Xbox Has Much To Take In At Gamescom This Year

Gamescom 2015 is almost upon us. This year's event starts on August 5 in Cologne, Germany for the press, and August 6 to the public, wrapping up on August 9. As always, Xbox will have a large presence at Gamescom 2015, and the company has revealed what to expect that week.

As with E3, large companies such as Microsoft's Xbox division typically have pre-show briefings, and this year is no exception. Xbox will be holding its press briefing on Tuesday, August 4 at 4pm CEST (7am PST August 5). The company plans to show off some of the things to expect on Xbox and Windows 10 this year. The briefing will be broadcast live, and you can watch it from your computer or mobile browser on Xbox.com. You can also watch the event through your Xbox360 or Xbox One console, and Windows Phone with the available Xbox Live Events Player.

Xbox said that Xbox Daily: LIVE @ E3 was well received and they enjoyed doing it, so Xbox Daily is coming back for LIVE @ Gamescom. The show will cover all the breaking news, exclusive announcements and trailer reveals. There will be interviews with game creators, along with some demonstrations.

Larry Hryb, Xbox Live's Major Nelson, will be hosting a 60-minute live show along with Graeme Boyd, Xbox Live's AceyBongos and Julia Hardy. The live show will also feature guests from some of the top game studios creating Xbox One and Windows 10 games. Xbox Daily: LIVE @ Gamescom will be streamed live at 6pm CEST on August 5 and 6 (9am PST August 6 and 7). The streams can also be watched on Xbox.com or through the Xbox Live Events Player application. Xbox said that the shows will have interactive elements for fans watching live on Xbox One.

For those fortunate enough to be in Cologne during the event, Xbox will be hosting the Xbox FanFest Showcase. The event kicks off on Tuesday August 4 and will be limited to 500 fans. Those lucky enough to get their hands on a ticket will get exclusive access to the lineup of games being shown at Gamescom before any other attendee. On Wednesday, there will be a secret day-time activity, and then in the evening they will get VIP access to an Xbox Party, while taking a cruise on the Rhine river. These 500 fans will also receive Xbox-branded backpacks and other swag, as well as a chance to meet and greet with developers and industry influencers.

Tickets for Xbox Fanfest: Gamescom 2015 go on sale at 2pm CEST on Tuesday, August 4 at the Gloria Theater in Cologne, Germany. Tickets will be limited to one per person, and you must be over 18 to attend.

Taking place on August 7 at 3pm CEST (6am PST), ESL is hosting the Halo 5: Guardians Gamescom Invitational. The Invitational will pit teams of four players into a small four-team bracket. Three teams from Europe have been invited: Epsilon Esports, Supremacy and CAZ, along with one team from North America, OpTic Gaming. Players will be given the chance to practice Halo 5: Guardians Arena multiplayer throughout the week, culminating in the tournament on Friday. Tune in to Twitch.tv/Halo to watch it all go down.

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