Geoff Keighley returned today with his third Summer Game Fest kickoff showcase. This showcase featured titles big and small from all corners of the video game industry. We got new looks at games like Mortal Kombat 1, Final Fantasy VII Rebirth, and Alan Wake 2, trailers for the new seasons of Fortnite and Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2, and even the announcement of games like Prince of Persia: The Lost Crown and Sonic Superstars.
Like previous Summer Game Fest kickoff showcases, this live stream was quite dense, with lots of games to keep track of. Don’t worry if you think you missed some featured games, though, as we’ve rounded up every announcement made during the Summer Game Fest kickoff showcase.
Prince of Persia returns with The Lost Crown next January
To kick off Summer Game Fest, Ubisoft revealed a brand new Prince of Persia game. Completely separate from The Sands of Time’s remake, this is a 2D action game that looks more similar to the series’ classic titles. That said, it certainly seems to be more action-focused, with the Prince taking on some huge bosses and using a variety of combat abilities in the gameplay-filled announcement trailer. Prince of Persia: The Lost Crown will be released on January 18, 2024.
Mortal Kombat 1 gameplay debut impresses
After an announcement last month, we finally got a look at the gameplay for Mortal Kombat 1. It still looks like the brutal kind of fighter we’ve come to expect from NetherRealm, and it’s also being realized in very graphically impressive detail. We also got our first look at the game’s Kameo system, which lets players call in additional characters to help during a fight. This trailer, and Geoff’s conversation with Ed Boon afterward, confirm that characters like Baraka, Goro, Stryker, Sonya, and more will be Kameo fighters in the game. Mortal Kombat 1 will be released for PC, PS5, and Xbox Series X/S on September 19.
Sonic Superstars is a new cooperative 2D platformer
A brand new 2D Sonic game called Sonic Superstars was announced during Summer Game Fest, sporting crisp and colorful visuals, multiple playable characters, and co-op gameplay for up to four players. Sonic also has some new abilities that let him do things like run on walls and up waterfalls. Sonic Superstars will be released for PC, PS4, PS5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X, and Nintendo Switch this fall.
John Carpenter is working on a horror action game called Toxic Commando
John Carpenter, Saber Interactive, and Focus Entertainment revealed John Carpenter’s Toxic Commando, a new FPS game where players cooperatively fight hordes of zombies with guns and a wide variety of vehicles, at Summer Game Fest. Considering John Carpenter’s pedigree with horror, this is certainly a game to action-horror fans should keep an eye on. John Carpenter’s Toxic Commando will be released for PC, PS5, and Xbox Series X in 2024.
Marvel’s Spider-Man 2 comes out on October 20
Sony showed up at Summer Game Fest to update us on Marvel’s Spider-Man 2. The game’s creative director revealed the game’s box art and new artwork featuring Kraven and Venom. During this, he confirmed that Venom will not be Eddie Brock in the game and also confirmed that Queens and Brooklyn are fully explorable. Most importantly, though, a release date was announced. Marvel’s Spider-Man 2 will be released exclusively for PS5 on October 20.
Fortnite Chapter 4 Season Season 3: Wilds adds Optimus Prime
Epic Games used this Summer Game Fest livestream to debut the trailer that kicks off the next season of Fortnite. Chapter 4 Season 3, also known as Wilds, collapses the center of the map, which is now occupied by jungles, rideable dinosaurs, and abandoned temples. The trailer also confirms that we can expect Optimus Prime and Transformers-themed weapons, which is fitting as Transformers: Rise of the Beats comes out the same day as Chapter 4 Season 3: Wilds, June 9.
Final Fantasy VII Rebirth launches in early 2024
To end the show, we got a new trailer for Final Fantasy VII Rebirth. We see some of the vast areas that players can explore, rideable Chocobos, new characters, and boss fights. It looks like Yuffie is playable and there will be some more alternate-time narrative plot beats as well. Overall, it looks like an expanded and more vibrant version of Final Fantasy VII Remake. Square Enix also confirmed that the game will finally launch in early 2024 and will be spread across two PS5 discs.
Everything else
- Path of Exile 2 got a new gameplay trailer.
- Exoprimal will feature mech skins based on Street Fighter 6 characters Ryu and Guile.
- Nicolas Cage will come to Dead by Daylight on July 25.
- The Witcher Season 3: Volume 1 got a new trailer.
- Witchfire finally begins early access on Epic Games Store on September 20.
- Crossfire Sierra Squad got a live-action trailer and comes out this August.
- Remnant II got a new gameplay trailer.
- Honkai Star Rail is coming to PlayStation 5 sometime during Q4 2023.
- Lies of P is getting a demo today and will be released on September 19.
- A game based on Akira Toriyama’s Sandland was announced.
- Annapurna Interactive will hold another showcase at 12 p.m. on June 29.
- Free-to-play MMO Throne & Liberty got a new gameplay trailer.
- Warhaven received a new trailer ahead of Steam Next Fest.
- Party Animals will be released on September 20.
- Dying Light 2 will receive a lot of new gameplay updates this summer
- Crash Team Rumble got a launch trailer.
- Samsung Gaming Hub got a trailer.
- Alan Wake 2 received an extended gameplay video after Keighley interviewed game director Sam Lake.
- Warhammer 40K: Space Marine 2’s co-op campaign got a new gameplay trailer, which also revealed a release window of “this winter.”
- Yes, Your Grace: Snowfall got a new trailer and 2024 release window.
- Baldur’s Gate 3 got a new trailer.
- Palworld, that viral Pokemon-like where the creatures use guns, will enter Steam Early Access in January 2024.
- Black Desert Online’s next expansion got a new trailer.
- The Lord of the Rings: Return to Moria got a new trailer.
- Ever Crisis, a mobile game adapting the events of Final Fantasy VII and much of its surrounding material, will have a Closed Beta test between today and June 28.
- Banishers: Ghosts of New Eden got a new trailer, and will be released at the “end of 2023.”
- Like a Dragon Gaiden: The Man Who Erased His Name got a new trailer and comes out on November 9.
- Under the Waves, a game published by Quantic Dream, got a new trailer and an August 29 release date.
- Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 and Warzone 2.0 Season 4 received a gameplay trailer.
- A new limited edition Xbox Series X made to celebrate Porsche’s 75th anniversary was revealed.
- Fae Farm will be released for Nintendo Switch and PC on September 8.
- Marvel Snap’s Conquest mode will be added to the game next week.
- King Arthur: Legends Rise releases for PC and mobile later this year, with an open beta beginning on June 29.
- MMO Wayfinder got a new trailer ahead of its early access release this summer.
- Unreal Editor for Fortnite got a new trailer.
- Stellaris Nexus and Space Trash Scavenger were announced by Paradox Arc.
- Paradox is releasing a new 4X game called Star Trek Infinite.
- A new clip from the Twisted Metal show featured a fight between John Doe and Sweet Tooth.
- Lysfanga was announced.
- Immortals of Aveum received a new gameplay trailer ahead of its July launch.
