Summer Game Fest 2024 brought a flurry of new titles, updates, DLCs, and world premieres. To make it easier for you, we've gathered the highlights and some announcements you may have missed. Here are SGF 2024's events in a nutshell.
Summer Game Fest 2024 Highlights and Events Roundup
Summer Game Fest 2024 was an incredible spectacle, bringing together gamers and developers from around the world to celebrate the latest and greatest in video games. With over a hundred announcements and several days of non-stop excitement, there's a lot to unpack. Here’s a quick look at the most significant reveals from SGF 2024, along with a few hidden gems you might have missed.
SGF 2024’s Biggest Announcements
SGF 2024 saw its fair share of major world premiers and updates on upcoming titles for the next year. While we can’t cover them all here, let’s run the gauntlet of the biggest and most-anticipated games that will soon grace our screens.
Let's kick things off with the biggest world premieres of the event, featuring exciting new entries in the Civilization and Arkhamverse series: Sid Meier’s Civilization VII and Batman: Arkham Shadow. Whether you’re looking to witness the rise and fall of empires or just that of Gotham City, 2025’s looking good for you.
Moving on to major release date reveals, mark your calendars for these highly anticipated titles: Dragon Ball: Sparking! Zero on October 11, 2024, Slitterhead on November 8, 2024, and Harry Potter: Quidditch Champions on September 3, 2024. Some are still a ways away, but you won’t have to wait until 2025 to experience these upcoming hits.
Premieres and release dates weren't the only highlights at SGF 2024; several highly anticipated titles also received new cinematic and gameplay trailers. These include Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2, Monster Hunter Wilds, Slitterhead, and Phantom Blade Zero. If you haven't seen these trailers yet, be sure to check them out!
Rounding off our summary of SGF 2024’s biggest announcements are some exciting updates and DLCs for our favorite games. Palworld is introducing a new island to explore (and exploit) with the Sakurajima Island update, arriving on June 27, 2024. No need to wait for the next DLC, though, as Alan Wake’s Night Springs DLC was shadow-dropped just a few hours after the event concluded.
Announcements You Likely Missed From SGF 2024
SGF 2024 wasn't just about the big up-and-comers. Here are a few hidden gems you might have missed across its many segments. From new studios debuting their first lineups and exciting indie games to noteworthy DLCs and much-anticipated sequels, there’s plenty more to discover.
Blumhouse Games Announcement - Summer Game Fest 2024
Famed horror studio Blumhouse Productions is venturing into the gaming world with Blumhouse Games, their new publishing company. They're making a grand entrance with six new horror titles, including one from filmmaker Brandon Cronenberg and Silent Hill writer Sam Barlow.
Anger Foot Release Date Announced - Devolver Direct 2024
Devolver Digital has just dropped a thrilling preview of one of their most eagerly awaited games in the latest Devolver Direct: Anger Foot. Get ready to run, kick, jump, and crash your way through hordes of enemies across diverse, action-packed levels in this frenetic, foot-themed action roguelike—coming this July 11, 2024.
Screenbound - Day of the Devs 2024
Screenbound is an innovative platformer where you play two platforming games across two dimensions at the same time. There’s no announced release date yet, but be sure to grab this game when it comes out!
Timberborn Early Access Live Now! - Future of Play Direct 2024
After being a work-in-progress project for nearly 3 years, Mechanistry’s beaver-themed city-builder is finally out on Early Access! Get that lumber going, we’ve damn to fill!
No More Room in Hell 2 Early Access Arrives in 2024! - PC Gaming Show 2024
No More Room in Hell 2 is a sequel to a decade-old zombie survival game first created using Valve’s Source Engine. Now sporting a refurbished look and new game engine, be prepared to run through horde’s of infected when No More Room in Hell 2 hits shelves this 2024.
FragPunk Trailer Announces 2025 Release - Xbox Games Showcase 2024
FragPunk is an upcoming 5v5 hero shooter with unique card modification and reality-defying mechanics. Make sure your aim is true and that your draw can turn the tide in FragPunk, coming to Xbox and PC sometime in 2025.
Dredge The Iron Rig DLC Coming this August 15! - Future Games Show 2024
The long-awaited Dredge The Iron Rig DLC is reeling its way to PC and consoles this August 15, 2024!
Dungeon Clawler Demo Out Now! - Women-Led Games 2024
Dungeon Clawler is a unique roguelike deck-builder that uses a claw machine to determine your next actions! With the recent announcement, an update to the game’s demo has just been released, featuring new playable characters, enemies, perks, and more!
Summer Game Fest 2024’s Events Ranked
SGF 2024 featured a variety of themed events and developer-specific announcement shows following the main event, but not all were created equal. Here's our ranking of the Summer Game Fest 2024 events, with recommendations on whether you should watch, skim, or skip them.
How We Grade Each of SGF 2024’s Events
We will grade each event with a letter from A to F, where A is a must-watch and F is a definite skip. Everything in between represents varying degrees of quality, from "wouldn’t hurt to watch" to "maybe just skim this one". Each grade will be based on the event's hype factor, entertainment value, pacing, and the significance of its announcements.
Devolver Direct 2024 - A
Developer-specific announcements often have modest production value, but Devolver Digital turned that expectation on its head. Devolver Direct 2024 combined a game announcement show with the flair of an Unsolved Mysteries episode, making it the most entertaining event of SGF 2024. While the announced titles weren't the most showstopping and the presentation's serial-killer vibes dampened some of the hype, the creativity was undeniable. This is one event you need to see to believe.
Xbox Games Showcase 2024 - A
Biggest Announcements
Gears of War: E-Day Announced For Xbox and PC!
Fable Slated For A 2025 Release
Metal Gear Solid Delta: Snake Eater First Official Trailer Released!
Perfect Dark Available To Wishlist Now!
Call of Duty: Black Ops 6 Releases October 25, 2024
Avowed Releases in 2024!
Age of Mythology: Retold Releasing on September 4!
DOOM: The Dark Ages Announced for 2025
There’s nothing quite like an announcement show hosted by Xbox CEO Phil Spencer. Kicking off with an electrifying hype party for the upcoming Call of Duty: Black Ops 6 and following up with a variety of smaller titles, this event is packed with significant announcements. Phil Spencer's natural charisma shines on a grand presentation stage, enhancing the event's entertainment value. While the pacing can be uneven due to the length of some key segments, this is a must-watch event for SGF 2024.
Summer Game Fest 2024 - B
Biggest Announcements
Sid Meier’s: Civilization VII
Dragon Ball: Sparking Zero Release Date Trailer
Monster Hunter Wilds New Trailer and Upcoming Playable Demo
Palworld Sakurajima Update
Metaphor: ReFantazio Presentation
Warhammer 40K: Space Marine II
Phantom Blade 0 New Trailer
LEGO Horizon Adventures Coming to PC, PS5, and Nintendo Switch
Harry Potter: Quidditch Champions
Star Wars Outlaws Teaser Trailer
Batman: Arkham Shadow
This is the main event—you definitely don't want to miss it! Despite its lengthy runtime of nearly two hours, the Summer Game Fest 2024 showcase is packed with the most announcements, the biggest news, and a steady stream of trailers, updates, and spoken segments. The production value is high, though the presentation lacks a bit of flair. Still, I highly recommend watching this one at 1.5x playback speed.
Ubisoft Forward 2024 - B
What the Ubisoft Forward 2024 presentation lacks in volume, it more than makes up for in entertainment and production value. Featuring a live band intro and major announcements for highly anticipated titles like Star Wars Outlaws and Assassin’s Creed: Shadows, this event is top-notch—and it’s just over an hour long! While the pacing can be a bit uneven, with short segments interspersed with lengthy gameplay reveals, this minor flaw is easily overshadowed by the presentation’s overall quality.
Day of the Devs 2024 - B
Day of the Devs 2024 is a wholesome and easy-going announcement show, featuring developer commentary on upcoming titles. While it has a noticeably smaller production value compared to other events, it exudes the genuine charm of an indie gathering. The announcements are well-paced, and there are some intriguing games to look forward to. I recommend watching this but don't expect the same caliber as the major events.
Wholesome Direct 2024 - B
Notable Games
Critter Cafe is Available to Wishlist Now!
Caravan Sandwitch Demo Available Now!
Petit Island Releases in 2024!
Travellers Rest City and Story Update Coming this July!
Discounty Coming to PC and Consoles in 2025
Dungeons of Hinterburg Steam Next Fest Demo Out Now!
On Your Tail Demo Available Now!
Été Available To Wishlist On Steam!
Wholesome Direct 2024 truly lives up to its name, celebrating the charm of wholesome and relaxing games. The announcement show, though modest in scale, exuded a warm sense of community and showcased the genuine craftsmanship of the developers. Despite its humble production, Wholesome Direct 2024 delivered a wealth of exciting announcements, highlighting a collection of promising indie titles. While it may not rival the grandeur of The Game Awards, it's an endearing and worthwhile experience that you surely won’t regret.
Future Games Show 2024 - C
Notable Games
Once Human Releases on July 9!
Goat Simulator 3 Multiverse of Nonsense Out on June 19!
Eternal Strands
Sonokuni Demo Out On Steam Now!
Antonblast Coming to PC and Switch this November 12!
DDS 2 Arrives June 20, 2024
The Relic: First Guardian
SacriFire Playtest Is Now Live!
Future Games Show 2024 boasts presentation and pacing on par with the main event and similarly graded shows, but it lacks the heavy-hitting announcements and hype that many look for in such events. While the games covered are noteworthy, they don't quite match the impact of major releases and highly anticipated titles. Skipping this won't make you miss much, but it's still worth a watch if you have the time.
Future of Play Direct 2024 - C
Notable Games
ABYSS X ZERO Now Available for Wishlist on Steam
Yooka Laylee Re-Playlee Wishlist Now on Steam!
Rooster Now Available to Wishlist and Coming to Steam in 2025
ALZARA Radiant Echoes Now Available for Wishlist on Steam!
Slay The Princess The Pristine DLC and Console Releases
A Date with Death Beyond the Bet DLC Coming December 9, 2024
Dungeon Clawler Demo Out Now!
Margin of the Strange is Back on Kickstarter
Future of Play Direct 2024 stands out from typical announcement shows, resembling more of an announcement livestream with a digitized host. The pacing is decent, and the production value, while not the highest, is serviceable and creatively presented. Focusing on upcoming indie titles, it lacks big names and major hype, but it’s still an engaging and worthwhile watch.
Latin American Games Showcase 2024 - C
The Latin American Games event at SGF 2024 is a lively and vibrant celebration of game development from the LATAM region. With hosts and graphics as colorful as the cultures they represent, the creativity and care behind this event are undeniable. While many of the showcased titles were lesser-known, the enthusiastic energy of each announcement made it an engaging experience. It's an enjoyable event that highlights the rich diversity of Latin American game development, just don't expect any major blockbuster reveals.
Women-Led Games 2024 - C
The Women-Led Games showcase at Summer Game Fest 2024 is a delightful, albeit brief, celebration of the incredible contributions of women in game development. The presentation and message were spot on, but the show's short runtime and focus on lesser-known titles left some viewers wanting more. With no major titles announced and a middling hype factor, it’s not essential viewing if you're looking for the biggest reveals of SGF 2024.
