E3 may have died (for now) but Summer Game Fest has risen in its place and this most recent weekend has brought us plenty of updates on the biggest video games coming out of the industry.
Between Geoff Keighley’s Summer Game Fest keynote, the Xbox Showcase, Ubisoft Forward and PlayStation’s reent showcase it’s clear we have a lot of games to look forward to. Here are some of the biggest ones to keep an eye on from the recent Summer Game Fest announcements.
Major games out of Summer Game Fest 2023
Starfield
Easily the biggest Xbox game on the horizon, if not one of the most anticipated games, is Bethesda’s new space RPG Starfield.
The game has seen multiple delays but appears to be firmly committed to that September release date, which sets up the back half of 2023 to be massive.
At the Xbox showcase, Bethesda released not just a new gameplay trailer but an entire Starfield Direct showcase with an almost hour-long breakdown of everything you can get into in the upcoming game.
In true Bethesda style, there’s a lot to do. There are customisation options for your character, weapons and ship, you can explore open-world landscapes on 1000 (!!) different planets and worlds, and you can interact with and recruit hundreds of different characters to become part of your crew.
Release date: September 6
Assassin’s Creed Mirage
Assassin’s Creed games have become mammoth open-world RPG endeavours in the past few iterations, but Mirage aims to go back to basics.
New trailers and gameplay videos released during Ubisoft Forward herald a return to the mechanics of the first Assassin’s Creed game, where stealth is prioritised and assassinations are instant. Assassin’s Creed: Mirage also boasts a new landscape to explore, that being Baghdad in the 9th century, where you’ll play as AC: Valhalla side-character, Basim.
Release Date: October 12
Star Wars: Outlaws
It’s been known for a while now that Ubisoft has been developing the first open-world Star Wars game, but Star Wars: Outlaws turned up to steal multiple shows over the Summer Game Fest weekend.
The new game follows an outlaw, Kay Vess, and her companions Nix and a BX Commando Droid, as they attempt to pull off the biggest heist in the galaxy. The game looks beautifully realised with a combination of stealth and gunplay, as well as ground-to-aerial ship combat, all set amongst that iconic Star Wars aesthetic.
Release date: 2024
Avatar: Frontiers of Pandora
Star Wars isn’t the only major sci-fi franchise Ubisoft is building a game out of. Avatar: Frontiers of Pandora finally received a more in-depth gameplay look at Ubisoft Forward and it appears it really will be emulating that open-world Far Cry feel on the glorious world of Pandora.
Players will play as a Na’vi who has been raised by the humans of the RDA and is seeking to reclaim their lost heritage. You’ll be able to tame and fly Banshees, collect resources and craft weapons and explore all the beautiful nooks and crannies the lush sci-fi landscape has to offer.
Release date: December 7
Prince of Persia: The Lost Crown
It’s been over a decade since an original Prince of Persia game was released but that changes in 2023 with Prince of Persia: The Lost Crown. The 2.5D side-scrolling game introduces a new hero who travels to a cursed city to rescue the trapped Prince.
Release date: January 18, 2024
Fable
The long-awaited Fable reboot received an update at Xbox’s Summer Game Fest showcase with a cinematic trailer that featured a new hero and Richard Ayoade as a giant. The game is set in the fairytale land of Albion where your choices have the potential to change everything.
Release date: TBC
Cyberpunk 2077: Phantom Liberty
Cyberpunk 2077 may have had a disastrous launch but plenty of hard work has gone into turning the game around since then and the fruits of that labour can be seen in the DLC chapter, Phantom Liberty.
Idris Elba pops up as a new character in the hub of Dogtown, where your character, V, visits seeking a cure for their deadly ailment. Hands-on reports claim that Cyberpunk 2077: Phantom Liberty is a huge improvement upon the base game so if you haven’t picked up the game before now, this could be the perfect time.
Release date: September 26
Clockwork Revolution
A surprise announcement out of the Xbox showcase was the reveal of a new game from inXile (the team behind Wasteland). Clockwork Revolution seems very inspired by Dishonored or BioShock and its time-bending steampunk story takes players into the vibrant metropolis of Avalon.
Release date: 2024
Final Fantasy VII Rebirth
The grand finale reveal at Summer Game Fest was a trailer of Final Fantasy VII Rebirth, which promptly sent all FF fans into a tailspin.
The new game (which will launch on two discs – it’s that big) continues the re-telling of the original Final Fantasy games, while taking some bold new directions with the story.
Release date: 2024
Spider-Man 2
Technically, the big news about Marvel’s Spider-Man 2 dropped at the PlayStation showcase in late May, but there were some more updates at Summer Game Fest, including a confirmed release date, new suits and a reveal of the box art.
Over the past few weeks, we’ve learned more about Spider-Man 2 than we have in a whole year. It’s been confirmed that the open-world map will include New York burrows Queens and Brooklyn, and that players will be able to switch between both Miles Morales and Peter Parker during the game.
Release date: October 20
Of course, this is just the top of the iceberg when it comes to new titles out of Summer Game Fest 2023. More announcements are still to come over the next week or so but these are the major ones we recommend you add to your wishlist.
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