E3 may not be around this June Announcement season, but Geoff Keighley’s Summer Game Fest is again back to fill in the void left by the ESA trade show in the brand’s first audience show. The showcase will be the official kick-off of the almost week-long event. While the PlayStation Showcase from late last month was less than stellar, there is a real chance that today’s event can kick off this month into overdrive with the game announcements we got here and in the days ahead.
Last year’s Summer Games Fest wasn’t the most outstanding overall show. Still, we got some neat announcements, including Guile’s Street Fighter 6 reveal, our first look at Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 gameplay, the world premiere of Fort Solis (starring Troy Baker and Roger Clark), Spider-Man and Venom’s debut in Marvel’s Midnight Suns, Saints Row, and the official reveal (after being previously leaked hours before) of The Last of Us Part I. That was last year, so hopefully, this year’s events will be much more focused on the slate for the rest of the year, with some early 2024 releases sprinkled in.
Now let’s dive into every game shown during this year’s Summer Games Fest kick-off showcase below.
Prince of Persia: The Lost Crown (PC, PS4, PS5, Xbox One, Xbox Series & Switch)
Release Date: January 18th, 2024
Summer Games Fest kicks off with Prince of Persia action, but it’s not the Sands of Time remake but a brand new 2D action-adventure game set to release on all platforms early in 2024 on January 18th.
Mortal Kombat 1 (PC, PS4, PS5, Xbox One, Xbox Series & Switch)
Release Date: September 19th
Up next is a much more gameplay-focused trailer (with tons of fatalities) of the new reboot universe of the upcoming Mortal Kombat title with some moments of the game’s narrative. Afterwards, NetherRealm Studios’ creative director, Ed Boom, discusses the game’s new Kameo feature.
Path of Exile II (PC)
Release Window: TBA 202?
Next, we have a new look at Path of Exile 2, with more information to be revealed on July 28th.
Exoprimal: Street Fighter 6 Collaboration (PC, PS4, PS5, Xbox One, Xbox Series) – Game Pass
Release Date: July 14th
We got more of a look at Street Fighter 6, not from the most recent game but a collaboration with Capcom’s upcoming July dinosaur game, Exoprimal. The Exoprimal x Street Fighter 6 collaboration transforms Ryu and Guile into Exosuit skins players can equip when hitting the streets of Bikitoa Island.
Exoprimal releases on July 14 across Xbox Series, Xbox One, Windows, PlayStation 5, PlayStation 4, and PC via Steam.
Dead by Daylight – Nicolas Cage (PC, PS4, PS5, Xbox One, Xbox Series & Switch)
Release Date: July 25th
Nicolas Cage is coming to Dead by Daylight on July 25th and discussing it on the Summer Games Fest stage with Geoff Keighley.
The Witcher Season 3 (Netflix)
Release Window: Summer 2023
Summer Game Fest doesn’t feature only games but the upcoming Season 3 trailer of Netflix’s The Witcher series. The Witcher Season 3 will launch this Summer. Volume 1 will include episodes 1-5 and will be released globally on June 29, and Volume 2 will include episodes 6-8, released July 27.
Witchfire (PC via Early Access)
Release Window: September 20th
Armed with strange weapons and forbidden pagan magic, hunt a powerful witch holding the key to your salvation. Witchfire is a dark fantasy roguelite shooter from the creators of Painkiller, Bulletstorm, and The Vanishing of Ethan Carter.
Witchfire is a first-person shooter from the creative leads behind Painkiller and Bulletstorm. A roguelite for people who hate roguelites, the game offers a challenging but satisfying gameplay experience with multiple roads to victory.
Crossfire: Sierra Squad (PC via VR & PS5 via PSVR2)
Release Window: August 2023
Smilegate Entertainment is working on Crossfire: Sierra Squad. You are the leader of an elite paramilitary fireteam within the Global Risk organization. As the story narrative will explain to you in-game, during your mission, you will unexpectedly tangle with the rival Black List organization and discover that something very big at play calls for your expertise. Battle various crafty enemies in a relentless search for the truth, and prove why you were selected as the intrepid leader of the most feared particular unit – Sierra Squad.
Remnant 2 (PC, PS5 & Xbox Series)
Release Date: July 25th
Remnant II is the sequel to the best-selling game Remnant: From the Ashes which pits survivors of humanity against new deadly creatures and god-like bosses across terrifying worlds. Play solo or co-op with two other friends to explore the depths of the unknown to stop an evil from destroying reality itself. To succeed, players will need to rely on their own skills and those of their team to overcome the toughest challenges and to stave off humanity’s extinction.
Sonic Superstars (PC, PS4, PS5, Xbox One, Xbox Series & Switch)
Release Window: Fall 2023
It looks like we are getting a new Sonic game, but more so in 2D variety that’s in line with the Sonic Mania style and is called Sonic Superstars with a refreshed art style that looks welcoming for new and old fans alike when it launches on PC and consoles this fall.
Honkai: Star Rail (PS5)
Release Window: Fall 2023
Honkai: Star Rail launched on PC earlier this year on PC but its console debut is what’s on the mind of some Hoyoverse fans; well, the developer announced at Summer Games Fest will launch on PS5 Q4 2023.
Lies of P (PC, PS4, PS5, Xbox One & Xbox Series)
Release Date: September 19th
For people interested in the Pinocchio spin on the Soulsborne genre with Lies of P, well, it’s coming pretty soon as the game is set to launch on PC, PS5, and Xbox Series on September 19th, but if you can’t wait, that long a demo of the game is available right now.
Sand Land (PC, PS4, PS5 & Xbox Series)
Release Window: TBA 202?
Up next is an upcoming anime game from Dragon Ball creator Akira Toriyama called Sand Land, which is based on his lesser-known 2000 creation which is also getting a movie but now a game developed in Unreal Engine 5 as you play as the prince, Beelzebub as he explores the human realm in a desert adventure.
Annapurna Interactive Showcase
Date: June 29th at 3 PM EDT
Afterward, we got an announcement trailer with a plug for Annapurna’s upcoming Interactive Showcase on June 29th, featuring some familiar games from the publisher’s catalogue.
Throne and Liberty (PC, PS5 & Xbox Series)
Release Window: TBA 202?
Throne and Liberty is an MMORPG that features epic PvP and PvE combat on a massive scale, a dynamic world with changing geographical and environmental features that change the course of play, and character transformations—players can morph into animals to travel by air or sea, camouflage within the environment, or even turn into a defeated boss to gain an edge in battle.
Warhaven (PC)
Release Window: Fall 2023 (Play for free from June 19th-26th as a part of Steam Next Fest)
Warhaven is a thrilling big-team player-versus-player brawler that immerses players in epic 16 vs. 16 objective-based battles between two factions, the Alliance and the Mara, within the medieval fantasy world of Herarth. Engage in intense combat as you wield a variety of lethal weapons, including swords, spears, maces, shields, and the legendary magical might of the Immortals, to conquer your rivals. Prepare for visceral carnage in large-scale, squad-based clashes that will test your skills and teamwork.
“We were thrilled to see Warhaven during Summer Game Fest!” said Warhaven game director Lee Eun-seok in a press release. “We know there is an appetite for medieval-fantasy action in the player-versus-player space and Warhaven is an answer to that. Throughout the summer we will share a number of videos with our audience highlighting different characters, large-scale battles and everything that sets Warhaven apart. We are excited to welcome players to the Early Access trial of Warhaven at Steam Next Fest starting June 19th, where they will be able to experience the wide range of combat possibilities the game can offer.”
Alan Wake II (PC, PS5 & Xbox Series)
Release Date: October 17th
Sam Lake joined Geoff Keighley on stage at Summer Game Fest to talk about this year’s Alan Wake 2.
Warhammer 40,000K: Space Marine II (PC, PS5 & Xbox Series)
Release Window: This Winter
We got an update on Warhammer 40,000K: Space Marine II, which we now know is set to launch this winter; the game will also feature a co-op campaign that can be played with up to 3 players.
As showcased in the co-op campaign reveal trailer, Warhammer 40,000: Space Marine II features a gripping narrative that follows fan-favorite Lieutenant Titus—powerfully portrayed by actor Clive Standen. Embody the superhuman skill and brutality of the Emperor’s greatest warriors by unleashing deadly abilities and an arsenal of devastating weaponry on the relentless Tyranid hordes, solo or cooperatively with friends or AI in three-player co-op.
Yes, Your Grace: Snowfall (PC, Xbox One, Xbox Series & Switch)
Release Window: TBA 2024
A sequel to Yes, Your Grace has been announced which is titled Yes, Your Grace: Snowfall and described as a cinematic kingdom management RPG that will launch on PC, PS5, Xbox Series X|S and Nintendo Switch next year.
John Carpenter’s Toxic Commando (PC, PS5 & Xbox Series)
Release Window: TBA 2024
John Carpenter is making a video game. In the near future, an experimental attempt to harness the power of the Earth’s core ends in a terrifying disaster: the release of the Sludge God. This eldritch abomination begins terraforming the area, turning soil to scum and the living to undead monsters. However, the genius behind the experiment has a plan to make things right. All he needs is a team of competent, highly trained mercenaries to get the job done… Unfortunately, they were all too expensive.
Baldur’s Gate III (PC & PS5)
Release Date: August 31st
Next is another trailer for Baldur’s Gate III, which shows off a new antagonist, Lord Enver Gortash, who Jason Isaacs voices.
As players arrive to the titular city of Baldur’s Gate, they find themselves in the middle of a perilous power struggle, with many factions & powers vying for political control of this complex organism of a city. Isaacs’ acting chops help bring an additional layer of depth to the characters players will meet in Baldur’s Gate – a place where it is already difficult to distinguish friend from foe – as a major antagonist to be contended with as you venture into the morally gray alleys and docklands of the game’s sprawling city.
Marvel’s Spider-Man 2 (PS5)
Release Date: October 20th
Up next is Marvel’s Spider-Man 2. The game’s creative director, Bryan Intihar, confirms that Insomniac Games’ Venom is not Eddie Brock but an original origin to Spidey’s arch nemesis. We didn’t get a date confirmation at the PlayStation Showcase, but Sony has confirmed that the anticipated PS5 exclusive will launch on October 20th, a month off its rumoured September release window.
Palworld (PC via Early Access)
Release Window: January 2024
After that can only be described as “Pokemon with guns,” with the reveal of Palword set to launch PC in early access this upcoming January.
Palworld is a game about living a slow life with mysterious creatures “Pals” or throwing yourself into life-and-death battles with poachers.
You can make Pals fight, breed, help with farming, or work in factories. You can also sell them off or even slaughter them to eat! That however, is forbidden by law.
Black Desert Expansion: land of Morning Light (PC)
Release Date: June 14th
Korean developer and publisher Pearl Abyss released an exclusive Summer Game Fest trailer today for Land of the Morning Light, Black Desert Online’s biggest 2023 expansion, revealing the serpentine boss, Imoogi.
The Lord of the Rings: Return to Moria (PC, PS5 & Xbox Series)
Release Window: Fall 2023
Developer Free Range Games and publisher North Beach Games today shared a first look at the co-op, survival crafting gameplay of The Lord of the Rings: Return to Moria.
Final Fantasy 7: Ever Crisis (iOS & Android)
Release Date/Window: June 8th-28th Closed Beta Test on Android
Up next is Final Fantasy 7, no, not that one yet, but this one is more of a revisit of the Final Fantasy 7 Compilation with Final Fantasy VII: Ever Crisis which recreates all the moments and gameplay in a chibi art style with gameplay that looks similar to Final Fantasy 7 Remake.
Banishers Ghosts of New Eden (PC, PS5 & Xbox Series)
Release Date/Window: “End of 2023”
Play as Antea Duarte and Red mac Raith, lovers and Banishers—ghost hunters who have vowed to protect the living from the threat of lingering spectres. After Antea tragically becomes one of the spirits she loathes, you’ll seek to liberate her from her new plight.
In the haunted wilds of North America, you’ll enter the lives of New Eden’s communities to unburden a world plagued with supernatural creatures and ancient secrets. Use your wits plus a combination of Antea’s spiritual abilities and Red’s powerful arsenal to defeat and banish the souls that torment the living.
Heavy decisions will lie on your path as you decide the fate of New Eden’s inhabitants—be they living people or wandering souls—dramatically impacting your story and the challenges you’ll face. Unlock new gear and abilities on your journey to unleash the full power of the Banishers.
Like a Dragon Gaiden: the Man Who Erased His Name (PC, PS4, PS5, Xbox One & Xbox Series)
Release Date: November 9th
Next is the leaked reveal of Like a Dragon Gaiden: the Man Who Erased His Name, which officially dates the game for November 9th for PC, PS4, PS5, Xbox One & Xbox Series.
Under The Waves (PC, PS4, PS5, Xbox One & Xbox Series)
Release Date: August 29th
Under The Waves is a narrative-driven adventure game about the engulfing power of grief. Set in the depths of the North Sea in a techno-futuristic 1970s, professional diver Stan is struggling to overcome a life-changing loss and embrace a new future. The isolation of the deep sea is a fitting manifestation of his state of mind, and as Stan retreads further into his self-imposed solitude, he starts to experience strange events far beneath the waves. He will eventually have to make a difficult choice… stay lost in the depths forever, or break free to the surface and to the rest of his life.
Call of Duty Warzone Season 4 (PC, PS4, PS5, Xbox One & Xbox Series)
Release Date: June 14th
Fae Farm (PC & Switch)
Release Date: September 8th
Escape to the fairytale life of your dreams in Fae Farm, a farm sim RPG for one to four players. Craft, cultivate, and decorate to grow your shared homestead—and use spells to explore the enchanted island of Azoria! You’ll forge new bonds with residents, discover fae magic, and trek across mysterious realms. And as the seasons change, you’ll use all you’ve learned and discovered together to restore the world around you.
Marvel Snap (iOS & Android)
Release Date: Available Now
King Arthur: Legends Rise (PC, iOS & Android)
Release Window: TBA 202?
Embark on an action-packed, turn-based RPG adventure that takes you on a dark and mysterious journey inspired by the perilous adventures of a young King Arthur. Gather a party of loyal knights and warriors to defeat the fearsome enemies that threaten the kingdom. Explore a vast, interactive world and collect powerful Arthurian heroes to build an unbeatable team. Equip your heroes with the best weapons and gear, and upgrade them to face even greater challenges. Prepare to engage in visually stunning squad battles against epic bosses and mythical monsters. Will you be able to vanquish your enemies and restore the kingdom to its former glory?
Wayfinders (PC, PS4 & PS5 via Early Access)
Release Window: Summer 2023
The foul force of the Gloom is consuming the world of Evenor. As Wayfinders, lights amidst the darkness in a world consumed by Gloom, players must control the chaos and reconnect a fractured world as they choose a unique path through an online world of endless action and adventure. To cease the Gloom’s devastating decay of Evenor, players will choose from various Wayfinders (characters) to control, each with their unique story, play styles, and abilities, harnessing their power together to defend Evenor from forces that seek to destroy it.
Twisted Metal (Peacock)
Release Date: July 27th
The first trailer for ‘TWISTED METAL’ starring Anthony Mackie has been released.
The series releases on Peacock on July 27 #SummerGameFest
pic.twitter.com/JNVyQtxSNo— The Hollywood Handle (@hollywoodhandle) June 8, 2023
We got another look at the upcoming Twisted Metal series, set to stream on Peacock on July 27th.
Lysfanga: The Time Shift Warrior (PC)
Release Window: TBA 2023
Lysfanga: The Time Shift Warrior is a single-player hack’n’slash game from Sand Door Studio where players take the role of Imë, a mighty warrior tasked with saving the New Kingdom. Lysfanga is coming to PC, with the release date yet to be announced.
Immortals of Aveum (PC, PS4, PS5, Xbox One & Xbox Series)
Release Date: July 20th
Jak and his fellow Immortal Magni, Devyn and Zendara, as they hop aboard one of the most imposing elements of the game, a 400-foot-tall Colossal; an ancient titanic war machine able to transport an entire battalion of Magni into battle. The Colossals are heavily regulated due to their immense destructive power, but Jak and crew will use whatever means to chase down Sandrakk and gain the upper hand in the Everwar.
Fortnite Wilds Season 3 (PC, PS4, PS5, Xbox One, Xbox Series & Switch)
Release Date: June 9th
Final Fantasy VII Rebirth (PS5)
Release Window: Early 2024
Finally is the grand finale, which Geoff confirmed the rumours with a brand new trailer of Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth, revealing a slight delay as the PS5 exclusive is set to launch sometime in early 2024.
