June has arrived, and with it comes something many gamers look forward to – game showcases. This year, the Summer Game Fest returns with a whole host of events taking place between June 7th and June 10th. Replacing the long-running but now defunct E3 (Electronic Entertainment Expo), the weekend promises to woo us and tease us with upcoming offerings from various studios across a wide range of genres. Some of the programs will be watchable on Twitch, Twitter (X), and TikTok. All of them will be on YouTube.
I’ve been looking over the schedule and here are the ones I’m most excited for:
- Guerrilla Collective, June 6th @ 1 PM EST – This is a showcase of indie games we can look forward to releasing, usually with a lot of trailers and gameplay footage. This one is high up on my list, and I look forward to seeing what promising titles will come out of the mix. Previous years have showcased games such as Europa – an upcoming platformer exploration game that takes place on Jupiter’s moon, I Am Future – the fun survival game set in the sunken ruins of a post-apocalypse that released on August 8th of 2023, and Garden In! – a cosy sandbox game where you grow and tend plants. I don’t know what this year will bring since I don’t want to spoil the fun of finding out but I imagine there will be games added to my wishlist!
- Summer Game Fest Opening Showcase, June 7th @ 5 PM EST – This 2-hour event kicks things off with world premieres and special guests, and there is sure to be something exciting in the mix. I’m personally hoping to see something new about Light No Fire, the title that was teased by Hello Games, maker of No Man’s Sky, last year. Even without that, I’m looking forward to this one!
- Day of the Devs 2024, June 7th @ 7 PM EST – Directly following the Opening Showcase, Day of the Devs focuses on indie titles, which is something I’m excited about. Last year’s showcase included games like Helskate – an action roguelike that released on February 15th where you skateboard your way through a hell-like setting, and Viewfinder – a surreal puzzle platformer that has you changing the world around you with your instant camera. I’m certain there will be games this year that will make my must have list!
- Devolver Direct, June 7th @ 8 PM EST – While not the most robust in game showcases, last year’s made up for it with some wacky skits and lore. During last year’s event, they revived the company’s mascot from the ’90s – Volvy – as well as revealing Volv-E, a robot mascot that was a tongue-in-cheek satire about current trends in the games industry. I wonder what they have in store for us this year?
- Future of Play Direct, June 8th @ 11 AM EST – Another indie-centric showcase and one I’m most excited for, as last year’s had many games show up on my wishlist. Two of my favorites were Aloft – (no release date) a solo or co-op survival game where you navigate between islands floating around a giagantic hurricane to learn ancient lore and upgrade, while battling strange creatures and curing a fungal infection, and Wildmender – a desert RPG simulation that released on Sept 28th of 2023 and has you exploring and surviving a desert biome while trying to bring life back to a dying world.
- Wholesome Direct, June 8th @ 12 PM EST – This showcase focuses on games that are optimistic and uplifting. Last year’s featured a wealth of charming titles such as Venba – a short, narrative cooking game set in the 80’s that released July 31st of 2023, Tiny Bookshop – (no release date) a cute management game where you set up a little mobile bookshop and travel to different locations, and Solarpunk – (no release date) a solo or co-op survival game set in a world of floating islands. I get the feeling my wishlist will grow ever longer after this showcase!
There are other events as well, including the Latin Americal Games Showcase on June 8th @ 1PM EST and featuring Latin American Game Developers, Women-Led Games on June 8th @ 2:30PM EST dedicated to studios run by women, and The Future Games Show Summer Showcase on June 8th @ 3PM EST and featuring over 40 games for PC and console.
June 9th and 10th round out the festivities with the XBox Games Showcase on June 9th @ 3PM EST, followed by a look at Call of Duty: Black Ops 6, then PC Gamer’s PC Gaming Show @ 4PM EST which showcases the latest games. And finally, on June 10th @ 3PM EST Ubisoft Forward, featuring announcements, updates, and previews of upcoming and live games.
Quite frankly, the last 3 aren’t quite as interesting to me, though I’ll likely watch them anyway to see what they’re offering.
So, there’s the roundup of the Summer Game Fest 2024 and the programs I’m most excited for. But, which ones are you most looking forward to and what games do you hope to hear about this year? Leave a comment and let everyone know.
Until next time, bye for now!
Ms. Bella's World 