Summer Game Fest 2023: The Highlights

Summer Game Fest 2023, the digital showcase of the latest and greatest in gaming, kicked off on June 8 with a slew of announcements, trailers, and surprises. Here are some of the most notable reveals from the event, covering everything from superheroes and monsters to hedgehogs and princes.

Marvel’s Spider-Man 2 finally has a release date

One of the most anticipated games of the year, Marvel’s Spider-Man 2, finally got a release date during Summer Game Fest. The game, which will feature both Peter Parker and Miles Morales as playable characters, will launch exclusively for PlayStation 5 on October 20, 2023. Pre-orders will open on June 16 at all participating retailers and the PlayStation Store.

Also read: Marvel’s Spider-Man 2: Everything We Know So Far

The game will also mark the return of iconic villains such as Venom and Lizard, among others. Game director Bryan Intihar teased that the person in the black symbiote suit is not Eddie Brock but someone else, and that we’ll have to wait for the game’s release to find out. Intihar also shared some details about one of the game’s new antagonists, Kraven the Hunter, who is unlike any character they’ve ever featured because he’s not superpowered or uses magic; he’s simply the best at what he does. Kraven is coming to New York for his “greatest hunt,” with Intihar alluding that it’s not only Peter or Miles that he’s stalking.

An extended look at Alan Wake 2 gameplay

Alan Wake 2, the long-awaited sequel to the cult classic psychological thriller from Remedy Entertainment, is coming this October with a new twist: survival horror. The game was first announced at the Game Awards in 2021, and since then, fans have been eagerly waiting for more details and footage. Fortunately, the Summer Game Fest 2023 delivered both, with an extended gameplay trailer and a director’s commentary from creative director Sam Lake.

The gameplay trailer, which you can watch below, shows one of the two playable characters in Alan Wake 2: Saga Anderson, a journalist who is investigating a series of murders in the Pacific Northwest. As she arrives at a crime scene, she finds herself attacked by a monstrous creature that has taken over the body of the victim. She has to use her flashlight and gun to fend off the creature, while also avoiding the darkness that surrounds her.

Along with the gameplay trailer, Sam Lake also shared some insights and details about the development and vision of Alan Wake 2. He explained that the game is split between the two protagonists “50-50” and that “there are no right ways” to go about swapping between them. He also said that the game will have multiple endings depending on the players’ choices and actions.

Alan Wake 2 is currently slated to launch on October 17th, 2023, where it will be available across Xbox Series X|S, Windows PC, and PS5. The game will be published by Epic Games Publishing, which means that it will be exclusive to the Epic Games Store on PC. The game will also not have a physical release, so players will have to download it digitally.

Sonic’s back with a new 2D side-scroller

Sega has announced Sonic Superstars, a brand new Sonic the Hedgehog game in a 2D guise set for release later this year. Classic Sonic fans who prefer the Blue Blur’s original side-scrolling roots are in for a treat, as the game mixes 3D graphics with 2D gameplay. The game will also feature co-op action, allowing players to team up with up to three friends as Sonic, Tails, Knuckles, or Amy Rose.

The game will also mark the return of Sonic’s original designer Yuji Naka, who left Sega in 2006 and worked on various projects such as Balan Wonderworld. Naka said that he was happy to be back working on Sonic again, and that he wanted to create a game that would appeal to both old and new fans of the franchise.

Sonic Superstars will also introduce new abilities for Sonic and his friends, known as Emerald Powers. These powers are obtained by collecting Chaos Emeralds, and they include the ability to make clones of our heroes and let them swim up waterfalls, among other things. The game will also feature familiar zones from previous Sonic games, as well as new ones, and of course, the return of Dr. Eggman as the main villain.

Sonic Superstars will be available on PS4/PS5, Xbox Series X /S, Xbox One, Nintendo Switch and on PC via Steam. It’ll be up for grabs in autumn on all those platforms. Anyone signing up will get access to an exclusive Amy Rose skin.

Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth trailer revealed

The first trailer for Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth was finally shown by Square Enix at Summer Game Fest, after dropping some hints before the event. The trailer gave the release window of “early 2024” for the game and also revealed that the physical edition will consist of two discs.

The trailer also featured the party’s adventures outside the city of Midgar, where they rode on chocobos, encountered new enemies, and discussed Cloud’s mysterious history during the last five years. Furthermore, it verified that Red XIII will join the party as a playable character and that Yuffie will also make an appearance in the game.

The release of Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth trailer has been eagerly anticipated by fans since the shocking ending of Final Fantasy VII Remake. The game was first announced during the Final Fantasy VII 25th Anniversary Celebration Stream last year. The original plan was to release it in 2023. Square Enix had previously stated that it was on schedule for a launch this year. However, the latest trailer reveals that it will be out early next year.

A new side-scrolling Prince of Persia game

Fans of the classic action-platformer series Prince of Persia have a reason to rejoice. Ubisoft has just revealed a new side-scrolling game in the franchise, called Prince of Persia: The Lost Crown, at the 2023 Summer Games Fest. The game sports a new, cartoony art style, but hearkens back to the original with a side-scrolling perspective and time manipulation powers.

According to the game’s website, Prince of Persia: The Lost Crown is a “stylish and thrilling action-adventure platformer game set in a mythological Persian world where the boundaries of time and space are yours to manipulate”. The game will feature different biomes that have their own “identity, wonders, and dangers”, as well as big boss battles and puzzles.

Mortal Kombat 1’s gameplay trailer was shown

Mortal Kombat is back with a bang. The legendary fighting game series is getting a reboot, titled Mortal Kombat 1, which promises to deliver a fresh and brutal take on the franchise. The game was officially announced last month, but today we got our first glimpse of its gameplay, characters, and fatalities in a stunning trailer that debuted at Summer Game Fest 2023.

One of the most noticeable changes is the addition of assist gameplay. This feature allows players to call in other characters to help them in battle. For example, we see Johnny Cage summoning Sonya Blade to shoot his opponent with a machine gun, or Sub-Zero calling in Frost to freeze his enemy with an ice blast. The assist gameplay adds more variety and strategy to the combat.

Mortal Kombat 1 will be released on September 29, 2023 for PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S, Nintendo Switch, and PC. The game will also have cross-play and cross-progression features, allowing players to play with each other and access their progress across different platforms.

More announcements from Summer Game Fest 2023

Here are some other announcements from Summer Game Fest 2023 that you might have missed:

• Netflix has released the official trailer for Season 3 of The Witcher, starring Henry Cavill as the monster-slaying Geralt of Rivia. The five-episode Volume 1 will release globally on June 29, with Volume 2 set for July 27. Along with Cavill, The Witcher stars Freya Allen as Ciri and Anya Chalotra as Yennefer of Vengerberg.

• Warhammer 40,000: Space Marine 2 got a new trailer that revealed its release date and pre-order bonuses. The game is a sequel to the acclaimed third-person shooter from 2011, where players take control of Captain Titus of the Ultramarines. The game will continue the story of Titus as he faces a new threat from the forces of Chaos. The game will also feature co-op and multiplayer modes. The game will launch on PS4/PS5, Xbox Series X/S and PC on February 22, 2024. Pre-ordering the game will grant access to an exclusive skin for Titus and a digital art book.

• Crash Team Rumble got a new trailer that showcased its gameplay and features. Crash Team Rumble is a new team-based brawler coming for Xbox Series X|S, PS5 and PC on June 20. The game will feature 4v4 online multiplayer matches, where teams must capture more Wumpa Fruit than the other team to claim victory. The game will also feature a variety of Crash Bandicoot characters, such as Crash, Cortex, Coco, Dingodile, Brio, and Tawna, each with their own unique abilities and powers. The game will also have seasonal updates, with new heroes, maps, powers and limited time modes available for free with the purchase of the game .

• Baldur’s Gate 3 got a new gameplay trailer that revealed its release date and pre-order bonuses. Baldur’s Gate 3 is the long-awaited sequel to the classic RPG series from Larian Studios, the developers of Divinity: Original Sin 2. The game will feature a rich story, deep character customization, turn-based combat, and online co-op for up to four players. The game will also be fully voice-acted, with over 600 actors and 1.5 million lines of dialogue. The game will launch on PS4/PS5, Xbox Series X/S, Xbox One and PC on November 17. Pre-ordering the game will grant access to an exclusive armor set and a digital soundtrack.

• Fortnite Wilds Reveals Transformers Crossover. Epic Games announced a new crossover event for Fortnite Wilds, the Chapter 4 Season 3 of Fortnite. The event will bring characters and vehicles from the Transformers franchise to the game, such as Optimus Prime, Bumblebee, Megatron, and Starscream. Players will be able to transform into robots or vehicles at any time during the event, and use their abilities to fight or explore the map. The event will also feature new challenges, rewards, and cosmetics based on the Transformers theme. The event will run from June 15 to July 15.

• New Trailer for Season 4 of Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2. Activision released a new trailer for Season 4 of Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2, the latest installment of the popular shooter series. The trailer showed off some of the new content coming to the game’s multiplayer and Warzone modes, such as new maps, weapons, operators, modes, and vehicles. The trailer also teased the return of Captain Price as a playable character in Warzone. Season 4 of Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 will start on June 16.

• Path of Exile 2 Gameplay Trailer. Grinding Gear Games unveiled a new trailer for its upcoming free-to-play action RPG Path of Exile 2, the sequel to the popular ARPG from 2013. The trailer showed off some of the game’s revamped graphics, gameplay, and story elements, as well as some of the new enemies and bosses that players will face. Path of Exile 2 will feature a new seven-act campaign that takes place 20 years after the original game, with new classes, skills, items, and mechanics. The game will also support online co-op for up to six players. Path of Exile 2 is expected to launch in July 2023 for PC, PS4/PS5, Xbox One and Xbox Series X/S .

• Lies of P Gets a Demo and New Release Date. Lies of P, a dark fantasy action RPG inspired by Pinocchio, got a new release date and a playable demo during Summer Game Fest. The game, which was originally slated for late 2023, will now release on April 15, 2024 for PC, PS4/PS5, Xbox One and Xbox Series X/S. The demo, which is available now on Steam, lets players experience the prologue of the game, where they control a wooden puppet named P who wakes up in a plague-ridden city called Krat. The game will feature a branching story with multiple endings, a dynamic combat system with various weapons and skills, and a crafting system that allows players to customize their puppet’s appearance and abilities.

• Nicolas Cage Is Coming to Dead By Daylight. Behaviour Interactive announced a new crossover event for its asymmetrical horror game Dead By Daylight, featuring none other than Nicolas Cage as a playable character. The event, which will run from June 22 to July 6, will let players choose between playing as Cage or one of his iconic roles from his filmography. The event will also feature new maps, cosmetics, and challenges based on Cage’s movies. Some of the roles that players can play as include Ghost Rider, Castor Troy from Face/Off, Benjamin Franklin Gates from National Treasure, and Edward Malus from The Wicker Man.

• Immortals of Aveum Gets an Extended Gameplay Clip. Immortals of Aveum, a new open-world action RPG from Ubisoft, got an extended gameplay clip during Summer Game Fest. The clip showed off some of the game’s features, such as the dynamic weather system, the stealth mechanics, the combat system with various weapons and abilities, and the exploration of the vast world of Aveum. The game will also feature a branching story with multiple choices and consequences, as well as online co-op for up to four players. Immortals of Aveum is set to release on October 12 for PC, PS4/PS5, Xbox One and Xbox Series X/S.

• Remnant 2 Release Date Revealed. Gunfire Games revealed the release date for Remnant 2, the sequel to the critically acclaimed third-person shooter Remnant: From the Ashes. The game will launch on December 10 for PC, PS4/PS5, Xbox One and Xbox Series X/S. The game will continue the story of Remnant: From the Ashes, where players must fight against an interdimensional invasion known as the Root. The game will also feature new environments, enemies, weapons, and bosses, as well as online co-op for up to three players.

These are just some of the highlights from Summer Game Fest 2023. There were many more announcements and trailers that we couldn’t cover here, but you can check them out on the official website or YouTube channel of Summer Game Fest. Stay tuned for more gaming news and updates as we enter the peak season of gaming events and releases.

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