Summer Game Fest 2022: all the biggest announcements and reveals

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Summer Game Fest 2022 is over

Summer Game Fest 2022: Summer Game Fest written on a bubbly, blue background
(Image credit: Summer Game Fest)
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Summer Game Fest 2022, the third year of Geoff Keighley's season of gaming, has officially wrapped up. And, to be honest, it was a mixed bag. 

Unlike E3 (which was cancelled in 2022), Summer Game Fest isn't a conference or event. Instead, it's an overarching season of digital events that encompasses many different publisher and developer live streams. This year was no different, with Xbox, Capcom, PlayStation and more hosting their own showcases during what's come to be known as "not-E3". We also saw the Summer Game Fest live cross-industry showcase hosted by Keighley return, which kicked off this year's proceedings. 

While Summer Game Fest 2022 certainly boasted some big announcements and reveals, like a deep dive into Starfield and the reveal of Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2's campaign, the season of gaming certainly felt a bit more lackluster than it has in previous years, primarily due to the lack of earth-shattering announcements. Now, the focus is on Gamescom 2022, where Keighley's hosting Opening Night Live.

But there were still plenty of announcements, reveals, world premiere trailers, and deep-dives on display. Want to find out more? Read on for all the biggest Summer Game Fest 2022 showcases, announcements and news.

Summer Game Fest 2022: cut to the chase

  • What was it? A season of digital video game events
  • Where was it? Entirely online and streamed globally
  • When was it? Throughout June 2022
  • Who attended? Xbox, Bethesda and Sony to name a few

Biggest announcements

Below, we've rounded up the biggest announcements (and our hottest takes) from Summer Game Fest 2022:

Summer Game Fest 2022 schedule

Already happened

Summer Game Fest 2022 is now over. The digital gaming season took place throughout June 2022 with its "core" events taking place between June 9 and June 12. However, some showcases, not necessarily under the Summer Game Fest 2022 banner, also took place during this period.

All the main Summer Game Fest events have already taken place, with us the showcases treating us to plenty of tasty announcements, reveals and updates. Here are all the showcases that took place and what news came from them:

Warhammer Skulls Showcase

When was it? June 1 at 10am PT / 1pm ET / 6pm BST (or June 2 at 3am AEST)
Where can I watch it? We've embedded the showcase video above

The first showcase of the gaming season, the Warhammer Skulls Showcase was packed with juicy announcements and reveals. The biggest announcement was that Warhammer 40K: Rogue Trader, a classic-style RPG, is in development  – though no release date was given. Two more Warhammer games, Warhammer 40K: Boltgun and Warhammer 40K: Warpforge, were also announced.

In addition, the showcase gave us a new behind-the-scenes video for Space Marine 2, a new cinematic trailer for Darktide and a new trailer for Total War: Warhammer 3 - Immortal Empires, plus updates on Blood Bowl 3 and more. Missed the showcase? We've embedded the video above so you can watch the whole thing for yourself right here.

Sony State of Play 

When was it? June 2 at 3pm PT / 6pm ET / 11pm BST (or June 3 at 8am AEST)
Where can I watch it? We've embedded the showcase video above

The latest Sony State of Play showcase on June 2 was a bit of a mixed bag. Sure, the showcase had some big-hitting announcements and reveals, like the arrival of Marvel's Spider-Man Remastered on PC, a new trailer (packed with juicy details) for Final Fantasy 16, a deep dive into The Callisto Protocol, a closer look at Street Fighter 6 and the announcement of the Resident Evil 4 remake release date, but we expected more from Sony's not-E3 conference.

While Sony stated before the showcase that it would focus on third-party and PSVR 2 games, we can't help but think the event was a bit too safe, relying heavily on sure-hit franchises. Let's hope there's another PlayStation showcase up Sony's sleeve for July or August, where we'll finally get an update (and release date) on the long-awaited God of War Ragnarok. Missed the showcase? We've embedded the video above so you can watch the whole thing for yourself right here.

Sonic Central

When was it? June 7 at 9am PT / 12pm ET / 5pm BST (or June 8 at 2am AEST)
Where can I watch it? We've embedded the showcase video above

Sega's Sonic Central showcase focused on, as you might imagine, all things about everyone's favorite blue hedgehog. While the showcase featured newson the general Sonic franchise, including Sonic the Hedgehog 2's arrival on Blu-Ray and a first look at the Sonic Prime 3D animated show, there was plenty of gaming news to be had. 

We got a tease of the Sonic Frontiers prologue, a new trailer for Sonic Origins and announcements on new content for Sonic mobile games and Sonic Speed Simulator. Oh, and Sonic costumes are coming to Fall Guys as well. Missed the showcase? We've embedded the video above so you can watch the whole thing for yourself right here.

Summer Game Fest 

When was it? June 9 at 2pm ET / 11am PT / 7pm BST (or June 10 at 4am AEST)
Where can I watch it? We've embedded the showcase video above

The Summer Game Fest live showcase, officially kicking off Geoff Keighley's season of gaming, was full of big announcements, reveals and updates. This showcase was pretty jam-packed so we've rounded up some news from the show, below, for your perusal (make sure to check out the biggest announcements section at the top of this page for the biggest news):

Day of the Devs

When was it? June 9, right after Summer Game Fest live showcase
Where can I watch it? We've embedded the showcase video above

Day of the Devs returned for Summer Game Fest 2022, kicking off straight after the Summer Game Fest showcase on June 9. The indie showcase marked its 10th anniversary and was once again hosted by Double Fine and iam8bit. Previous years gave us high hopes and, indeed, this year’s showcase was packed with “unique, diverse, and beautiful” indie games as promised.

16 games were shown in total and they were refreshingly wide in their scope. From part open-world part flight-sim, Time Flies, in which you play as a fly, to the adorable bed-and-breakfast management sim, Bear and Breakfast, to the genuinely unsettling train horror game Choo Choo Charles, there was something to appeal to everyone in this showcase.

Devolver Direct

When was it? June 9 at 3pm PT / 6pm ET / 11pm BST (or June 10 at 8am AEST)
Where can I watch it? We've embedded the showcase video above

Devolver Digital hosted its annual showcase Devolver Direct on June 9 this year. Devolver tends to host the most bizarre showcase of the gaming conference season every year and this year wasn’t any different. 

We got a look at five exciting games, including an intriguing new FPS, Anger Foot, and we got brand new trailer for the creepy-cute Cult of the Lambs, which revealed a launch date of August 11 for Nintendo Switch, Playstation, Xbox, and PC.

Netflix Geeked Week: Gaming

When was it? June 10 at 1pm ET / 10am PT / 6pm BST (or June 11 at 3am AEST)
Where can I watch it? We've embedded the showcase video above

Netflix's five-day free virtual event focused entirely on games on June 10. The showcase covered Netflix show and game announcements. We got confirmation of a new Dragon Age animated show called Dragon Age: Absolution is on the way, as is an animated adaptation of Tekken. 

Netflix shows like Shadow and Bone and the Queen’s Gambit are getting their very own mobile games and the streaming service also announced a gamut of other, non-branded, games will soon come to its catalog, including the management game, Spiritfarer, and Lucky Luna, a platformer inspired by Japanese folklore. As expected, The Cuphead Show and Sonic Prime made appearances with sneak peaks and trailers. 

Epic Games Store Summer Showcase

When was it? June 10 at 2pm ET / 11am PT / 7pm BST (or June 11 at 4am AEST)
Where can I watch it? We've embedded the show above

The Epic Games Store hosted its own stream as part of Summer Game Fest. It didn't feature any huge announcements but it was a speedy show that did, at least, start off strong with a new Lord of the Rings game called Lord of the Rings: Return to Moria. It's a crafting and building game that currently has a release window of Spring 2023. There was also another look at Goat Simulator 3 and the Saints Row Boss Factory. 

Tribeca Games Spotlight

When was it? June 10 at 3pm ET / 12pm PT / 8pm BST (or June 11 at 5am AEST)
Where can I watch it? We've embedded the showcase video above

The Tribeca Games Spotlight showcase featured gameplay and creator interviews from a lineup of nine officially selected games as part of the Tribeca Games Festival which is running from June 8 to June 19. The games shown were:

  • American Arcadia
  • As Dusk Falls
  • The Cub
  • Cuphead - The Delicious Last Course
  • Immortality
  • Oxenfree II Lost Signals
  • A Plague Tale: Requiem
  • Thirsty Suitors
  • Venba

Guerrilla Collective 3

When was it? June 11 at 8am PT / 11am ET / 4pm BST (or June 12 at 1am AEST)
Where can I watch it? We've embedded the showcase video above

The Guerrilla Collective returned again this year, with "fresh announcements", trailers and gameplay for upcoming indie games.

The showcase featured the reveal of new puzzle-platformer Ugly, release dates for I Was a Teenage Exocolonist and Signalis, and a surprise console launch for Industria –  plus much more. If you missed it, you can watch the whole thing now via the embedded link above.

Make sure to tune into the Guerrilla Collective 3.5 on June 13 at 1pm PT / 4pm ET / 9pm BST (or June 14 at 6am AEST) too, for even more new trailers and gameplay.

Wholesome Direct

When was it? June 11 at 9:30am PT / 12:30pm ET / 5:30pm BST (or June 12 at 2:30am AEST)
Where can I watch it? We've embedded the showcase video above

As the name suggests, Wholesome Direct is easily the most... well...wholesome showcase of the gaming conference season. The annual showcase focuses on indie games that offer "comfort, compassion, and coziness" and this year's event was no different.

Wholesome Direct saw the reveal of Little Bear Chef, Bubblegum Galaxy and Melodyssey as well as release dates for LumbearJack, Lonesome Village and Freshly Frosted. There were also updates on existing games like Princess Farmer, Skatebird and Ooblets. If you missed it, you can watch the whole thing now via the embedded link above.

Future Games Show

When was it? June 11 at 12pm PT / 3pm ET / 8pm BST (or June 12 at 5am AEST)
Where can I watch it? We've embedded the showcase video above

The Future Games Show returned on June 11 with the hour-long showcase from our friends at GamesRadar packed with all-new trailers, announcements and exclusives from the most exciting games of 2022 and beyond. 

The showcase featured world premieres for Outpost, Tray Racers and Enemy of the State, a glimpse at Luto, a gameplay trailer for Morbid Metal and much more. If you missed it, you can watch the whole thing now via the embedded link above. 

Xbox and Bethesda Games Showcase

When was it? June 12 at 1pm ET / 10am PT / 6pm BST (or June 13 at 3am AEST)
Where can I watch it? We've embedded the showcase video above

The Xbox and Bethesda Showcase focused on games that will be releasing over the next 12 months. After delays were announced on some of the featured titles, it was a good idea to keep the spotlight on games coming sooner rather than later. 

We got a look at a couple of upcoming big hitters like Starfield, and Redfall as well as a few surprises like High on Life from Justin Roiland's Squanch Games. We also got updates on existing games like Sea of Thieves and Forza Horizon 5 which are both pegged for some new content. 

We've rounded up some news from the show, below, for you to sift through at your leisure (make sure to check out the biggest announcements section at the top of this page for the biggest news):

PC Gaming Show

When was it? June 12 at 12:30pm PT / 3:30pm ET / 8:30pm BST (or June 13 at 5:30am AEST)
Where can I watch it? We've embedded the showcase video above

The PC Gaming Show, from our friends at PC Gamer, returned again this year and was packed with never-before-seen gameplay footage from upcoming games, game reveals and developer interviews.

We've rounded up the biggest news from the show, below, for your perusal:

Capcom Showcase

When was it? June 13 at 3pm PT / 6pm ET / 11pm BST (or June 14 at 8am AEST)
Where can I watch it? We've embedded the showcase video above

Capcom's new live streamed digital event took place on June 13 and featured the latest news and updates on upcoming Capcom games. 

We got our first glimpse at Resident Evil Village's DLC, The Winters' expansion, which arrives on October 28. This DLC will add a new third-person mode for the campaign,  Mercenaries Additional Orders featuring new stages and playable characters and a continuation of the story in Shadows of Rose. Capcom also revealed Resident Evil Re:Verse, the game's multiplayer experience, will go live on October 28 too.

In addition, we got new trailers for Monster Hunter Rise: Sunbreak, the Capcom Fighting Collection, Exoprimal and Capcom Arcade 2nd Stadium. We also got our first look at the Resident 4 Remake in action alongside news that next-gen upgrades are now available for Resident 7, Resident Evil 2 Remake and Resident Evil 3 Remake. 

Xbox Games Showcase Extended

When was it? June 14 at 1pm ET / 10am PT / 6pm BST (or June 15 at 3am AEST)
Where can I watch it? We've embedded the showcase video above

Following the Xbox and Bethesda Games Showcase on June 12, Microsoft hosted an extended show on June 14 where it shared new trailers, spoke to game creators and deep dove into some of the games featured at the main showcase. 

The biggest news from this showcase included the announcement that Valheim is coming to Xbox and Game Pass on day one, the reveal of new content for Microsoft Flight Simulator, a first look at gameplay for The Texas Chain Saw Massacre and the announcement that Master Chief is coming to Fall Guys.

Multiversus Pro Player Showcase

When was it? June 21 at 12pm ET / 9am PT / 5pm BST (or June 12 at 2am AEST)
Where can I watch it? We've embedded the showcase video above

Warner Bros. is hosted a second Multiversus Pro Player Showcase on June 21 that saw special guests battling it out in the publisher's free-to-play crossover fighting game. 

Nintendo Direct Mini

When is it? June 28 at
Where can I watch it? We've embedded the showcase video above

Nintendo held a Nintendo Direct Mini showcase on June 28, which focused on upcoming third-party Nintendo Switch games.

The showcase revealed quite a few previously released games are coming to Nintendo Switch, including NieR: Automata, Portal and Persona 3, 4 and 5. 10 Mega Man games are also coming to Switch via the Mega Man Battle Network Legacy Collection while Pac-Man is arriving in the form of Re-Pac, a remaster of Pac-Man World. Bomber Man R is getting a sequel that is coming to Switch, too. 

In addition, we got a release date for Mario + Rabbids: Sparks of Hope (October 20) and a new trailer for Monster Hunter Rise: Sunbreak, plus many more updates on upcoming third-party Switch games. Missed the showcase? You can watch it via the embedded video above.

No shows

While plenty of publishers and developers took part in showcases and conferences this year, if not holding their own, there were several annual showcases that were canceled. Here are the showcases you that were missing:

E3 2022

E3

(Image credit: ESA)

E3 may not sit under the Summer Game Fest umbrella, but it is certainly worth noting that what is usually the biggest event in gaming was completely (in all forms) canceled in 2022. 

"We previously announced that E3 would not be held in person in 2022 due to the ongoing health risks surrounding COVID-19," the ESA told TechRadar in April 2022. "Today, we announce that there will also be no digital E3 showcase in 2022."

However, the organization also told TechRadar, "E3 will return in 2023 with a reinvigorated showcase that celebrates new and exciting video games and industry innovations."

The ESA added that it will "devote all our energy and resources to delivering a revitalized physical and digital E3 experience next summer."

EA Play Live

EA Play live logo

(Image credit: EA)

Electronic Arts confirmed that its annual EA Play Live showcase will not take place this year.

In a statement to IGN, an EA representative said: “We love EA Play Live as it's our way of connecting with our players and sharing what’s new with all of you. However, this year things aren't lining up to show you everything on one date. We have exciting things happening at our world-class studios and this year we’ll reveal much more about these projects when the time is right for each of them.”

Typically EA Play is the home of the publisher’s biggest announcements and reveals of the year, so it’s unclear exactly when or how we’ll find out more about highly-anticipated upcoming releases such as FIFA 23, Dragon Age 4 and the Dead Space Remake.

Ubisoft Forward

Ubisoft logo

(Image credit: Ubisoft)

Ubisoft confirmed to Axios that it wouldn't hold its annual Ubisoft Forward showcase in June, but instead will host a showcase "later this year" (later in 2022). Hopefully, the conference will be worth the wait and we'll finally hear more about Assassin's Creed Infinity, Mario and Rabbids: Sparks of Hope and Avatar: Frontiers of Pandora.

What is Summer Game Fest?

Text reads Summer Game Fest 2022 returns summer 2022

(Image credit: Geoff Keighley)

Summer Game Fest is a season of digital events from game publishers and developers. Summer Game Fest isn't exactly an event – though its annual kickoff show (which took place on June 9 this year) is. Instead, it's an overarching umbrella encompassing many different publisher live streams. 

Summer Game Fest was set up by The Game Awards host Geoff Keighley and made its debut in 2020 – filling in the gap left by the canceled E3 2020. The festival ran from May until August in 2020, bringing together 16 of gaming's largest publishers, including Microsoft, Sony, Activision, Valve and Bethesda, in a four-month cavalcade of news, trailers and game demos.

Fortunately, Summer Game Fest 2021 was "more condensed" but somehow bigger than ever, running from June through July 2021, and featured a bunch of digital live stream showcases from a range of notable publishers and developers including PlayStation, Xbox, Ubisoft and Bandai Namco.

In 2022, Summer Game Fest ran through June with the 'core' of the event running from June 9 to June 12. A variety of streams from developers and publishers took place during that time (more on this above). 

Confirmed attendees

Summer Game Fest partner line-up

(Image credit: Summer Game Fest)

A ton of publishers and developers partnered with Summer Game Fest in 2022. Summer Game Fest 2022 featured over 30 partners, including 2K, Atlus, Epic Games, PlayStation Studios and Xbox Game Studios. 

Here's the full line-up of confirmed Summer Game Fest 2022 partners:

Vic Hood
Freelance writer

An award-winning games journalist, with seven years of experience in games journalism and a degree in journalism from City University, London, Vic brings experience from IGN, Eurogamer, The Telegraph, VG247, Dot Esports and more to the TechRadar table. You may have even heard her on the radio or speaking on a panel, as she’s previously appeared on BBC Radio 4, BBC Radio 5, BBC Radio Ulster and more. Not only is Vic passionate about games, but she's appeared on both panels and podcasts to discuss mental health awareness. Make sure to follow her on Twitter for more.

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