Watch tonight's Summer Game Fest 2023 Opening Showcase here with us
As we go through the Keigh-hole.
It's the most wonderful time of the year. No, not the silly festive season but June, when all the big games companies come out to play and show us what they've got. And the centrepoint of it all will be today's Opening Showcase of Summer Game Fest.
It begins at 8pm UK time (9pm CEST / 3pm EDT / 12pm PDT) and you can watch the stream here while we report live on what we see. I'm sure you know the drill by now, but this is a chance for us to follow the announcements together and talk about whether we're impressed by them. Will we be?
What is on the cards for tonight, then - what should we expect? Well, Geoff Keighley, obviously, because it's his show. But in terms of head-turning games: Ed Boon will be there to show Mortal Kombat 1, the franchise reboot, and Remedy's Sam Lake will be there to show more of Alan Wake 2.
Beyond that, though, it's speculation, although there's a good chance we'll see Cyberpunk 2077 expansion Phantom Liberty, which I have high hopes for, and that we'll see Hideo Kojima. Will he be taking a picture of his food, though, or will he be there to show Death Stranding 2?
With an expected running time of around two hours and dozens of games companies reportedly signed up, we're expecting plenty of other announcements besides. Oh and remember: Summer Game Fest is orbited by many other showcases running this weekend and into next week, and you can keep track of all of it with our Summer Game Fest 2023 guide.
For now, though, let's speculate - what are you hoping hope to see?
Our live coverage of this event has finished.
Good afternoon and welcome. Today's the day - yes, it's Keighley happening.
neddie says: I'm always d̶i̶s̶a̶p̶p̶o̶i̶n̶t̶e̶d̶ glad these events don't take place during working hours when I'm stuck behind a computer.
Lucky Americans, eh? They can pretend to work while watching the show!
NixtBlack says: Looking forward to it (?). Get the feeling MS won't show anything with their own show upcoming. Ubisoft - unless you have BG&E 2, or a return to Rainbow Six and Splinter Cell Chaos Theory...Ontherwise, I fear it'll be cgi trailers ahoy
You're probably right about Microsoft. Beyond Good & Evil 2, though, giggle - I don't think that game is showing its face any time soon! I'd love to be wrong, but, yeah.
Kami says: Oh it's that time of year is it? Just got back from volunteering, wondered why I had an urge to boot up EuroGamer lol
You are as regular as a migratory bird!
SupremeAC says: Through the Keigh-hole? Sounds a bit naughty, but to each his own and all that.
I don't know what you mean!
Kami says: BG&E2 will happen when Pluto is reclassified back as a planet!
Quite!
2much says: The Bloodborne PS5 remaster and PC versions are obviously going to be announced tonight. Everyone should be sure to get their hopes up.
Such certainty is very becoming of you. I'm convinced.
ChrisOTR says: A teaser of Elder Scrolls with AI-generated dynamic NPCs
I used to be a believer like you, until I took a Starfield to the knee.
mazerius1st says: Sony will drop a bombshell and announce the release of PS5 Pro this Christmas
Ha! You know, Tom from Digital Foundry was testing a game earlier on PS4 Pro behind me, and for a second there, I thought he was blow-drying his hair. He does have lovely hair. But how I had forgotten that terrible sound. This generation's consoles are so wonderfully quiet.
Danzig85 says: More Armored Core VI gameplay and a surprise demo drop would really tickle my todger.
Well! There's a phrase I haven't heard before.
Gremkarc says: All I want to see are some Baldur's Gate III half-orcs! Two hours of them!
That's the spirit! Yes please.
Boooo_urns says: Very much like to see some dragon age 4 gameplay. In general keeping my eyes peeled for all things RPG
Ooh, phwoar. You've got me all giddy with excitement now.
Weebleman says: I’m hoping for some silent hill news. A date for the remake, a peek at gameplay, anything!
Ooh, yes, this would be nice.
Hello good evening! Are you all sitting comfortably? The tension is mounting! (Soon to flubber out like air from a whoopie cushion.)
JC T says: Expecting: - Surprising revival of old IP - Beautiful 2D platformer - Indie game similar to Gone Home - CGI for cool game coming in 2 years - Surprising revival of old IP BUT IT'S A MOBILE GAME - New souls-like game - One company clinging to NFTs - "My friend Hideo Kojima"
Ha! Love this.
ASplicedLemon says: Would love to finally see some footage of Fable
Yes! We were talking about this in the office today actually. It seems like it's had a rocky development, that game, but I'm very excited to see what it's all about. Will it be odd that Peter Molyneux isn't the one to front it? I do miss his big promises.
Kami says: @Malek86 - I want the one Martin hallucinated. With Penelope Keith in it.
Wait, what? And where is Martin, anyway? Martin, oh Marrrrrrrrrtin!
There seemed to be a mini-leak for Phantom Liberty earlier, outing the price at £30, which is a lot for an expansion. People spotted it on CD Projekt's PC download shop GOG, apparently - it's not there any more.
I visited the studio at the end of last year and I was talking to some people there about the upcoming year - this year. And there was a lot of focus on this expansion, the emphasis being that it's a Big Thing. I wouldn't be surprised if it feels like an entire game in its own right, but let's wait and see.
Lifeis2D says: A traditional round of applause for Martin.
Clap, clap, clap, clap, clap.
I was hoping he might show up in the comments tonight. He did for the PlayStation Showcase. Perhaps he's forgotten about us. Sniff.
I wonder if Geoff is doing any vocal warm-ups backstage. I always liked: She sailed down the river on a rough cut punt, not a punt cut rough but a rough cut punt.
I'm not sure if I'm allowed to type that on Eurogamer actually.
Anyway!
Sam Lake from Remedy is apparently there tonight to show Alan Wake 2. I met him once. We were in the same hotel, attending a conference in Poland. He's really nice. There's something distinctly Hollywood about him, too.
Ooh, very funky hold music. Have you ever been caught humming hold music when the person eventually answers on the other end? Happens to me all the time!
I phone places with hold music especially.
What does everyone have to sip on during the conference? I see some talk of brandy in the Eurogamer chat. There's a mention of olives, too.
The12thMonkey says: Beer and a cheese sarnie. All set.
Nice!
Kami says: The last place I called with hold music was the hospital who had Shawn Menedez's "Stitches" on a low-quality loop. Not sure if genius or terrifying.
Haha brilliant!
Kami says: I have a ginger beer, ice cold of course.
Ooh nice, nice. I have some boring water.
Oh, here we go! We're off.
Oh I forgot it's actually live. Chris Tapsell is out in LA for us. I wonder if he's one of the people cheering. I bet he isn't. I bet he's got his legs crossed and he's being hard to please.
Lifeis2D says: Forgotten about us, like we all have about Chris... Whatsisname. Went off and got far too big for us after his success in the Jurassic World films. :(
Yes - what is his name! I can't remember.
Geoff blowing his own trumpet here. Yeah alright Geoff.
You're not a console Geoff! You don't have cross-play.
Geoff making sure we hang around.
We're not expecting this apparently. Is that Prince of Persia?!
Who said I wasn't expecting it?
Oh it's not a mobile game is it?
Kami says: With his love affair with Kojima, Rob, I beg to disagree on the cross-play lol
Hah, quite!
So it's a very combatty Prince of Persia?
Is that Orlando Bloom doing the voice? Can't be - way too expensive.
Prince of Persia: The Lost Crown. 18th January 2024.
I suppose it's a reboot of the original? Or a harkening back to the original?
MOOOORRRRTALLL KOMMMMBATTTT next.
Where's Wes when you need him?
So this is Mortal Kombat 1, a kind of franchise reboot. It's coming this September.
Sub Zero and is that Liu Kang, fighting in a bar.
I love the trashy story. We're in Johnny Cage's flashy apartment now I think. Oh, yikes, stabbed in the head by Sub Zero.
Nice flamingo rubber ring in the background.
Oh wait, this is Liu Kang n ow fighting Scorpion.
Looks great to me. What do you all think? Nice effects. Ooh there's that buddy system in action!
Goro! I love Goro. I'd quite like a hug from Goro.
Holy shit that's disgusting. I love it.
I mean, it's Mortal Kombat being Mortal Kombat.
Here's MK creator Ed Boon to tell us more.
He's explaining the new timeline now and how we went from MK11 to MK1.
Okay so Liu Kang became a fire god and created a new timeline. Sub Zero and Scorpion are now brothers, rather than enemies.
"Cameos". This is the buddy system.
So you choose your main, and then there's a second roster and it's a whole new cameo roster. Sorry, "Kameo".
And doing this apparently nets you some of the Kameo fighter's abilities. Or Tekken Tag, as Weebleman points out.
So it's not tag. You bring in the Kameos as a kind of combo. THer'es a counter up top apparently - there's a ring around their portrait.
Would_You_Kindly says: So we know there's 16 characters lol
Nice spot!
Lots of the Kameos are nods to the first game. It's deliberately nostalgic like that it sounds like.
Kami says: Mortal Kombat vs. Street Fighter. Though the problem with that is I heard talk that JCVD is in MK1 as a reskin for Johnny Cage (I know, makes no sense to me either)
You guessed it! Jean-Claude Van Damme is in MK1 as Johnny Cage.
Apparently Boon has tried to get JCVD for the game repeatedly over the years. They're big fans of Blood Sport; it was a big inspiration for the series. Good film that - totally ridiculous.
Well don't speak too soon but, you know, this has been good so far. I've jinxed it haven't I.
Path of Exile 2. Ooh. Hello.
I mean, that looks a lot like Diablo 4. Maybe not quite as intricate. Interesting timing for it, really.
Path of Exile is, of course, the game made by former Diablo people that many people think is better than Diablo now. There'll be enormous interest in this.
Apparently we're going to find out more on 28th July. Not sure what that occasion is.
Ryu's turned into a robot! We're getting a Street Fighter 6 update.
Ah, so an AI called Leviathan on an island has taken over Ryu. What the absolute hell is going on here? Now there's a Guile robot! And Ryu is punching a Ticeratops.
Oh it's an Exoprimal crossover!
The12thMonkey says: 28th is ExileCon
Oh nice, thanks!
July 14th for that Street Fighter crossover.
Onto another crossover now. Here's Nicolas Cage in Dead by Daylight. Nice.
He's coming to the game in July.
Oh and here's Nicolas Cage at the show! Wow.
Look how he's holding that microphone!
Still, he's a legend, and look at those shiny shoes. "It's a museum of horror, right?" says Cage. He's a survivor in the game, by the way.
He plays "heightened, exaggerated version of a film actor" called Nicolas Cage. It's like he's doing an impression of himself.
He's doing all the voice work for himself in the game, apparently. He wants us to "fuse" with him.
Someone in his family loves the game, apparently. "And that really put the hook in," he jokes. What a card!
Apparently he's never been invited to do a game before. I wonder if that's true? It can't be, can it?
It took him nothing but a split-second to say yes apparently. He's really hitting the PR beats.
PC players can download a test build of Nic Cage on 5th July apparently.
We're getting a look at him. It's like his face is frozen mid-pout.
He's talking about The Witcher on Netflix. Ooh we're getting the wold premier of the new trailer.
Henry Cavill, sniff, and the rest of the cast are talking like they've been paid to talk - they don't seem very interested.
I'm looking forward to this all the same.
"I won't abandon Ciri," says Geralt. What like you abandoned the show, Henry? Shh don't, don't.
It'll feel strange watching a Witcher in the summer. Ooh yes of course, the Wild Hunt are in this one.
The effects look a little unconvincing from here - maybe it'll feel different in context.
Did anyone watch the Blood Origins spin-off? Bobbins, that was.
Oh, hello, it's the Astronauts, the Adrian Chmielarz studio. I hope I spelled that right.
This is Witchfire. A kind of medieval fantasy shoot 'em up. Early access starts 20th September.
VR game Crossfire Sierra Squad there. I'm sure Ian is excited.
I'm not sure what this is. But it looks ghoulish. Like a co-op horror shooter. Did someone say Renmant?
Remnant 2 apparently - thank you! Coming out 25th July. Looks okay!
So what do you think so far, at the end of the first quarter? It's been pretty good, no?
Sonic!
He just ran from the old into the new, and back again. It's a 2D Sonic, or 2.5D, and it's just like the old games yay!
You can play with friends but that doesn't look particulaly fun. It's got new powers. There's a blue hedgehog.
Sonic Superstars. Coming in the autumn.
Malek86 says: Sonic meets Rayman Legends? I can go for that
That's a good way of looking at it!
I can't listen to the name Honkai Star Rail without giggling. But yes, massive game.
Here we go. Lies of P. The Pinocchio-like Soulslike. And we're getting a release date.
Kami says: Yeah, Lies of P! I think the leak earlier was Sept. 19th release.
Let's see if you're right!
Love the atmosphere of the game.
Here we go. Lies of P is coming out 19th September - ding ding ding, you were correct!
And there's a demo out now!
A new game based on a famous manga, now.
Who can guess it first?
Is it, is it, is it, I have no idea.
Oh so it's from Toriyama-san, the creator of Dragon Ball. It's a desert world, a third-person action-adventure.
There are missiles, uppercuts, tanks, mechs.
Sandland, that's its name.
Onto Annapurna now. We're getting a tease to see how many we can figure out.
Thirsty Suitors? Neon White. Stray...
NCsoft and Amazon Games collaborated on this F2P MMO. I wonder if it's one of these that's available already in the East but coming West.
It looks pretty but they always do.
Was that some shapeshifting there? It's got very active combat like Black Desert Online.
Grappling hooks, shapeshifting and flying - lots of agility.
It's Throne and Liberty. Hmm. There's a tech test running and they want players. Interesting.
More online stuff from Nexon now. It's like Ubisoft's For Honour but slashier.
No, you took a mini-break there to get some water!
Lord Viru says: "What if Borderlands, but make it anime. Oh and change the name so we can't get sued, but make it still generic and on the nose.... got it, SANDLANDS!" Good work team.
Hey did you work on it?
We're going into madness now, apparently. Ooh it's my friend Sam Lake! From Remedy. To talk about Alan Wake.
Look how unbelievably handsome he is.
God, has it really been 13 years since the original Alan Wake?
So there are two characters this time, and it's a 50-50 split between them, in terms of how much you'll play. You'll get to switch between them at points, it sounds like. I wonder how free it is.
So Alan is trying to escape a nightmare land, and FBI agent - "Saga" did he say? - is investigating some ritualistic murders and in doing so, find pages of a horror story.
So you start by playing as Saga. It's a sequel but also a standalone experience, he says, which obviously makes sense.
Saga is effectivley the new player, not knowing what's going on, but she'll learn as she finds herself in it.
Then they open up the story and we'll play as Alan Wake in the nightmare place as he tries to find his way out.
He says you're "free to switch between them". Apparently it's up to you how far you take each of them - how long you stay with each of them. Hmm, curious.
Raw gameplay for the first time ever. I tell you, it's nice to see gameplay after the PlayStation Showcase.
Kami says: Alan Wake aged really well, I was dismissive of it as a Greatest Hits of Survival Horror at first but as so many others fumbled, I realised there's actually value in just doing the basics really well. It also introduced me to Poe, and I thank it for that!
Nice!
Love an FBI jacket.
So Saga - I hope I've got her name right - is navigating through a spooky, dark wood on her own. As you do in horror experiences.
She's come across some kind of settlement. There's a stag in there! It makes her jump.
Now there's a stag-like humanoid monster thing, coming for her with an axe. She's shooting it. It's shouting at her. Suffice to say, they're not getting along.
Quite reminiscent of Resi gameplay, that sequence.
She's going back in.
Would_You_Kindly says: Some damn good graphics gotta say
It does look nice, doesn't it?
So there are visual anomalies you interact with.
The gameplay ends with her examining a tattooed heart.
17th October for Alan Wake 2.
We're getting a look at co-op gameplay from Saber's Warhammer 40K game now.
Would_You_Kindly says: Looks abit like gears of war in space with British accents lol
Haha yes!
I think it looks pretty good.
Oh this looks like Yes, Your Grace!
I'm assuming it's a sequel, and it looks much expanded.
Oh or maybe it's an expansion? Yes, Your Grace: Snowfall, coming next year.
Saber and Focus Entertainment now. A horror game inspired by John Carpenter, who wasn't actually a carpenter.
Christ. John Carpenter's Toxic Commando. Very tongue-in-cheek, kinda Dead Island in tone.
That frame-rate doesn't look great, but then, there are a lot of zombies on screen. If it is totally ridiculous, I'm in.
2024.
Baldur's Gate 3! We're going to see a second antagonist now. And they're voiced by... can we guess?
It's Lucius Malfoy! Jason Isaacs. I love Jason Isaacs!
I cannot wait for Baldur's Gate. Hey, that rhymes!
He's playing a character called Gortash.
Holy moly those were some cheers for Spider-Man 2. I wasn't expecting that.
We're talking about the villains in the game. Well, they are.
Weebleman says: Ray tracing on that stage is awesome
It's good isn't it! Super believable.
It is not Eddie Brok Venom, apparently. It's an original story not from a comic. Who is Venom? Isn't Peter Parker Venom - didn't we see that in the PlayStation Showcase?
chrisdeku says: It’s Harry.
What, Prince Harry?
They're pushing on a date...
20th October.
Palworld. Hahaha! What a name!
I think this is maybe the slower middle part. It didn't look too bad though. Early access coming in January 2024.
Now, an expansion for Black Desert Online. That game has one of the best character creators I've ever seen. And also, some of the best combat in an MMO I've ever encountered.
A Lord of the Rings game! My partner just bought a replica of Gimli's axe, you know. It's leaning against the wall behind me now. If an intruder came into my house, like a cave troll, say, I would hit their face with it.
This looks a bit ropy, the game, though.
An exciting new mobile game! I doubt it, Geoff. But it is Final Fantasy...
Is this all one game? I don't get it. It looks part rubbish, part okay.
Final Fantasy 7: Ever Crisis. You won't sleep for excitement tonight, will you?
Banishers: Ghosts of New Eden now. Some ghost hunters in the wilds of North America did he say? It's a Focus Home game.
It looks smart. It's heavily supernatural, perhaps obviously. You find people who are posessed, and then get to choose who to save or sacrifice. Oh, okay, so you're a duo, one living, one a ghost. A bit like Shadow of Mordor, maybe? Or maybe it means you can move between worlds.
slowdog1976 says: why is everything from Focus Entertainment?
That is a good question! I suspect the answer has something to do with money. But hey, I really enjoyed Plague Tale last year, so there's hope!
We're seeing something Yakuza now - I don't know what. Forgive me.
Like a Dragon: Gaiden - The Man Who Erased His Name.
Yep, no idea.
Is this Subnautica?
No, Bertie! It's Under the Waves! It looks like Subnautica though.
Kami says: Oh dear, here's Call of Duty
Quite!
Weebleman says: COD. Toilet break it is
Haha - snap!
Unreal849 says: The first affordable Porsche machine. A Poorsche, if you will.
Haha - bravo!
Oh my god look at that thing! It looks like a popcorn bucket!
Ben Brode now from Marvel Snap. Donlan interviewed him recently - he was very enthusiastic about it. Donlan that is. Although listening to Brode, I bet he was excited too. He sounds perma-cited.
Gosh he's tall isn't he? Note how Geoff wasn't standing too close. But he's not small, you know.
daverambo says: My god this guy is loud
Isn't he!
daverambo says: I downloaded snap and didn't sleep as I played until 3 in the morning and thought. This is far too addictive so I deleted it.
Well there you go. A cautionary tale.
King Arthur: Legends Rise. A fantasy squad adventure - god do they really call them that now?
From Kabam. Isn't that the maker of Marvel: Contest of Champions?
EvilAspirin says: Dear lord this has been a poor event.
It started off really brightly but it's slumped in the middle here for sure.
Zombie-Hamster says: Made it before the end! In the interests of sheer laziness, did I miss anything?
Some good things at the beginning! Not much in the past half-an-hour or so though.
There are a few games flitting by now. Not much of obvious note.
But now some kind of Star Trek game, it looks like.
Oh it's just a CGI teaser with no actual information.
Will Arnett on the screen!
He looks like he just woke up. Arnett voices Sweet Tooth in the Twisted Metal TV show - is it a TV show, not a movie? I don't know.
It's strange when you have a different actor doing the body to the voice. I know that happened with Darth Vader but there's a bit of a disconnect here.
Ok so it's a Twisted Metal TV series coming 27th July on Peacock.
Lis Funga, did they say? A hack-and-slash time shift game. Could be interesting.
There's a really interesting third-person witch-inspired game that does this already. I can't remember it's bloody name - it's out on Steam already.
Lysfanga, that's what the game is called.
Oh we saw this one - Immortals of Aveum - in the PlayStation Showcase. It's a first-person magic shooter. Oh hey it's that really handsome actor from that series I've watched but I can't remember the name of!
Immortals is out this summer. Gina Torres is in it too.
I liked the look of this before - it had a lot of energy. And yes - Dark Messiah! Good shout. But maybe a little less slapstick? This looks a bit more set-piecey.
I get Bulletstorm vibes from that grappling hook you have.
I'm intrigued but equal parts worried it'll be a turkey. Nice to see something new, though.
20th July for this. Not long to wait!
Fortnite Wilds cinematic trailer reveal now. There's a big hidden jungle coming.
EvilAspirin says: Makes me think of a FPS version of Magus (it was on PS3 - look it up). Blue is the most powerful magic.
I just looked that up and I've still never heard of it! Good memory.
Oh we're coming to the grand finale!
CD Projekt Red? Cyberpunk 2077?
No! It's Final Fantasy!
It's the second part of the remake!
Gosh it's pretty.
daverambo says: Ff7 rebirth?
Rebirth! That's the badger.
Kami says: I see a LOT of FF15 in this so far
Yeah I was just thinking that! Especially running around outside in those wilds.
Zombie-Hamster says: A surprise release would be amazing lol
Wouldn't it!
Final Fantasy 7: Rebirth coming out early 2024 on two discs!
Oh that really was it. Strong start, tailed off towards the end.
Christ, is it really 10 years of The Game Awards this December?
themightyant says: Onto day of the devs. Usually filled with great indies
Quite! Should be a good show. We won't be covering it live but we'll be keeping an eye on all the announcements.
EvilAspirin says: Two discs? Two? On PS5? How many Gigs is that going to be?
I love it! It's kinda ridiculous isn't it?
Gremkarc says: Wait, someone promised me there'd be a Bloodborne PS5 announcement!1!!
Riot!
Malek86 says: Now, that Lies of P demo...
Oh yes! Enjoy.
EvilAspirin says: Still aside from a couple of big trailers that was a fairly poor showing. Could have been an hour long without all that filler.
Yeah I think that's fair. I guess a lot of that helps fund the show? I don't know though.
Weebleman says: Cheers for the coverage Bertie. Good evening to one and all
Pleasure! Thanks for being here with us.
daverambo says: 21gb for a demo!
Crikey - that's a chunky Pinocchio!
Kami says: Indeed, see y'all for the next one and cheers Bertie!
Cheers!
We'll be back live-covering events on Sunday evening for Bethesda/Microsoft, by the way!
Malek86 says: Don't think I have it in me to stay up for another hour. Work life and poor sleep don't mix well at all.
You go get some rest!
EvilAspirin says: Cheers Bertie. You definitely helped keep me 'A. Wake'. ... I'll see myself out.
Hah! Very good, very good.
MrZappa says: Ciao Bertie 👋 Just tuning in - what have I missed?
You missed a great start! But it tailed off after that, with a pick-up at the end with FF7 Rebirth.
I wonder if something was pulled last-minute? I was sure we'd see Phantom Liberty. And no Kojima? Hmm!