Fairs & Events 2022: The most important dates & livestreams for PC gamers

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Big Reveals, Trailers & Shows: There’s no shortage of video game trade shows in 2022 either. We reveal which events are coming up in the next few months.

New year, new fairs, but familiar difficulties: In 2022, the Corona pandemic will still have an impact on numerous game fairs – E3 has already been officially cancelled.

Nevertheless, there are numerous exciting events coming up and so that you don’t lose track of them, we regularly collect (and update) the most important dates for you here – so simply bookmark them and you’ll always be up to date!

 

The biggest 2022 Games events at a glance

 

Upcoming Shows:

  • Indie Live Expo 2022 (21 – 22 May 2022)
  • Star Wars Celebration (26 – 29 May 2022)
  • Summer Game Fest (from 9 June 2022)
  • Future Games Show (12 June 2022)
  • The PC Gaming Show (12 June 2022)
  • Xbox & Bethesda Games Showcase (12 June 2022)
  • E3 2022 (cancelled, more info here)
  • Gamevention 2022 (1 – 3 July 2022)
  • THQ Digital Showcase (12 August 2022)
  • QuakeCon (18 – 20 August 2022)
  • gamescom 2022 (24 – 28 August 2022)
  • PDXCON (2 – 3 September 2022)
  • Game Devs of Colour Expo (15 – 18 September 2022)
  • EGX London (22 – 25 September 2022)
  • Blizzcon 2022 (Canceled)

 

Upcoming shows in 2022

Indie Live Expo 2022

The name says it all at the fifth edition of the Indie Live Expo! In several live streams, everything revolves around games from independent studios. On the first day (Saturday 21 May), the focus will be on previously announced titles, followed by new announcements and premieres on Sunday.

Star Wars Celebration

  • When? 26 to 29 May 2022
  • Where to look? TBA

The Star Wars Celebration is back on location in Anaheim (USA) this year after the event was cancelled in 2021. As the name suggests, it’s all about Jedi and Sith in a galaxy far, far away. Movies, series, games and more: If there’s something new about Star Wars, you’re likely to find it here.

This year could also see a big announcement at Star Wars Celebration: Industry insider Jeff Grubb speculates that Jedi: Fallen Order 2 could be shown here for the first time. A sequel to the successful Fallen Order had been announced in January along with two other Star Wars games.

There is also speculation that the new Jedi game could even be released as early as late 2022. In that case, a May reveal would not be out of the question. But of course nothing is confirmed yet, so you should take the rumours with a grain of salt.

 

Summer Game Fest

  • When? Starting from 9 June, 20:00 hrs.
  • Where to watch? ( YouTube, ( Twitch )

Geoff Keighley’s Summer Game Fest returns again in 2022. You can look forward to several weeks of highlights, with the live show at the beginning being the focus, of course. That takes place on 9 June:

This big Kickoff Live event with Geoff Keighley will once again be the centrepiece of the event, where the major trailer premieres and reveals will take place. In 2021, Unreal Engine 5, Elden Ring, Death Stranding Director’s Cut and Tiny Tina’s Wonderlands, among others, premiered at the Kickoff. This year, you can probably expect – among other things – the reveal of the next Call of Duty:

CoD Modern Warfare 2: We know a surprising amount about Call of Duty 2022 (UPDATE)

 

Traditionally, Summer Game Fest consists of various panels and livestreams and the list of partners for 2022 is already huge. Participating studios and publishers include:

  • 2K
  • Activision Blizzard
  • Capcom
  • Devolver Digital
  • Riot
  • Ubisoft
  • Warner Bros.
  • Koch Media
  • Gearbox
  • EA
  • Amazon Games

This year, the Summer Games Fest is likely to be even more important than in previous years, as E3 has been completely cancelled. You can find out more about this in the (relevant paragraph). We can probably expect other high-profile reveals and announcements besides Call of Duty.

 

Xbox & Bethesda Games Showcase

  • When? On 12 June at 7 p.m.
  • Where to watch?( YouTube ) or ( Twitch )

The E3 may be cancelled, but Xbox and Bethesda won’t miss the opportunity to present their own games. On the same date as usual at E3, the showcase is supposed to show amazing titles Xbox Game Studios, Bethesda and our partners around the world, according to the official Xbox website.

Update: In the meantime, you can add the event to your Outlook calendar on Microsoft’s (official website). There, the duration is given as 90 minutes. However, this has not yet been officially confirmed.

What is there to see? We can expect an extensive presentation of Starfield, which is still scheduled for release in November 2022. At any rate, that’s exactly how the developers went about it with Fallout 4. Of course, we can still hope for more titles. The news portal GamesWirtschaft is already speculating about other possible games:

 

Future Games Show

The PC Gaming Show

  • When? On 12 June
  • Where to watch? ( YouTube )

 

Simultaneously with the Future Games Show, PC Gamer has also officially announced their big PC Gaming Show on their website . Unfortunately, due to the absence of E3, there will be no live games or developer interviews this year either.

What to see? Nevertheless, you can look forward to many new trailers that will present never-before-seen gameplay of various games. As the name already suggests, it will of course be all about the PC.

E3 2022

  • When? Canceled this year
  • Where to watch? TBA

2020 E3 is completely cancelled, followed by its transformation into a digital trade show in 2021 – and what about 2022? Unfortunately even worse, because it falls completely flat again this year.

E3 2022: World’s biggest game show cancelled, but there are alternatives

 

What is the reason for the cancellation? The organisers currently only have a somewhat vague explanation for why E3 is taking a year off. Next year, the trade fair is to return in its former glory, both digitally and physically on the show floor.

The ESA statement reads as follows:

We will devote all energy to making a revitalised physical and digital E3 happen next summer. Whether you enjoy it on the show floor or from your favourite digital devices, Showcase 2023 will bring the community, media and industry back together in a completely new format and interactive experience. We look forward to bringing E3 2023 to fans from around the world live from Los Angeles.

(ESA to IGN )

Gamevention 2022

  • When? 1 to 3 July 2022
  • Where to look? TBA

As a new German games fair, Gamevention got off to a promising start in Hamburg in 2019 – and then directly had to take two breaks due to Corona. In 2022, the organisers will return and change the location at the same time: Instead of Hamburg, the fair will now take place in Neumünster.

The concept won’t change much: At Gamevention 2022, the focus will be on community and e-sports. National championships in various games and cosplay programmes will take place on site, while visitors can also let off steam at the medieval market or at LARP events (Live Action Role Playing).

THQ Digital Showcase

  • When? 12 August 2022 from 9pm German time.
  • Where to watch?  (YouTube), (Twitch), (Steam)

Be on the lookout for info on lots of new games on 12 August 2022. That’s when publisher THQ Nordic will once again be holding its Digital Showcase and promises a colourful mix of “serious, epic and fun games across various genres”.

In addition to several new launches, there will of course also be a whole series of updates to already well-known titles. THQ Nordic currently has Jagged Alliance 3, the strategy hopeful Knights of Honor 2, the long-awaited sequel Outcast 2 and, last but not least, the remake of Gothic in the pipeline.

THQ Nordic holds the rights to dozens of well-known game brands, including Panzer Elite, Spellforce, Desperados, Sacred, Red Faction and Titan Quest, the sequel to which was recently the subject of new rumours.

 

QuakeCon

  • When? 18 to 20 August 2022.
  • Where to watch? Not yet known

This year’s QuakeCon will be a digital-only event, as it has been in the previous two years. The planned return to the venue in Dallas had to be postponed for another year. In a statement on Twitter, they wrote that the planning required for an on-site trade fair was not feasible in the current times.

They are currently working on putting together new exciting streams, online meetups, giveaways and other activities. More details on the programme are to follow in June. So far, appearances by Starfield and the Vampire Hunter co-op shooter Redfall are confirmed. In addition, fans have been waiting for a sign of life from Wolfenstein 3! Other major brands from host id Software include Quake, Doom and Rage.

What about 2023? No one can predict exactly, of course. But the organisers emphasise their intention to finally put on a physical fair again next year

 

gamescom 2022

  • When? 24 to 28 August 2022
  • Where to look? TBA

After the gamesvention, things continue in Cologne at the end of August. Of course, gamescom will also take place in 2022 – and according to current planning, it will be held in the form of a presence, including additional online offerings. How extensive the latter will be, however, is currently still written in the stars.

The reason: There are no real details about the fair at the moment. It is expected that the first information will gradually become known in spring 2022.

Fest is set in any case: The opening show Opening Night Live on 24 August will once again be the most important part of the event, where we again expect world premieres. 2021 reveals include the new Saints Row, the release of Halo Infinite, Lego Star Wars The Skywalker Saga and CoD Vanguard.

PDXCON

  • When? 2 to 3 September 2022.
  • Where to look? TBA

The Swedish publisher Paradox shows its games every year at its own trade fair, the PDXCON. While last year they put on a purely digital event, this year fans can be there again in Stockholm. The focus is on the 2022 strategy game Victoria 3, which visitors to the event can officially try out there. An early version of the game was recently leaked:

An early version of Victoria 3 is leaked in full, and people are grumbling about it

 

Strategy fans can also expect news about Europa Universalis, Crusader Kings, Hearts of Iron and Stellaris . Find out more about PDXCON on the official website of the event.

Game Devs of Colour Expo

  • When? 15 to 18 September 2022
  • Where to watch? TBA (online only)

The Game Devs of Color Expo will be held again in 2022, which is all about POC developers. The Expo is also holding a special event together with Steam, where the focus is likely to be primarily on exciting indie games. The entire programme is planned to be exclusively virtual.

EGX London 2022

  • When? 22 – 25 September 2022
  • Where to look? TBA

Birmingham in spring, London at the beginning of autumn: the EGX will also be held in the English capital in addition in 2022. The fair is also to be held with visitors on site and follows a strict security concept.

Details on the trade show line-up are yet to be announced, but attendees can also expect smaller e-sports tournaments, community events and, of course, new games.

Blizzcon 2022

  • When? Cancelled

Actually, Blizzard wanted to hold another Blizzcon Online in February 2022 – but nothing will come of it. The company cancelled the in-house game fair in October 2021 and announced that the concept will also be revised. Details can be found here:

Reaction to scandals? Blizzard Entertainment cancels BlizzConline

 

There will still be announcements and updates to Blizzard games even without the trade fair. However, this will not be held in a concentrated location, but via the respective online channels of the games.

EA Play Live 2022

  • When? Cancelled

Since 2016, EA has usually held its own event in line with E3 in the summer called EA Play Live. This year, however, the event is cancelled, as a representative of the publisher confirmed to IGN

We love EA Play Live because it’s our way of connecting with our players and sharing news with you. However, this year it’s not possible to show you everything in one day

Of course, this doesn’t mean that EA doesn’t want to show anything of its new projects this year. After all, with Dragon Age 4, the three new Star Wars games from Respawn and the remake of Dead Space, the publisher does have some interesting games in the works. However, these are not to be presented at a single big presentation, but in a separate unveiling at the appropriate time.

Gaming events that have already taken place in 2022

Steam Next Fest

  • When? 21 to 28 February 2022 (Further events probably later in the year)
  • Where to watch? (Steam)

Steam Next Fest is all about free game demos. As usual, there were hundreds of games to try out at the February 2022 edition, across all genres. There were also plenty of live streams with developers revealing more about their upcoming projects.

EGX Birmingham 2022

  • When? 3 to 5 March 2022
  • Where to look? TBA

Last year, EGX (formerly Eurogamer Expo) returned to a physical event where fans were once again allowed to be directly on site, while adhering to numerous Corona security measures. In 2022, this is set to continue in the same way – first in Birmingham.

In early March, visitors were able to try out new games on site, take part in community meetings, experience smaller e-sports events live and more.

Motive Developer Livestream

  • When: 11 March 2022, 7.00 p.m.
  • Where to watch. (YouTube)

In the livestream, developers from Motive Studios talk about the remake of the first Dead Space currently in development there. In a tweet, they already hint that the stream will be dedicated to the game’s eerie sound design:

Shortly after the announcement of the remake, we were able to see the first gameplay in a stream, you can read more about it here:

Alpha gameplay from the Dead Space remake: Unfinished, but cursedly atmospheric

Sony State of Play

  • When? 17 March 2022, 10:00 p.m.
  • Where to watch? (YouTube) and (Twitch)

At the upcoming State of Play, it’s all about Harry Potter. As announced in the official blog post the twenty-minute show will mainly feature gameplay from Hogwarts Legacy. We will get to see a whole fourteen minutes of the PS5 version. There was already a small teaser:

GDC 2022

  • When? 21 to 25 March 2022
  • Where to look? TBA

The Game Developers Conference is not an ordinary visitor’s fair, but an event aimed primarily at developers. On-site lectures are held on various developments within the games industry, technologies are presented and there is a lot of discussion among each other.

2022 GDC is scheduled to return to San Francisco as a physical event. However, it could be that some talks will again only take place digitally this year.

Future Games Show: Spring Showcase

  • When? 24 March 2022, from 11pm

Where to watch?  (Twitch) (Youtube) (Facebook)

The Future Games Show has been around since 2020, presented by gamesradar+. At the Spring Showcase and two other shows later in the year, even more developers and publishers are to take part than before. The programme for the first show of the year sounds promising: over 40 games and 8 world premieres are included. Among other things, all this is confirmed:

  • Vampire: The Masquerade – Swansong shows off a new gameplay trailer
  • Midnight Ghost Hunt reveals its release date
  • New trailers for LEGO Star Wars, Forever Skies and a behind-the-scenes look at the new RPG Flintlock: The Siege of Dawn
  • Publisher Team17 shows off upcoming lineup
  • Studios Frontier Foundry (Elite: Dangerous, Planet Zoo) and Demagog Studio reveal new games)

Reveal of WoW expansion

  • When? 19 April 2022
  • Where to look? TBA

It is not yet known exactly what the event on 19 April will look like. However, the reveal of the next expansion for World of Warcraft will certainly be presented appropriately. After Blizzcon was cancelled for 2022, it may well be that the event will also serve as a focal point for further updates to WoW.

In any case, we will probably get to see a first trailer and probably also learn more about the expansion. The unveiling of the Warcraft game for mobile is also planned for May, read more details here:

Warcraft Mobile is called Arclight Rumble: All info on the revealed gameplay

Customisation showcase for Saints Row reboot

  • When? 21 April at 9 p.m. German time
  • Where to watch? On the (Twitch) – and (YouTube) channels of Deep Silver

It’s been a little quiet around Saints Row. But now publisher Deep Silver and developer Volition are back with a new event showcase. The studio promises us a new trailer, developer interviews and a range of new information. The main focus will be on the character editor and its groundbreaking customisation options and more. Vali has seen it and classifies the news for you:

Saints Row: I wish every game had a character editor like this!

The event will take place on 21 April at 9pm German time. You can follow all the fun on YouTube or Twitch. Saints Row itself is scheduled for release on August 23, 2022 for PC and consoles.

PAX East

For two years, PAX East had to sit out due to the Corona pandemic. Now the trade fair is returning to the Boston Convention and Exhibition Centre – and as a presence event under strict security measures. But you can also follow the show in the comfort of your own home via livestream! A few details about the programme have already been announced.
Among others, the following studios and publishers are confirmed:

  • Larian Studios (Baldur’s Gate 3)
  • Focus Home Interactive (A Plague Tale: Requiem, Warhammer 40k Space Marine 2, Evil West)
  • Gearbox Software (Tiny Tina’s Wonderlands)
  • Devolver Digital (Wizard with a Gun, Terra Nil)
  • Koch Media (The Last Oricru, STALKER 2, Saints Row)
The famous “Skyrim Grandma” Shirley Curry will also be there. Visitors can also look forward to what the PAX shows have been offering for years: Various presentations, developer panels, tournaments, exhibitors and much more.

 

 

 

 

 

Now it’s your turn: Are you planning to visit one of the trade fairs presented in 2022? Or will you stay away from such big events for a while and look forward to digital concepts? Feel free to let us know in the comments!