New games, fresh trailers, release dates and more have been unveiled at the annual Summer Game Fest event.
Essentially replacing what was once E3, Summer Game Fest has been the biggest event on the gaming calendar since 2020.
It was a wild morning filled with dozens of big gaming titles; Mortal Kombat, Sonic the Hedgehog, Spider-Man, Prince of Persia, Final Fantasy – we even had an appearance from legendary actor Nicholas Cage.
Here’s a look at some of the biggest announcements from Summer Game Fest 2023.
Prince of Persia: The Lost Crown
It’s been over 13 years since the last Prince of Persia game, but now the wait is over with a new game and story on the way from Ubisoft.
Battle mythological creatures, parkour around the world, manipulate time and solve mysterious puzzles in this fast paced action-platformer.
There’s no doubt we can expect more from Prince of Persia: The Lost Crown at Ubisoft’s showcase next week. The Lost Crown is releasing on consoles and PC on January 18 next year.
Mortal Kombat 1
Mortal Kombat is back and as gruesome as ever with an entirely new take on the series. MK creator Ed Boon joined Geoff Keighley on stage to talk about the game, “Sub-Zero and Scorpion are brothers now… We’re mixing the whole thing up,” Boon said.
Actor Jean-Claude Van Damme is also joining the game as the voice of Johnny Cage. Developed by NetherRealm, Mortal Kombat 1 is coming to consoles and PC on September 1 this year.
Dead by Daylight x Nicolas Cage
Nicolas Cage stole the show by appearing on stage alongside host Geoff Keighley. “I’m so happy to be invited to your very cool club,” Cage said as he addressed the crowd.
Nicholas Cage is playing an ‘exaggerated version’ of himself in a new update for survival horror game Dead by Daylight, which is coming July 25.
Sonic Superstars
SEGA’s mascot Sonic, along with all his friends, is back for an all-new high-speed adventure, with a revised art style paying homage to the classics.
The 2D side-scrolling action, combined with full 3D graphics, creates a modernised look that still feels nostalgic. Sonic Superstars also features four player co-op.
READ MORE: Video games releasing in June 2023
We can expect Sonic Superstars to release later this year.
Sonic fans are encouraged to sign up for more info about the game and receive a “redefined look for Amy”. You can head to sonicsuperstar.com for more.
Sandland
A new video game based on Akira Toriyama’s Sand Land is on the way!
The Dragon Ball creator penned this original story over twenty years ago and finally it’s being adapted into video game form. While not as mainstream as the Dragon Ball series, the characters reflect the creators legendary style, featuring an angry kid with a tail and a grumpy old mentor.
Join Beelzebub the prince of demons, as he traverses the scorching desert in search of a legendary spring, helping out a host of unique characters along the way.
This stylish, action RPG will feature both character and vehicular combat with customisable cars, tanks, mechs and more!
It’s coming to PS4, PS5, Xbox Series X|S and PC.
Annapurna Showcase
Annapurna teased an upcoming showcase with a sizzle reel highlighting some familiar titles and new titles.
Look out for their showcase on June 29.
Alan Wake 2
When the game’s creator takes to the stage, you know things are about to get serious. Sam Lake, creator of the Alan Wake series, joined Geoff Keighley on stage to introduce an all-new gameplay trailer for Alan Wake II. The upcoming horror game follows the story of crime writer Alan Wake and newcomer Saga Anderson, an FBI Agent investigating a number of mysterious murders.
Alan Wake II is coming to Xbox Series X|S, PlayStation 5 and PC on October 17.
Spider-Man 2
(PlayStation)
A huge surprise from PlayStation, making an appearance just two weeks after their own big showcase.
Insomniac Games unveiled the new cover art for the game on stage, along with new concept art. They also confirmed Eddie Brock will not be Venom in this game, opening the doors to a new take on the symbiote villain.
Spider-Man 2 is coming to PlayStation 5 on October 20 this year.
Final Fantasy VII Evercrisis
Final Fantasy VII: Ever Crisis, is the OTHER Final Fantasy VII remake!
However this one is staying closer to the original and grouping together stories from the anthology of spin-off games we’ve got over the years; such as Crisis Core, Dirge of Cerberus and even the Advent Children film.
“Relive the most memorable moments from FFVII and experience the journey of a young hero Sephiroth.” Square Enix.
Ever Crisis will be an episodic, free to play mobile game with in-app purchases. Available on Android and iOS with a closed Beta test coming soon.
Like a Dragon Gaiden
The latest in the Like a Dragon series, (formally Yakuza in the west) Like a Dragon Gaiden: The Man Who Erased His Name got a dramatic reveal.
The over the top drama and action, that’s garnered this series a cult following, is back and as brutal as ever.
Play as former Yakuza legend Kazuma Kiryu, going by the code name ‘Joryu’, as he is dragged out of hiding and once again thrust into the thick of things.
Coming to PC and Consoles on November 9th.
Immortals of Aveum
We had another fresh look at EA and Ascendant Studios’ Immortals of Aveum.
Darren Barnet, the actor behind protagonist Jak, joined Geoff Keighley on stage to talk about the new game, revealing a new gameplay clip that features the ‘Immortals’ battling on board a giant mech in the ocean.
Immortals of Aveum is coming to consoles and PC on July 20.
READ MORE: Learning all about Immortals of Aveum with Ascendant Studios
Final Fantasy VII Rebirth
For the climactic ending to SGF, we got a magnificent trailer for Final Fantasy VII Rebirth, part two of the classic Final Fantasy VII reimagining.
From the way part one went down, we know that the story can go in any direction from here, breaking off from the original in surprising ways.
This trailer raises plenty of questions!
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Why were Tifa, Barret, Red XIII and Aerith on stretchers, being taken away by Shinra when we know they escaped the highway just fine?
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Yuffie and Red XIII have been added to the team roster, will we see Vincent show up as well? Or will he be saved for DLC like Yuffie was? Cid and Cait Sith will likely come in the last installment.
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We see Sephiroth slash Tifa with a sword with the voice over, “Do you know that I killed her? So who is she?” WHAT DOES IT MEAN!? I’m pretty excited to find out!
Surprisingly, the game will be released on two discs and it’s not clear why. Usually games too big to fit on a single disc, have the additional files downloaded during installation. Maybe they want to have the whole game playable without need for downloads?
Final Fantasy VII Rebirth is coming early 2024
The showcase was jam-packed with so much more, including Path of Exile 2, Lies of P, Baldur’s Gate 3, and new updates for Fortnite and Call of Duty Modern Warfare II Warzone.
Here’s what else was on offer:
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Lies of P – (Demo available now)
There’s plenty more gaming news to come this month, with the Xbox Showcase on Monday morning followed by Ubisoft Forward and the Capcom Showcase.
