead Space 3, FIFA 13, and more.

Expectations: Electronic Arts will “unveil new game content, features and services from some of its best loved franchises.” Overstrike, EA’s new IP in development at Insomniac Games, will should be expected.

■ Sony Press Conference
Tuesday, August 14 at 10:00 a.m. PST / 1:00 p.m. EST (more times)
Livestream Available

Notable Titles: PlayStation All-Stars Battle Royale, The Last of Us, The Unfinished Swan, Dust 514, Soul Sacrifice, and LittleBigPlanet. (Beyond: Two Souls is apparently absent.)

Expectations: Sony is said to have two unannounced ready for the show. It’s possible they’re called Rain and Until Dawn. It’s possible they’re not. Don’t expect the oft-rumored PlayStation 3 4000, as Sony’s current PS3 Slim model stocks are too high. PlayStation Vita‘s Call of Duty: Black Ops Declassified will see a full reveal at Gamescom, so I’d expect it to happen at Sony’s briefing.

■ Ubisoft Press Conference
Wednesday, August 15 at 6:00 a.m. PST / 9:00 a.m. EST (more times)
Livestream Available

Notable Titles: Assassin’s Creed III, Assassin’s Creed III: Liberation, Far Cry 3, Rayman Legends, Splinter Cell: Blacklist, ZombiU. (Watch Dogs will not be at Gamescom, according to Playfront.)

Expectations: “Top Ubisoft executives will unveil new free-to-play titles set in the universes of some of Ubisoft’s popular franchises and detail the company’s plans in e-sports and other growing online game genres.” Ubisoft will also present an extended version of the Splinter Cell: Blacklist demo, though we’re not sure if it will be at their press conference, or on the Gamescom show floor.

■ Other Publishers

• 2K Games will be there with Borderlands 2 and XCOM: Enemy Unknown.
• Activision will debut Call of Duty: Black Ops 2‘s multiplayer mode, allowing attendees to go hands-on. Microsoft’s Major Nelson and AceyBongos will be streaming the world premiere live on Wednesday, August 15 at 9 a.m. PST / 12 p.m. EST in North America and Europe on Xbox LIVE.
• Blizzard will unveil the opening cinematic to World of Warcraft: Mists of Pandaria on Thursday, August 16. Attendees will be able to go hands-on with a demo.
• CD Projekt RED will present the REDkit, “the best tool for modders to create complex and non-linear adventures in the world of The Witcher 2.”
• Codemasters will have a playable build of F1 2012‘s Champions Mode, which “will challenge players to take on each of the six champions in turn,” each with their own race scenario, for the first time.
• Deep Silver will will have Sacred Citadel and Secret Files 3 for attendees to go hands-on at their booth.
• Konami will provide more information about the playable character Alucard in Castlevania: Lords of Shadow – Mirror of Fate for 3DS. The publisher hasn’t said much else about its lineup, but we take it they’ll have Metal Gear Rising: Revengeance there, as well.
• Namco Bandai will be there with Dark Souls for PC, Ni no Kuni: Wr of the White Witch, One Piece: Pirate Warriors, Star Trek, Tank! Tank! Tank!, and Tekken Tag Tournament 2. For Star Trek, it will have seated theater where the game will be demoed.
• Rockstar Games won’t be there. So don’t expect Grand Theft Auto V to be, either.
• Sega is rumored to be holding a press conference, though the company has not announced one, officially. At the link, you’ll find a live blog of the event, which is said to occur on Thursday, August 16 at 9:30 a.m. PST / 11:30 a.m. EST.
• Square Enix will be exhibiting the PC version of Final Fantasy VII, as well as Tomb Raider, Hitman: Absolution, the Tuesday-due Sleeping Dogs, and their MMORPG reboot Final Fantasy XIV: A Realm Reborn. The game’s producer, Naoki Yoshida, will host “the world first exclusive gameplay presentation” of A Realm Reborn on Friday and Saturday during live stage events.
• Surprise! We don’t know what the entirety of Gamescom holds. So expect a few surprises here and there. Hopefully, some goods ones.