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Inside Xbox at Gamescom 2019 live report

All the news as it happened from today's show.

Hi, hello and welcome to Gamescom 2019, which is being kicked off by a special episode of Inside Xbox that promises some small treats. What exactly will they be? Join us at 4pm BST to find out.

Our live coverage of this event has finished.

Well hi, hello and how do you do?

Martin Robinson

Just getting set up - I'm not over in Cologne (that honour this year goes to Aoife, Emma and Tom who are all en route as I type).

Martin Robinson

And I am going to be very onbrand and watching via the Xbox One X in my living room. Don Mattress, your multimedia, Microsoft-endorsed future finally arrived.

Martin Robinson

Would b up 4 dat.

Martin Robinson

bumtooth: My money is on a new studio acquisition, I can feel it in my bones!

Because there's nothing gamerz love more than an acquisition!

Martin Robinson

God, video game conferences are weird things aren't they?

Martin Robinson

Well, this isn't even a conference, but you know what I mean.

Martin Robinson

In terms of setting expectations - well, best set them quite low, and then you might just be pleasantly surprised.

Martin Robinson

We're getting new gameplay looks at Gears of War 5, a lil bit on Battletoads as well as a look at the new Destiny 2 expectations.

Martin Robinson

Anything beyond that would be just gravy, quite honestly.

Martin Robinson

EA aren't even doing a show this year, which I think counts as a pleasant surprise?

Martin Robinson

Lol my Xbox stopped working does anyone know if you can watch videos on a Switch.

Martin Robinson

No wait it's all good. But also this is the first time I've ever watched anything on Mixer, and I obviously thought setting it up ten minutes before the show starts would be the wise thing to do.

Martin Robinson

It's making it all *very* exciting right now.

Martin Robinson

Oh wait, I'm in. We've got Skynet by the balls now, don't we?

Martin Robinson

Just under 10 minutes to go, and in a portentous moment the skies above Lewisham open up for a thunderous downpour.

Martin Robinson

This is honestly the most dramatic opening to a conference/show I've ever had.

Martin Robinson

And also Ori in Smash when?

Martin Robinson

Also I'm not saying we're just getting E3 reheats - but I'm pretty sure this music that's being pumped out before the show was also used in LA earlier this year.

Martin Robinson

Less than a minute to go!

Martin Robinson

Or maybe more or maybe less depending on where your stream is at IDK.

Martin Robinson

And.

Martin Robinson

Here.

Martin Robinson

We.

Martin Robinson

Go.

Martin Robinson

Kicking off with a Borderlands 3 trailer.

Martin Robinson

And a nice shot of the cathedral in Cologne.

Martin Robinson

Oh I'm almost sad about not being there.

Martin Robinson

*Almost*

Martin Robinson

We have an youthful presenting team, with no Major Nelson to be seen.

Martin Robinson

I'm partly impressed that Microsoft has chosen to front a big show with some young, energetic presenters.

Martin Robinson

Also sad about no Larry.

Martin Robinson

Getting big Number 73 vibes from this gaggle of presenters.

Martin Robinson

And really compliments don't come much bigger than that.

Martin Robinson

Still can't believe Andrea Arnold used to be part of that Number 73 ensemble.

Martin Robinson

It's like finding out Werner Herzog used to be part of Mickey Mouse Club.

Martin Robinson

He wasn't, was he?

Martin Robinson

Oh hang on there's a games show I'm supposed to be writing about. And a Blair Witch trailer!

Martin Robinson

It's got a dog in it.

Martin Robinson

I honestly can't remember a thing about The Blair Witch Project. I think it was about someone standing in the corner of a dark room?

Martin Robinson

Quite up for more Herzog facts to pepper today's show with.

Martin Robinson

Here's some Games Pass details - Kingdom Come: Deliverance first.

Martin Robinson

And that's landing on August 20th.

Martin Robinson

Not landing are some of the ad libs here.

Martin Robinson

Bard's Tale 4 and Ape Out also coming - as is The Blair Witch Project when it comes out on August 30th.

Martin Robinson

Oh and three new games coming to Games Pass today - Age of Empires on PC, Stellaris on Xbox One and.... Wait, what? Devil May Cry 5!

Martin Robinson

Cripes.

Martin Robinson

That's quite a good game, that.

Martin Robinson

Games Pass is quite good, innit.

Martin Robinson

Did he keep his cigarette packet in the sleeve? Because respect if so.

Martin Robinson

A quick trailer for free DLC for the lovely - and phenomenally successful - Human Fall Flat.

Martin Robinson

It's deffo more CITV than CBBC.

Martin Robinson

Would like and subscribe to that content.

Martin Robinson

Oh no I just remembered that Gears of War Pop exists.

Martin Robinson

It's out on August 22nd (and a reminder that it's a mobile game that's also playable on Windows 10).

Martin Robinson

blarts: Audience behind presenters? Significant Cringe.

It's like Top Gear innit.

Martin Robinson

Yeah Gears Pop looks absolutely horrendous.

Martin Robinson

INSOMANiAC: Whatever happened to Roland Rat?

Cancelled.

Martin Robinson

We've got a small section on netball now.

Martin Robinson

And in a moment of quite incredible cruelty, some netball playing lad is having his in-game score revealed live to himself.

Martin Robinson

INSOMANiAC: Whatever happened to Bonnie Langford?

Cancelled.

Martin Robinson

And it's quite a mediocre score too.

Martin Robinson

I quite like the twisted mind that thought it'd be good to reveal to this chap that he's considered a '76'.

Martin Robinson

Not even sure that's a Recommended.

Martin Robinson

An odd choice having American Netball featuring in a European show, but hey ho.

Martin Robinson

For a horrible second I thought Bonnie Langford was dead, but it turns out she's fine.

Martin Robinson

She's just doing panto and has a guest role in Eastenders, which is kind of a bit like what I imagine being dead is like anyway.

Martin Robinson

belziah: What’s going on? Who is this aimed at?

We, the gamers.

Martin Robinson

The American Netball has finished!

Martin Robinson

So now it's the Nasty Hard Right American Man's Apolitical Gun Game now.

Martin Robinson

And to top it all off, the trailer is soundtracked by a funky, modern ironic cover of Song 2.

Martin Robinson

TheStoneRoses: It great we have so many obnoxious smart arses on the comments.

And doing the live report, pal.

Martin Robinson

Anyway, Ghost Recon Breakpoint has multiplayer.

Martin Robinson

AddressUnknown: Ghost Recon will be pretty great. Wildlands was a blast.

I keep hearing this, but I could never get past a dozen hours because it was so blaaaaand. I probably am a bit impatient.

Martin Robinson

Randy from Gearbox is here to take us through Borderlands 3.

Martin Robinson

No, not that Randy. He's almost definitely cancelled.

Martin Robinson

Borderlands is looking very Borderlands, which will excite some while maybe not inspiring others.

Martin Robinson

Borderlands 3 has a couple of characters who are livestreamers, if you wondered if its tone could be any more unbearable.

Martin Robinson

...

Martin Robinson

A bit more on Bonnie Langford - she's currently taking part in a West End revival of the musical 42nd Street.

Martin Robinson

Oh, she was also in the recent West End version of 9 to 5. She's very much alive and seems to be doing really well!

Martin Robinson

Really pleased for her.

Martin Robinson

Always thought she was great as Mel Bush in Doctor Who.

Martin Robinson

Meanwhile at Inside Xbox, they're talking PUBG.

Martin Robinson

AddressUnknown: Martin, pace the Bonnie Langford trivia. We have got Stadia stream to get through. ;)

Who's saying I don't have *loads* more.

Martin Robinson

INSOMANiAC: Whatever happened to to Slyvester McCoy?

DEFINITELY NOT CANCELLED.

Martin Robinson

Oh wait, crossplay is coming to PUBG which is pretty cool.

Martin Robinson

INSOMANiAC: Very much the thinking mans Tom Baker

Preach!

Martin Robinson

PUBG is also getting lore?

Martin Robinson

Crossplay is coming late September. Genuinely big and brilliant news.

Martin Robinson

Wasteland 3 now - which is a sort of/not quite first party thing now that InExile are part of the Microsoft family.

Martin Robinson

jetsetwillie: Bob Carolgees died after he got mauled by Spit.

He's definitely cancelled. So is that dog.

Martin Robinson

weebleman: Just logged in to catch up and it looks like its been absolutely thrilling to behold...anyway, did you know her real name is Bonita Melody Lysette Langford.

Great trivia!

Martin Robinson

INSOMANiAC: Bonnie Langford for Smash!

The campaign starts here.

Martin Robinson

Wasteland 3 actually looks lovely.

Martin Robinson

Some new controllers now - a new type of camo controller.

Martin Robinson

That and there's a blue one, I think. Dunno, was looking up Neil Buchanan on Wikipedia.

Martin Robinson

There's an unboxing of those videos going live on the Xbox YouTube channel straight after this, FYI.

Martin Robinson

Apparently Carolgees was doing panto a couple of years back in Sevenoaks.

Martin Robinson

Pleased he's still alive, but surely that's no way to spend your 70th year on this earth.

Martin Robinson

Hang on shhhh it's a video game that's new and looks so god and that I can't wait to play.

Martin Robinson

It's Romero Games' Empire of Sin.

Martin Robinson

What on earth is a yankee candle shop?

Martin Robinson

Brenda and John are here to talk us through Empire of Sin.

Martin Robinson

This is good content - Brenda Romero telling us how an old local bar inspired Empire of Sin.

Martin Robinson

weebleman: Its a shop that sells yankee candles martin

Haha, thanks.

Martin Robinson

Is that true? That's almost more tragic than being in panto in Sevenoaks.

Martin Robinson

Sorry, back to Empire of Sin - I think the reason it looks so exciting is there are all this amazing systems bubbling along together.

Martin Robinson

All delivered with a really nice sense of flavour.

Martin Robinson

I've genuinely never stopped to think.

Martin Robinson

Empire of Sin is out next spring, and it's one of the games I'm most excited about in 2020.

Martin Robinson

Vigor, which I previously had no idea existed, is coming out of preview on Xbox One.

Martin Robinson

It's a survivally multiplayer loot and shoot thang, which does look a little generic.

Martin Robinson

It's alive and well in the home counties, I'm sure.

Martin Robinson

Aaron Greeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeenberg is here for what I can only imagine is a look at Gears' Horde mode.

Martin Robinson

Cancelled?

Martin Robinson

I hope not.

Martin Robinson

minky-kong: Potpourri has been "pivoted" into health food like Kale Crisps.

That explains a lot.

Martin Robinson

INSOMANiAC: Potpourri is very much the non thinking mans Bombay mix

The wisdom in here today is off the charts.

Martin Robinson

A reminder, too, that XO19 is in London this November.

Martin Robinson

We'll be there. They can't even stop me as it's on my doorstop.

Martin Robinson

I will come bearing bowls of pot pourri.

Martin Robinson

Major Nelson will be there, so try and stop me.

Martin Robinson

(Also that's a man who still has pot pourri around the fireplace).

Martin Robinson

And Phil Spencer will be there too. It'll be quite exciting!

Martin Robinson

Benny from Xbox just inadvertantly channelled Alan Partridge as he repeatedly shouts 'Aaron. Aaron! AARON!' in an attempt to get Greenberg's attention.

Martin Robinson

Well you'll always be welcome here.

Martin Robinson

INSOMANiAC: You've made the schoolboy error of thinking potpourri is two words. We've all been there.

I apologise. But I'm also too lazy to go and edit that old comment.

Martin Robinson

INSOMANiAC: clap THAT you cunts.

It was *cheer* that, but thanks for typing that out so I don't have to.

Martin Robinson

It originally started in that Bethesda conference with all the hollering and screaming. And it's probably the highlight of my life.

Martin Robinson

We're approaching the hour point, which I'm hoping will be the cutoff.

Martin Robinson

No wait I think there's another 30 minutes of this - we've got Metro Exodus, The Surge, Destiny 2 and gears all inbound.

Martin Robinson

On the plus side, 5pm means beer o' clock, so go raid your fridges.

Martin Robinson

The Surge 2 looks wonderful, although it does look like one of those games that's destined to live away from the limelight.

Martin Robinson

It's almost a full-time job keeping up with FromSoft's output, so personally speaking I find it hard to find room for another similar game. I really should though, as there's a lot to like about The Surge 2.

Martin Robinson

Well, funny you ask. I went to the pub for fish and chips for lunch as I knew I'd be working through 'til late.

Martin Robinson

And yes, I'm afraid that means it is me for Google and Geoffffff.

Martin Robinson

Make it four and I agree.

Martin Robinson

Yeah it's an odd way to present the game, but you can't fault them for showing off the detail.

Martin Robinson

I feel like I've already played and completed The Surge 2 after this.

Martin Robinson

That was The Surge 2. Now we're going to talk about a sequel to Destiny!

Martin Robinson

That's awesome - I loved the first Destiny and was hoping they'd make a second one.

Martin Robinson

Finishers are new to Destiny 2: Shadowkeep - and they're class specific.

Martin Robinson

Looking at the light levels for peole in Shadowkeep just reminds me how long it's been since I've played Destiny - and how unlikely it is I'll ever return.

Martin Robinson

This is all a bit Smash Hits live, though.

Martin Robinson

Oh god maybe I'm just too old and cynical for all this.

Martin Robinson

October 1st is the release date for Shadowkeep - which I think we knew already.

Martin Robinson

INSOMANiAC: Whatever happened to 'Look-in' magazine?

My sister got her birthday mentioned in Look-in! It was the closest to fame we ever got.

Martin Robinson

_Alan_Cartridge_: Whatever happened to sun-roofs in cars? I was thinking the other day you just don't see them anymore and they used to be all the rage.

They're buried, along with all the white dog pooh.

Martin Robinson

Is that an actual, bonafide fact? Don't make me spend the entire Google Stadia show working through every single cover to verify this.

Martin Robinson

Gears time - but before we can see gameplay, here's an overwrought montage telling you all what Gears means to people.

Martin Robinson

Fat necks and big guns.

Martin Robinson

INSOMANiAC: It was a lie.

So disappointed. But thanks for saving me an hour of looking through Look-in covers.

Martin Robinson

Gears 5, though, should be good - Gears 4 was wilfully conservative, and it'll be fascinating to see how 5 stamps its own sense of identity.

Martin Robinson

With fat necks and big guns, I reckon.

Martin Robinson

Gears 5 Horde Mode trailer, which is the climax of this whole thing, is now being shown off.

Martin Robinson

Character-based abilities make it seem a bit more like a hero shooter.

Martin Robinson

Also, graphics. Lots and lots of graphics.

Martin Robinson

Gears 5: Fatter Necks and Bigger Guns. I would buy the crap out of that.

Martin Robinson

Taps and ultimates are the big new things for 5's Horde mode - it's a slightly more flexible, dynamic brand of Horde.

Martin Robinson

Still mostly bigger necks and fatter guns though.

Martin Robinson

There's upgradeable collectible cards too because 2019.

Martin Robinson

Oh, and JACK - the bot, that is - is now playable in Horde.

Martin Robinson

I presume as a support-focussed character?

Martin Robinson

Haha, amazing.

Martin Robinson

And that was Gears 5's horde mode.

Martin Robinson

And this has been 90 minutes.

Martin Robinson

There's a nice focus on accessibility in Gears 5, with lots of different control options - inculding single stick - and with Jack intended for players who don't necessarily feel so cosy with a gun.

Martin Robinson

INSOMANiAC: It really is a talent to feign interest as enthusiastically as this lady manages.

She did seem genuinely excited by different difficulty levels, which was quite something.

Martin Robinson

A Gears 5 limited edition console it here too. To take us through the last 60 seconds.

Martin Robinson

It's a laser etched monstrosity of a thing that will look great in your room, if your room is in the basement of your parent's house somewhere in Oregon.

Martin Robinson

INSOMANiAC: I think its just you and me left Martin.

Nice and romantic. Bring out the scented candles.

Martin Robinson

Gears 5 is also on Steam, and you can pre-order from today.

Martin Robinson

What about that Epic Games Store though?

Martin Robinson

Two Halo: Reach characters - Kat and Emile - are also coming to Gears 5.

Martin Robinson

weebleman: Is sony bothering themselves to do anything this year?

They'll have a slim presence at Geoff's show tonight!

Martin Robinson

It's been over 90 minutes. Stop talking.

Martin Robinson

AddressUnknown: Apparently, Sony has a surprise tonight. Demon Souls remake is my dream.

Oooh. Well, it's happening, so it's only a matter of when. Tonight would be an odd choice, but I'd take it.

Martin Robinson

Apologies for not talking about the Gears hoodie they've been chatting about the last five minutes.

Martin Robinson

I think my brain melted and started dripping through my nose.

Martin Robinson

That was 90 minutes. And a bit more.

Martin Robinson

Sorry about all that, but thanks as ever for being here and making it all that bit more bearable.

Martin Robinson

Highlights? Empire of Sin looks great, Devil May Cry 5 is on Games Pass now.

Martin Robinson

I don't think we can sign off one of these anymore without that. See you for Google in 20 minutes.

Martin Robinson

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