[[{“value”:”Like Glastonbury and Coachella for music fans, video game events have always been a beloved gathering spot for gamers. You see headlines full of stats about the industry’s size and revenue, but being at gamescom makes it feel different. It’s..
The post gamescom 2025 preview: ELDEN RING, SILENT HILL, and the gadgets worth watching appeared first on Gadget Flow.”}]]
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Like Glastonbury and Coachella for music fans, video game events have always been a beloved gathering spot for gamers. You see headlines full of stats about the industry’s size and revenue, but being at gamescom makes it feel different. It’s not just a massive showcase of the latest games and hardware—it’s a celebration of passion, creativity, and innovation. In my gamescom 2025 preview, I want to share picks that capture the energy I feel covering the event.
With companies from all over the world—UK, France, Germany, Korea, China—the diversity is amazing. Each booth represents not just a company, but a vision, a culture, and a piece of the global gaming puzzle. Here’s what caught my eye the most.
Sony INZONE H9 II headset
Sony INZONE H9 II / Image Credit: Dealabs
Sony stays quiet, but the French site Dealabs hints at a new gaming headset. The reveal could land during Opening Night Live on Tuesday, August 19. If so, it would replace the INZONE H9 from 2022.
The INZONE H9 II aims at serious players who want a premium build. It uses the same drivers as the WH-1000XM6, so expect strong and detailed sound. Still, audio quality isn’t the only focus.
Weight looks like the biggest upgrade. Dealabs says the headset drops from 11.6 oz to 9.2 oz. That should help during long sessions. From my own use, comfort matters more than weight. I’ve worn heavier headsets with a solid strap that feel fine for 8–10 hours. Anything under 15.8 oz stays comfortable all day. Once you hit that point or higher, neck strain starts to show up.
The trade-off is battery life. Dealabs says the H9 II runs for just 30 hours, reflecting a broader trend. Brands are cutting size and battery capacity to make gear easier to carry. That’s understandable, as most buyers lean toward smaller devices. I even spotted a card-sized phone called iKKO Mind One the other day.
NVIDIA GeForce RTX 50 Series desktops
NVIDIA Blackwell GeForce RTX 50 Series
NVIDIA says hardware partners like Alienware, ASUS, Dell, PNY, and Zotac will roll out their GeForce RTX 50 Series desktops, GPUs, and laptops at their booths. Each setup comes loaded with games and demos, so you can jump in and play right on the show floor.
Back in April, MSI pulled the curtain on its AI gaming desktops powered by RTX 50 Series cards. These rigs crank up both gaming power and AI performance. Players see higher frame rates in tough titles, while creators push out projects faster with smoother AI-driven tools.
One highlight across the lineup is NVIDIA DLSS 4. The tech pushes frame rates higher and makes visuals look sharper than ever. I checked out some footage of the game The Witcher, and the level of detail was striking—so crisp that I couldn’t tell whether my eyes were catching extra sharpness or if I’d just gotten used to softer, blurrier upscalers.
ROG Xbox Ally and ROG Xbox Ally X
ROG Xbox Ally
Microsoft teams up with ASUS to bring a couple of new handhelds, the ROG Xbox Ally and ROG Xbox Ally X. These devices pack Xbox power while giving you the freedom of Windows. Players can dive into games like Hollow Knight: Silksong, Roblox, Sea of Thieves, and Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater 3+4. You can also try more titles at the ASUS ROG booth.
Dealabs says the ROG Xbox Ally and Ally X hit Europe on October 16, 2025. Other regions might get them at the same time, but that isn’t confirmed yet.
Xbox will reveal more details during Gamescom 2025 with a live stream on August 20 at 3 p.m. French time (9 a.m. Eastern).
Dealabs adds that you can grab the consoles at stores like Micromania, Boulanger, Amazon, and others. Unlike some limited controllers, the Xbox Ally won’t be locked to the Microsoft Store, so more players can get their hands on it.
Call of Duty: Black Ops 7
Call of Duty: Black Ops 7 drops live on August 19 during Opening Night Live at gamescom. Expect wild twists, behind-the-scenes info from the devs, and the kickoff of a bold new chapter in Black Ops. After the show, hop onto Call of Duty’s social channels for extra exclusive content.
A fresh report says Call of Duty: Black Ops 7 will ditch Tac-Sprint. The news comes from an August 12 post by well-known CoD leaker TheGhostOfHope. The X account says the game had tested a build without Tac-Sprint, but now it will stay out of the final multiplayer version. I like the change. Keeping movement speed the same in all directions feels smoother and makes learning the system easier, especially with omnimovement.
SILENT HILL f
SILENT HILL has so much to love. The soundtrack, the heavy atmosphere, and the way it messes with your mind. For me, horror hits hardest when it gets personal, like in SILENT HILL 2. Sure, the monsters freak you out, but your own mind and inner demons can terrify you even more. At Anime Expo 2025, KONAMI dropped new footage for their upcoming standalone horror game, SILENT HILL f. They didn’t allow any official pics or video, but one sneaky attendee still managed to capture the trailer. And let me tell you—it looks intense.
We don’t know much about SILENT HILL f’s gameplay, puzzles, or exploration yet, but we do know it takes place in 1960s Japan, in the remote town of Ebisugaoka. You’ll play as teenager Shimizu Hinako as she faces humanoid forms of her deepest fears. So far, 4 characters have appeared: Hinako, Iwai Shu, Nishida Rinko, and Igarashi Sakuko.
Below is a sneak peek of what the KONAMI booth will look like when you hit the event.
KONAMI booth at gamescom 2025
ELDEN RING Tarnished Edition
ELDEN RING Tarnished Edition
ELDEN RING has sold over 28 million copies worldwide and stands out as a top action RPG in a dark fantasy world. The Tarnished Edition on Nintendo Switch 2 comes with the base game, SHADOW OF THE ERDTREE, new weapons, armour, Torrent skins, and more. You can experience ELDEN RING Tarnished Edition at Nintendo’s booth in Hall 9 at gamescom.
gamescom 2025 preview: Parting thoughts
Even though I have never been to gamescom in person, following the announcements makes me feel like I’m in the middle of it all. I can already imagine the energy, the surprises, and the moments that would make me pause and just stare. For me, gamescom feels like a window into the heart of gaming, and I can’t wait to experience more of it, even from afar.
The post gamescom 2025 preview: ELDEN RING, SILENT HILL, and the gadgets worth watching appeared first on Gadget Flow.
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