The Upcoming Games To Watch (English Language)

Cologne, Germany (CNN) -- More than 340,000 gamers from across Europe converged in this quaint German city last month to get their first hands-on with Sony's PlayStation 4 and Microsoft's Xbox One consoles and to preview an assortment of new games.

The occasion was Gamescom, the massive video gaming show that attracted over 600 exhibitors from upwards of 80 countries, all of whom set up booths in 10 massive halls that featured over 1.4 million square feet of space. It was like E3 and Comic-Con, only much bigger.

Big companies like Sony, Microsoft, Ubisoft and Electronic Arts kicked off the festivities with press conferences that featured exclusive announcements, including the November 15 PS4 launch date and new games such as "The Sims 4."

Europe plays an important role in the global gaming ecosystem, thanks to the success of such European companies as Rovio Entertainment ("Angry Birds"), DICE ("Battlefield 4") and TT Games ("The LEGO Movie Game"). According to Peter Warman, founder of video-game research firm Newzoo, European consumers will contribute 23% of the $70.4 billion global video game market this year.

"The most talked-about companies over the past year are European," said Warman. "Companies like SuperCell ("Clash of Clans"), Wargaming ("World of Tanks"), Mojang ("Minecraft") and King ("Candy Crush") will bring in a combined revenue of more than $1.5 billion this year."

Next-generation gaming was a huge focus this year, but the current crop of consoles still have a lot of life left in them. And the PC, which has always been strong in Europe, remains a force as well. Here are five games that stood out from the very crowded booths of Gamescom 2013.