After all of the speculation brought on all year by fans and critics alike, the Xbox Summer Game Fest Showcase is finally here, bringing a wealth of new game announcements.
I hope fans enjoy trailers because Xbox brought a swarm during their lengthy Summer Game Fest showcase. During the runtime, Xbox gave fans a look into everything they’re working on for the coming year, while also unleashing some world premieres that haven’t received any announcement, until today.
While speculation ran rampant this year regarding staple Xbox series franchises (like Gears of War) the Xbox Showcase at Summer Game Fest left everything on the table. Below is everything Xbox brought with them to the table at SGF 2024.
Summer Game Fest 2024: The Xbox Showcase
Call of Duty Black Ops 6
The first announcement of the day was a brand new Call of Duty black ops 6 trailer, which pedals more of the propaganda seen, like the previous trailers. Microsoft may have just wanted to warm the audience up for the Black Ops 6 event shortly after this showcase. It’s set in the 1990’s after the end of the Cold War, and more will be revealed in the following 25-minute showcase following Microsoft’s. It has been confirmed it will launch day one on game pass on October 25.
DOOM: The Dark Ages
The first world premiere of the day brought the Doom Slayer out of hibernation and saw them don a shield, which provided ample cover while slaying. the trailer revealed at Summer Game Fest shows that DOOM: The Dark Ages brings a whole different side of hell and slaying demons when it launches in 2025. Like most other announcements today, DOOM: The Dark Ages will launch day one on Xbox Game Pass.
State of Decay 3
The next trailer showed a new zombie survival game from Undead Labs, which has gratuitous zombie murder, and the usual setup of a post-apocalyptic survival horror game. State of Decay 3 has finally been shown, but no gameplay or release date has been given.
Dragon Age: The Veilguard
After the huge announcement that Dragon Age: Dreadwolf would be now called Dragon Age: The Veilguard, Bioware brought a trailer that showcases the crew adventurers will be travelling with and where your main character stands as part of the story. Dragon Age: The Veilguard launches in the Fall 2024.
Starfield: The Shattered Space
Another trailer at Summer Game Fest from Bethesda Studios showcased what is next for their big release last year, Starfield. The trailer mentions a cryptic “only us,” and reveals Starfield: Shattered Space, which will arrive later this year. However, Bethesda has also announced a new update will be arriving to the Starfield today, including new weapons and customizable gear which will be available tonight.
Fallout 76: Skyline Valley
The next Bethesda Studios announcement followed and brought news to the wasteland of Fallout 76. Featuring Appalachia’s first-ever in-game map expansion, Fallout 76 pedals Skyline Valley as if it is a premiere vacation spot. Notably for the first time ever, players will be able to play as a ghoul character (finally) starting in 2025. Before that though, Skyline Valley opens on June 12.
Clair Obscur: Expedition 33
The next trailer featured a world premiere of an RPG that requires players to take down The Paintress who is wreaking havoc on the world. Turn-based roleplaying appears to take center stage in Expedition 33, and it will launch day one on Xbox Game Pass in 2025.
South of Midnight
The next trailer presented stunning stop-motion movements similar to those found in hit Claymation films. The featured character, Hazel, appears to be riding a talking catfish through a bog, and after Hazel disembarks the catfish, she is able to deploy many parkour abilities, even to the point of flying it seems. South of Midnight (like most other announcements today) launches day one on Xbox Game Pass in 2025.
World of Warcraft: The War Within
For the first blizzard announcement of the day, World of Warcraft will be returning with a brand new expansion. Introducing the awakening of Azeroth, the newest World of Warcraft expansion, The War Within. It launches on August 26.
Metal Gear Solid: Snake Eater Delta
The latest trailer for the upcoming Metal Gear Solid 3 Remake, referred to as Delta was shown. The trailer doesn’t deviate much from the original title, and features David Hayter, the former voice of the titular character, back and better than ever. The remake will launch 2024.
Sea of Thieves Update
A new event from Sea of Thieves was then announced, teasing the ultimate weapon and the ability for players to engage in true villainy. The update splashes on shores July 25.
Flintlock: The Siege of Dawn
The latest trailer for the previously announced Flintlock: The Siege of Dawn title was then shown, showcasing souls-like combat, and a crisp art style. Flintlock: The Siege of Dawn will launch on Xbox Game Pass day one, on July 18, 2024.
Age of Mythology Retold
A new RTS strategy game has been revealed this Summer Game Fest 2024, and it isn’t Civilization VII. Microsoft announced the latest title in the Age of Mythology series, and it is called Age of Mythology Retold, and it will arrive on September 4
Perfect Dark
The next trailer at Summer Game Fest demands the player “stop Carrington’s attack,” the next game from The Initiative showed the first look at Microsoft’s Perfect Dark in development. This time around, Agent Dark appears to be able to use parkour to navigate the atmosphere, slow motion shooting sequences, and being able to see enemies through walls are all included in this new title, simply called Perfect Dark, and it will launch day one on game pass.
Diablo IV: Vessel of Hatred Expansion
Summer Games Fest then tore the lid off the new Diablo IV: Vessel of Hatred expansion. The expansion launches a brand new character class (still to be revealed), more gameplay, and the expansion continues the story after the events of Diablo IV‘s main story. Neyrelle seems to be grappling with her newfound Horadrim status as she faces mental torture from the demons of hell, and Diablo himself is shown for a brief moment. Diablo IV: Vessel of Hatred launches on October 8 for Xbox and PC.
Fable
No new information has been revealed about Playground Games Fable-in-progress, until today at Summer Game Fest. We are introduced to Humphrey, Albions greatest retired hero, and he explains the title is all about choice, and it will make or break you in the new Fable game. It appears Fable will revolve around a hero who combats one that made all of the wrong choices, and she has returned. Fable launches in 2025.
FragPunk
Another new world premiere followed during the Summer Game Fest showcase, and it’s a hero shooter with card deck-building mechanics. Introducing the 5v5 rule-changing hero shooter, FragPunk, where the world and the rules that govern it in this arena 5v5 shooter will change sporadically. It will launch at a TBD date.
Winter Burrow
A new lifestyle simulator has then been revealed, featuring a stunning hand-drawn art style, and mice will have to do what it takes to survive. Launches in 2025
Mixtape
Another new world premiere then followed, and more stop-motion animation was featured. Billed as an ‘adventure of a lifetime’ this new title features music first, and takes people on a musical journey in 2025.
Microsoft Flight Simulator 2024
The next presentation during Microsoft’s Summer Game Fest showcase involves taking to the skies again in everyone’s favourite flight title, and pursuing a career in the many fields of Aviation is the goal in the newest trailer for Microsoft Flight Simulator 2024. It takes off on November 19.
The Elder Scrolls Online 10-Year Anniversary
Bethesda’s next announcement brought fans back to Tamriel in The Elder Scrolls Online’s 10-year anniversary trailer. For a limited time, fans can play all of the DLC for free, and the newest chapter launches June 189.
Life is Strange: Double Exposure
A new trailer from Square Enix followed in the Summer Game Fest presentation, and an all-new supernatural murder mystery was revealed from the creators of Life is Strange. Solving and preventing the same murder across two timelines is the name of the game in Life is Strange: Double Exposure, and it launches in October 2024.
Indiana Jones and the Great Circle
The latest game from Bethesda and Lucasfilm Games then arrived, the new Indiana Jones and the Great Circle gameplay showcased the gratuitous amount of young Harrison Ford in a snowstorm, and the resident archaeologist is seen deploying his trademark charm and whimsy to get through perilous scenarios. Coming to Xbox Game Pass in 2024.
Mecha Break
The next title shown at the Summer Game Fest Microsoft showcase is a giant robot fighting game called, and it features live-action robot transformations and many different styles of combat to deploy while fending off adversaries. Mecha Break is coming in 2025 with a beta in 2024 august.
WUCHANG: Fallen Feathers
Another new combat gameplay trailer followed, WUCHANG: Fallen Feathers was then shown with crisp souls-like gameplay. While not much outside of the brief gameplay was shown, this new title will arrive in 2025.
Avowed
The next gameplay trailer for the upcoming Obsidian Entertainment title, Avowed was then shown at Summer Game Fest. The trailer showcases what it will take to become the Living Lands protector. Avowed is arriving in 2024.
Atomfall
Another world premiere then followed from the developers at Rebellion, and the first gameplay trailer for the first-person title, Atomfall was shown. It’s coming in 2025.
Assassin’s Creed Shadows
Another trailer for Assassin’s Creed Shadows was shown at the Microsoft Summer Game Fest showcase. The title releases on October 12.
S.T.A.L.K.E.R. 2 Heart of Chernobyl
The next title comes from Ukraine’s developers at New World. This FPS uses a supernatural element, and sees hazards like electrical impulses attempt to end your life. The first gameplay has been revealed for S.T.A.L.K.E.R. 2 Heart of Chernobyl. It will launch on September 2024.
New Xbox Series S/X Console Editions at Summer Game Fest
A New Xbox Series S/X console has been announced, and fans can now get their Series X console in a crisp Robot White colourway without the disc tray. The new Xbox Series X is fully digital in white, and the Xbox Series S has also launched a 1TB SSD for the Series S digital console. Lastly, the disc tray variant will come in Galaxy Black (with green trimming) and has a 2TB SSD for memory. The new xbox console refresh will be available starting Holiday Season 2024.
Gears of War: E-Day
Closing out the Xbox Summer Game Fest Showcase is none other than The Coalition’s latest title in the Gears of War franchise, the prequel Gears of War: E-Day was announced. Just like the first game’;s first ever trailer, Gary Jule’s “Mad World” played in the background of the trailer, and the trailer reveals what happened when the locust invaded Sera.
That just about wrapped the Xbox Showcase at Summer Game Fest 2024! Fans can head to the official SGF 2024 website for more information, or head over to CGMagazine’s entire Summer Games Fest 2024 coverage here.
