gamescom, PS6 and Kingdom Hearts 4 | Weekly News Digest

In an interview with The Wall Street Journal, Sony CEO Hiroki Totoki has said that the company still hasn’t decided the PlayStation 6’s release date.

Totoki also discussed the global component shortage, to which he said “considering that importance, we need to take some action. Otherwise, we cannot survive in this landscape.”

Founded by Sitara Shefta and Will Dudley, Pretty Cool Games is a new remote studio, based in Leeds, and currently working on a double-A sandbox game.

“Everything we do is fantastically playful and we are serious about fun, from development at Pretty Cool to the game in players’ hands,” the website reads. “We’re driven by creativity and quality, making highly entertaining PC & Console games as a small but mighty team.”

Series director Tetsuya Nomura and co-director Tai Yasue have stated that Kingdom Hearts 4 will not be delayed, after scepticism mounted online over the games late 2027 release window.

Speaking at D23 (via GamesRadar), Nomura stated “I want to set the record straight: [a delay] is not happening”. Yasue backed this further: “I can confidently say and promise that it will launch in 2027,” he said. “Schedule-wise, the development is very smooth. It’s not like an 80%, 90% – it’s a 100% thing. We’ll be there in 2027 for sure.”

Whilst many of the Bastion team will be in Cologne next week, those holding the fort will be hosting an Opening Night Live watch party in North London, and would love to have you join us! Watch the biggest reveals and announcements alongside a mix of press, creators, and games industry peers.

There will be a bar tab and food provided. Spaces are limited, so follow the link to confirm your attendance: gamescom 2026 ONL: London Watch Party · Luma

I’ve been watching gamescom grow a hall at a time for the best part of a decade, but I don’t remember the organisers ever announcing a sell-out before. This year, every one of the 233,000 square meters of Kolemesse’s showfloor is gone, with more than 1600 exhibitors from 67 countries. This feels impressive, after many years of the industry talking mostly about layoffs and belt tightening, the biggest-ever Gamescom in terms of floor size, is hopefully a sign of more confident things to come.

This confidence appears generously spread across the event itself. Geoff Keighley’s Opening Night - an event that’s grown into one of the world’s biggest showcases of new trailers and reveals now even attracts a sell-out audience who buy tickets separate to their own gamescom admission. From what we already know, we’ll have appearances from Final Fantasy VII: Revelation, the new Witcher 3: Wild Hunt DLC and there’s continued rumours of a major, yet previously unannounced reveal from XBOX - with everything from Banjo Kazooie, Starcraft and Wolfenstein all being ruled out by those taking a guess at what it might be. Thankfully, that still leaves Microsoft with a considerable stack of franchises to plunder.

On the showfloor itself, it sounds like plenty is being spent on charming the visiting crowds. Microsoft is said to be running 140 XBOX stations and hands-on time with Gears of War: E-Day, Metro 2039 and loads more. The whole idea of a showfloor might feel prehistoric to many, but all of those spending big on presenting at gamescom are betting on the idea that a controller in the hand beats watching yet another cinematic reveal. As someone increasingly desensitised to trailers dressed up as gameplay, I’m inclined to agree, to the extent that this year I’m looking forward to joining the hoards of gamers powered by currywurst and energy drinks on the showfloor.

Another early gamescom surprise which shows the mainstream love of gaming is the IKEA and XBOX collaboration. An actual furniture line, complete with a thumbstick stool and a D-PAD cushion to mark 25 years of XBOX is gloriously daft. Stuff like this has existed in Japan for decades, so I’m definitely getting involved and filling my games room with more glorious tat.

As I break in my comfiest shoes for tens of thousands of steps a day, I’m optimistic, curious and excited about my trip to gamescom, and that’s before we’ve even got the pioneering ‘extended look’ at GTA VI from Netflix next week. Let’s just hope that particular reveal doesn’t spread its shadow too far over Cologne - because gamers need to get excited about what’s coming after November.

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