The Xbox Series X should be on display in a big way at Gamescom 2021. The massive gaming convention, held every August in Cologne, Germany, will not have a physical component this year due to public health concerns.

However, the show will take place virtually, and Microsoft is planning two major live streams for the event: an Xbox stream on August 24 and an Xbox opening night ceremony on August 25.

This information comes from the official Xbox Wire blog and includes hints about what will be seen at the event. Microsoft promises to show off "the largest exclusive game lineup ever," but doesn't say exactly what that will look like; as Xbox Games Vice President of Marketing Aaron Greenberg admits on Twitter, not too many new titles Don't expect to hear about:

"No new announcements or big surprises to get your hopes up," he said.

Putting two and two together, we can expect to hear a lot of news about first- and third-party Microsoft exclusive titles we already know about. These include games such as Halo Infinite, Starfield, Age of Empires IV, Redfall, Fable 4, and Avowed. Admittedly some of these games are quite far off, so expect the focus to be on games that are coming in the near future. (If I had to bet, I'd say it's about time we got a definitive release date for Halo Infinite.)

The August 24 Xbox stream will be the more substantial of the two, taking place on August 24 at 10am PT/1pm PT/6pm BST and available via YouTube, Twitch, and other official Microsoft channels.

The Gamescom Opening Night Live Ceremony will take place on August 25 at 11 a.m. PT/2 p.m. ET/7 p.m. BST and can be viewed on YouTube, Twitch, and other channels.

Bethesda fans should also be aware of the Bethesda MainStream, which will take place over several days starting August 26. Since it is a live stream over several days, there is no telling when (or if) we will hear news about upcoming titles. Also, since it is hosted by Bethesda Germany, it will probably be in German. If you plan to watch, we recommend that you do so with a native German speaker. The Bethesda Mainstream will be available on Twitch.

Microsoft also noted that Xbox FanFest will be held again this year, albeit online. Check the official Xbox FanFest website soon for more information. In addition, Microsoft will be holding an Xbox Gamescom sale, offering up to 75% off related titles. We will have to wait until August 24 to find out which games specifically.