Summer Game Fest makes a surprisingly light splash (again)

With E3 mendacity in ruins, Geoff Keighley’s Summer season Recreation Fest now stands tall because the occasion that kicks off a significant summer season of online game advertising. And but for the second yr in a row, the present that launched itself with the announcement of Elden Ring as soon as once more put show-stopping sport reveals within the again seat.

Just as in 2022, the occasion organizers took a extra gameplay-focused strategy to the occasion. The present revealed some eye-catching mid-budget video games like Saber Interactive’s John Carpenter’s Poisonous Commando, Sega’s Sonic Superstars, and Ubisoft’s Prince of Persia The Final Crown.

Ubisoft’s option to unveil a brand new sport within the Prince of Persia sequence at Summer season Recreation Fest is notable since Ubisoft has its personal showcase developing in a few weeks, and it appears the writer desires to maintain the long-running sequence within the public eye.

However studios like NetherRealm Video games and Treatment took time to point out off extra in-depth appears to be like at their beforehand introduced video games than unveil any new main titles. NetherRealm had beforehand teased Mortal Kombat 1 earlier than the showcase, and Treatment is sticking to selling Alan Wake 2 for the second, with no phrase of any of its different video games in growth.

The largest unveiling on the occasion was Sq. Enix’s Remaining Fantasy VII: Rebirth, a sequel to 2020’s Remaining Fantasy VII: Remake, a remake of Remaining Fantasy VII that doubles as a pseudo-sequel to the unique sport. (It is sophisticated. Even calling Rebirth a sequel to Remake is sophisticated.)

For a second it virtually appeared like Sony was going to throw its weight round with extra footage of Marvel’s Spider-Man 2—however that did not occur. Inventive director Bryan Intihar confirmed up with some new artwork and a launch date a launch date for Sony’s blockbuster sport, however was tight-lipped on every other particulars.

What had been the foremost traits of the present then? The obvious one was a shocking focus of on-line video games from East Asian builders. Nexon unveiled Warhaven. NCSoft confirmed off Throne of Liberty, which is being revealed within the West by Amazon. Pocket Pair’s Palworld was given display time, and already-launched video games like Black Desert On-line and Honkai Star Rail took intensive time to point out off new content material.

There was one writer that swung its weight across the showcase: Focus Leisure. The writer confirmed off new footage for 2 introduced video games: Warhammer House Marine 2 and Banishers: Ghosts of New Eden, and revealed it is making the aforementioned John Carpenter’s Poisonous Commando with acclaimed horror director (and unabashed online game fan) John Carpenter. You need to marvel if sooner or later, Focus will develop sufficiently big to do its personal mid-sized showcase away from Keighley’s occasions.

And in case you had been listening carefully, you caught repeated references to Keighley referring to video games working on Unreal Engine 5. Epic Video games did have a presence on the occasion between Fortnite and commercials for Unreal Engine, however it’s in all probability simply extra notable that the arrival of Unreal Engine 5 video games will develop into a significant advertising level within the months forward.

We’ll drop the entire video games proven off in the course of the occasion in an inventory down under, however there’s one thing else price discussing first.

The tone of Summer season Recreation Fest bought very bizarre

Builders eagerly await the arrival of Summer season Recreation Fest as a second to both showcase what they have been toiling away on for a number of months, or congratulate their friends on what they’ve needed to preserve secret for months or years. However there have been some decisions made on this presentation that forged a pall over that pleasure.

Firstly, no women made any onstage appearances in the course of the present. After years of improved onscreen range at these trade showcase occasions, it was shocking to see solely males take the stage.

Second, Keighley’s ad-libbed feedback have been an indicator of his model as a presenter, however a few of them got here off surprisingly…imply? On the very least overly sarcastic? It was exhausting to divine intent, however he virtually floor the present to a halt to get self-referential in regards to the lineup. A highlight on Phoenix Labs’ Fae Farm got here with the host yelling “all of us love cozy video games!” on the high of his lungs, and there was a bizarre line about indie video games and the “selection” of the present’s lineup after revealing Lysfanga: The Time Shift Warrior.

Why does this matter? We already talked about that Keighley is sitting tall atop the rubble of what was as soon as E3, which suggests his occasion is now one of many greatest advertising platforms for builders. The absence of ladies and off-putting feedback about smaller video games set a tone for the viewers.

In any case, listed here are the entire video games proven off at Summer season Recreation Fest 2023.

• Prince of Persia: The Misplaced Crown – Ubisoft
• Mortal Kombat 1 – NetherRealm Studios
• Path of Exile 2 – Grinding Gear Video games
• Road Fighter 6 x Exoprimal collaboration – Capcom
• Useless by Daylight’s Nic Cage-themed content material – Behaviour Interactive
• Witchfire – The Astronauts
• Sonic Superstars – Sega
• Honkai Star Rail – MiHoYo
• Lies of P – Neowiz Video games
• Sand Land – Bandai Namco
• Throne of Liberty – NCSoft and Amazon
• Warhaven – Nexon
• Alan Wake 2 – Treatment
• Warhammer House Marine 2 – Saber Interactive
• John Carpenter’s Poisonous Commando – Saber Interactive
• Baldur’s Gate 3 – Larian Studios
• Marvel’s Spider-Man 2 – Insomniac Video games
• Palworld – Pocket Pair
• Black Desert On-line – Pearl Abyss
• Remaining Fantasy VII Ever Disaster – Sq. Enix
• Banishers: Ghosts of New Eden – Do not Nod
• Like A Dragon Gaiden: The Man Who Erased His Title – Ryu Ga Gotoku Studio
• Name of Responsibility Warzone’s newest season – Activision
• Fae Farm – Phoenix Labs
• Marvel Snap – Second Dinner
• King Arthur Legends Come up – Kabam
• Lysfanga: The Time Shift Warrior – ISART Digital
• Immortals of Aveum – Ascendant Studios
• The subsequent chapter of Fortnite Season 4 – Epic Video games
• Remaining Fantasy VII: Rebirth – Sq. Enix