Somehow, that time of year has already arrived: it’s summer, which means the E3-but-not-E3 season! While the renowned gaming expo may be skipping this year, the top studios and publishers aren’t taking the summer off. Geoff Keighley’s successful Summer Game Fest is back for 2022, promising plenty of exciting news on some of the biggest games going.
How to Watch Summer Game Fest 2022
The Summer Game Fest 2022 event will take place on June 9, 2022 at 11 AM PT. You can watch it live or afterwards in the video below.
If you won’t be around to watch the event but still want to know all the biggest news, then our live blog will have you covered.
Summer Game Fest 2022 Roundup
Check out the live blog below for rolling coverage of Summer Game Fest 2022, as it happens. We’ll round up all the key reveals, big news, and exciting trailers for your perusal. Let’s hope it’s a good start to the unofficial E3 season!
Street Fighter 6Â Gameplay Trailer
The presentation kicks off with a look at Street Fighter 6, confirming Guile’s return for the new game. With a focus on brutal punches, he’s bound to be a very tanky fighter, and even combs his hair with a comb after winning a bout. Look out for Street Fighter 6 next year.
Aliens: Dark Descent Announcement
Next is the world premiere of a new Aliens game, harkening back to the series’ horror roots. You play as a group of Colonial Marines moored on a ship filled with Xenomorphs, with one members in particular haunted by the experience as the last survivor. Aliens: Dark Descent releases in 2023, on consoles and PC.
The Callisto Protocol Trailer
That is followed by another look at The Callisto Protocol, a new survival horror game set in space. It’s a hugely gory look with heads caving in and bodies shredding apart, which is no surprise given several former Dead Space devs are working on the project. From fungus-infested enemies to intense races to clamber away from danger, it’s going to be a scary one. Play with the lights on!
Geoff Keighley then chats to Glen Schofield, CEO of Striking Distance Studios. They take a look at some gameplay in action, showing some early-stage action in the med bay and power station. There’s a brief look at some of the weaponry, including laster guns and a pistol that propels enemies towards and away from you. It looks like a completely modernized take on Dead Space, which is bound to make waves when it releases this December.
Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2Â Gameplay Trailer
Next is a look at one of the levels in Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 in action. We follow Task Force 141 as they take on a mission in the sea, boarding a silo to disarm a missile. The visuals look more impressive than ever, and the trailer flexes its muscles by showing how the sound design reacts more to interiors than ever before.
There’s of course an obligatory look at the sharp gunplay, though this level focuses more on stealth than bombastic action. It ends with a huge set piece as the silo starts falling apart around our heroes, leading to a climactic gunfight for survival. It’s exactly what fans will hope to see from the much-anticipated sequel, reaffirming that the glory days of the original Modern Warfare 2 are well and truly back.
There’s also a brief tease about the next version of Warzone, but the Infinity Ward reps are very coy when questioned. It’ll be a new standalone experience, but little else is known so far.
Flashback Announcement Trailer
Next is a look at the return of the iconic PC series Flashback, in a full-fledged sequel due for release this winter. The trailer doesn’t give much away, but it’s sure to get fans hyped for the much-anticipated revival.
Witchfire Gameplay Trailer
Next is a look at an FPS that blends medieval fantasy elements with futuristic weaponry and high-octane gameplay. No plot details on offer here, aside from your superpowered protagonist laying waste to a range of demons and monsters with crossbows, pistols, advanced SMGs, and of course magic!
Fort Solis Reveal Trailer
Next up, we have the very first announcement of a new sci-fi game that looks like Death Stranding crossed with Aliens. Troy Baker and Roger Clark star and also shows up to discuss the game. Set on the Solis spaceship, the two play rival workers on this ship destined for Mars, with tensions flaring while moored in the middle of space. Baker calls it “a tight thriller,” suggesting tensions will be high. Plot details remain slim, but the big names attached to it are bound to cause some excitement.
Routine Reveal Trailer
We then get a look at another intergalactic adventure, which looks even darker in tone. The eerie halls and dark regions again call back to the atmosphere of Alien, and as a first-person game it’ll be even more tense. The footage is rather brief, showing the player cautiously moving through the ship. We then encounter a robot that grabs our hero, before the trailer cuts. The game was first announced way back in 2012, but finally seems to be on the way.
Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson Interview
Geoff then catches up with Dwayne Johnson, who currently plays The Foundation in Fortnite. He discusses how much he enjoys his role with Epic Games, and promises that he has more to come with them in the future. He’s mostly there to promote the new Black Adam movie though, showing off the new trailer in the meantime.
Outriders: Worldslayer Trailer
We then get another look at the new Outriders expansion, called Worldslayer. With new weapons, characters, and missions to undertake, it’ll breathe new life into the squad-based fantasy shooter. Of course, there’s a new big bad to fight too: a witch with tentacles capable of totally obliterating the player. That expansion lands on June 30.
Stormgate Reveal Trailer
That’s followed by a look at a brand-new game, Stormgate. We follow the protagonist as she hunts through an underground cave, before triggering a relic in the wall to discover a shield her and her crew seem to have been looking for. Things aren’t that easy though, as vampiric demons swarm the cave to get back their loot.
If this brief look is anything to go by, it’ll be a squad-based game where one character can play as a mech, one as a soldier, and so on. That means the gameplay will be nice and varied, meaning this could go down as a co-op hit. Made by former Blizzard devs, it could be the latest hit RTS to burst onto the scene. Even better, it’s free to play but not pay to win, which is always a good combo.
Highwater Reveal Trailer
Next is another indie game, called Highwater, a cel-shaded title. Set on the final day before humanity is due to evacuate Earth and go to Mars, you follow a few rebels still hanging around, lamenting the mess the world has become with floods and societal ruin. It’s more melancholy than outright dystopian though, and looks to have a very powerful message at its core. Highwater is due out later in 2022.
American Arcadia Trailer
If you’ve ever wanted to play out The Truman Show, then this game is for you. In American Arcadia, you play the hapless star of a reality show where your every move is watched, contributing to an overall approval rating. If it gets too low, you’re in trouble, and will have to escape the fuming masses. You then play out his attempts to escape this suffocating media system, with police and bigwigs hunting you down. It seems like The Truman Show crossed with The Running Man, and that’s definitely a good thing.
Goat Simulator 3 Reveal Trailer
Next is a look at the wildly unexpected sequel to Goat Simulator. One of the biggest indie hits of the 2010s is back in full next-gen glory, no doubt with improved graphics and physics. Even better, it’s coming out in late 2022.
Marvel Midnight Suns Trailer
We then get a new look at the XCOM-inspired Marvel game that was first announced last year. Spider-Man villain Venom is confirmed as a new playable character, seemingly presented as a villain before turning good. Even better, his long-time rival Spider-Man is in the game as well, alongside previously announced characters like Ghost Rider and Blade. Two of Marvel’s most popular characters were revealed in the trailer, raising hype levels that bit more. We then get a look at one of the villains – and he looks an awful lot like the Hulk. The game also gets an October 7, 2022 release date.
Cuphead: The Delicious Last Course Gameplay
We then get a chat between Geoff and Maja Moldenhauer from Studio MDHR. They talk about the final Cuphead DLC, called The Delicious Last Course, set on its own island with a brand-new character too. We then get a brief teaser of the DLC’s gameplay, which looks just as methodical, challenging, and gorgeously designed as ever. Nothing emulates the 1950s cartoon aesthetic quite like Cuphead, and this last DLC seems to be no different.
Neon White Cinematic
Next up is a look at Neon White, a parkour FPS where you play as a hellbound assassin desperate to ascend to heaven. You have to complete ten assignments in as many days or face going back to hell. With parkour, shooting, and card-based gameplay, there’s a lot to be excited for. The game launches June 16 on PC and Nintendo Switch.
Midnight Fight Express Trailer
This is followed by some gameplay of Midnight Fight Express, an RTS shooter that mixes the moodiness of Max Payne with the brutality of Hotline Miami. With a colorful design and some really brutal combat, it’s bound to be an indie hit when it launches later this year.
Warframe Trailer
We then get a moody cinematic for the long-running shooter Warframe, showing off some of the new expansion in action. A long-awaited narrative event called the Duviri Paradox is finally arriving in the game, and fans are hyped. Also be sure to watch the show on Twitch for a few free items via Twitch Drops.
Honkai: Star Rail Trailer
We also get to see new footage from Honkai: Star Rail, a new mobile RPG from Genshin Impact developer MiHoYo. Superpowers are key to the combat, with characters wielding axes, swords, and even guitars to fight the hulking bosses. There’s a glimpse at the character-driven story too, with voice acting – something not too common for mobile titles.
Zenless Zone Zero Trailer
We then get to see another action RPG, which was announced just a few weeks ago. Hack-and-slash combat is the focus here, as you take on huge mech enemies as well as more nimble robots.
Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Shredder’s Revenge
We then get to catch up with this arcade-inspired TMNT game that is nearing release. Casey Jones is announced as a playable character alongside the Turtles and April, with his classic hockey sticks in tow. The game also reveals a six-player co-op mode both online and offline, so you can completely fill out the roster with friends playing together. The game is due to release on June 16, 2022.
Humankind: Cultures of Latin America Console Reveal
Next up is news that the strategy game Humankind: Cultures of Latin America will release soon on consoles. Even better, it’ll be a day-one title on Xbox Game Pass.
One Piece Odyssey Trailer
We then get a new look at the upcoming anime-inspired JRPG, One Piece Odyssey. The zany design combined with nautical theme makes for a really unique game, even if this trailer is mostly comprised of cinematics. Nonetheless, it’ll be a must-buy for fans of the long-running anime. This deep third-person RPG comes out later this year.
Metal Hellsinger Featurette
This FPS is quite unlike anything else. It combines rhythm-based combat with brutal fantasy combat, with an intense metal soundtrack bouncing things along. Fans of their hardcore music will definitely find some charm in this unique FPS. A demo is live now, with the full game out September 15.
Nightingale
Now, we get to see a new look at Nightingale, a procedurally-generated dungeon crawler. You hop between various portals, pinching resources and crafting for survival across numerous biomes. It’s a survival game at its core, with a keen focus on combat as well. Cards are a key part too, as they alter your stats and let you open portals, through which you can travel – but other enemies can use, as well. It looks like a visual marvel, and the balance of historical aesthetics with futuristic technology and magic makes it a standout. No release date to report yet, though.
Saints Row Boss Factory Launch Trailer
Next is the surprising news of the launch of Saints Row Boss Factory. Itself technically a standalone, this character creator lets you build your crime boss now, a few months before the full game launches. You can download it and play around with the wacky designs on PC and console.
Warhammer 40,000: Darktide Gameplay Trailer
This is followed by an extended look at Warhammer 40,000: Darktide in action. The latest game based on the hit RPGs is as brutal as ever, and the first-person camera lets you see all the mutilation and gore up close and personal. With buzzsaws, hammers, and laser guns, there’s plenty of ways to mow down these demonic hordes. The game is slated to release on September 13.
Layers of Fears Trailer
Next is a look at a new Layers of Fears game from Bloober Team – not the rumored Silent Hill sequel, however. Set in a murky gothic house with plenty of hallucinations, it seems like psychological horror updated for the new generation of consoles. Made entirely in Unreal Engine 5 it’s a visual marvel, and seems to have plenty of dark secrets lurking within the story. The game is due for release in early 2023.
Gotham Knights Nightwing Trailer
We then get a deeper look at one of the protagonists in the upcoming DC Comics game, Gotham Knights. Dick Grayson’s Nightwing takes center stage here, showing off his brutal hand-to-hand combat style and jaded attitude towards Gotham. We don’t see too much new aside from the Arkham-inspired combat, but it looks set to be another thrilling comics game.
The Last of Us Part I Remake Announcement
After it leaked a few hours before the show, Neil Druckmann from Naughty Dog shows up to discuss The Last of Us. Prior to anything, he announces that the Part II multiplayer mode is now becoming its own game, though he doesn’t want to share too much yet. He says it is as big as any other Naughty Dog games, with its own story and characters – but more details are coming next year.
Druckmann also discusses the TV show adaption of The Last of Us, which is nearing the end of principal photography by now. He brings out Troy Baker and Ashley Johnson, who play Joel and Ellie in the original game. Druckmann announces that they’ll appear in the show, which is due out next year.
Prior to that though, Druckmann confirms what we already knew – a PS5 remaster of The Last of Us. We already saw quite a lot from leaks on Twitter today, but it’s a ground-up remake suited entirely to the new generation of PlayStation. They then share a reveal trailer, with upgraded graphics, environments, and character models. It releases on PS5 on September 2, 2022, with a PC version due at a later date.
That’s it for our roundup of all things Summer Game Fest 2022! With so many huge announcements and trailers, it was another fantastic show.
