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This story is part of the Digital Trends Summer Gaming Marathon seriesGeoff Keighley returned today with his third Summer Game Fest kickoff showcase. This showcase featured titles big and small from all corners of the video game industry. We got new looks at games like Mortal Kombat 1, Final Fantasy VII Rebirth, and Alan Wake 2, trailers for the new seasons of Fortnite and Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2, and even the announcement of games like Prince of Persia: The Lost Crown and Sonic Superstars.
ContentsPrince of Persia returns with The Lost Crown next JanuaryMortal Kombat 1 gameplay debut impressesSonic Superstars is a new cooperative 2D platformerJohn Carpenter is working on a horror action game called Toxic CommandoMarvel’s Spider-Man 2 comes out on October 20Fortnite Chapter 4 Season Season 3: Wilds adds Optimus PrimeFinal Fantasy VII Rebirth launches in early 2024Everything elseShow 3 more itemsLike previous Summer Game Fest kickoff showcases, this live stream was quite dense, with lots of games to keep track of. Don’t worry if you think you missed some featured games, though, as we’ve rounded up every announcement made during the Summer Game Fest kickoff showcase.
Prince of Persia returns with The Lost Crown next January
Prince of Persia The Lost Crown - Reveal Gameplay TrailerTo kick off Summer Game Fest, Ubisoft revealed a brand new Prince of Persia game. Completely separate from The Sands of Time’s remake, this is a 2D action game that looks more similar to the series’ classic titles. That said, it certainly seems to be more action-focused, with the Prince taking on some huge bosses and using a variety of combat abilities in the gameplay-filled announcement trailer. Prince of Persia: The Lost Crown will be released on January 18, 2024.
RelatedOur favorite PlayStation games of 2023: Spider-Man, Final Fantasy, and moreEverything announced at Gamescom Opening Night Live 2023Summer Game Fest: our 10 favorite games we saw and playedMortal Kombat 1 gameplay debut impresses
Mortal Kombat 1 Official Gameplay Trailer 2023 4KAfter an announcement last month, we finally got a look at the gameplay for Mortal Kombat 1. It still looks like the brutal kind of fighter we’ve come to expect from NetherRealm, and it’s also being realized in very graphically impressive detail. We also got our first look at the game’s Kameo system, which lets players call in additional characters to help during a fight. This trailer, and Geoff’s conversation with Ed Boon afterward, confirm that characters like Baraka, Goro, Stryker, Sonya, and more will be Kameo fighters in the game. Mortal Kombat 1 will be released for PC, PS5, and Xbox Series X/S on September 19.
Sonic Superstars is a new cooperative 2D platformer
Sonic Superstars - Announce TrailerA brand new 2D Sonic game called Sonic Superstars was announced during Summer Game Fest, sporting crisp and colorful visuals, multiple playable characters, and co-op gameplay for up to four players. Sonic also has some new abilities that let him do things like run on walls and up waterfalls. Sonic Superstars will be released for PC, PS4, PS5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X, and Nintendo Switch this fall.
John Carpenter is working on a horror action game called Toxic Commando
Toxic Commando World Premiere Trailer | Summer Game Fest 2023John Carpenter, Saber Interactive, and Focus Entertainment revealed John Carpenter’s Toxic Commando, a new FPS game where players cooperatively fight hordes of zombies with guns and a wide variety of vehicles, at Summer Game Fest. Considering John Carpenter’s pedigree with horror, this is certainly a game to action-horror fans should keep an eye on. John Carpenter’s Toxic Commando will be released for PC, PS5, and Xbox Series X in 2024.
Marvel’s Spider-Man 2 comes out on October 20
Spider-Man 2 Interview with Bryan Intihar | Summer Game Fest 2023Sony showed up at Summer Game Fest to update us on Marvel’s Spider-Man 2. The game’s creative director revealed the game’s box art and new artwork featuring Kraven and Venom. During this, he confirmed that Venom will not be Eddie Brock in the game and also confirmed that Queens and Brooklyn are fully explorable. Most importantly, though, a release date was announced. Marvel’s Spider-Man 2 will be released exclusively for PS5 on October 20.
Fortnite Chapter 4 Season Season 3: Wilds adds Optimus Prime
Fortnite Chapter 4 Season 3 WILDS Cinematic TrailerEpic Games used this Summer Game Fest livestream to debut the trailer that kicks off the next season of Fortnite. Chapter 4 Season 3, also known as Wilds, collapses the center of the map, which is now occupied by jungles, rideable dinosaurs, and abandoned temples. The trailer also confirms that we can expect Optimus Prime and Transformers-themed weapons, which is fitting as Transformers: Rise of the Beats comes out the same day as Chapter 4 Season 3: Wilds, June 9.
Final Fantasy VII Rebirth launches in early 2024
FINAL FANTASY VII REBIRTH – Summer Game Fest 2023 TrailerTo end the show, we got a new trailer for Final Fantasy VII Rebirth. We see some of the vast areas that players can explore, rideable Chocobos, new characters, and boss fights. It looks like Yuffie is playable and there will be some more alternate-time narrative plot beats as well. Overall, it looks like an expanded and more vibrant version of Final Fantasy VII Remake. Square Enix also confirmed that the game will finally launch in early 2024 and will be spread across two PS5 discs.
