Hideo Kojima humorously claims to have learned many ways to kill people, reflecting his interest in violence and game design, while also criticizing the lack of innovation in this year's Summer Game Fest trailers and hinting at his upcoming game, Death Stranding 2.
Nicktoons & The Dice of Destiny, a new fantasy action RPG featuring Nickelodeon characters like SpongeBob, was announced at Summer Game Fest and is set to release on September 30, 2025, for Switch and other platforms, offering up to four-player co-op and epic combat.
The article summarizes key highlights from Summer Game Fest 2025, including previews of upcoming games like Crisol, Grave Seasons, and Escape Academy 2, discusses the use of AI in game development by 11 Bit Studios, reports on Xbox layoffs and Netflix's game cull, and covers esports betting and updates on Resident Evil: Requiem.
Fajrul FN, an independent Indonesian game developer, gained significant visibility for his game Acts of Blood, a violent, Raid- and Sifu-inspired beat-'em-up, after it was showcased at Summer Game Fest thanks to a direct outreach from Geoff Keighley. The game, set in Bandung, Indonesia, is a solo project with some part-time collaborators, emphasizing brutal combat and graphic violence, and is planned for release on PC and consoles.
The article discusses potential contenders for Game of the Year, highlighting Clair Obscur as a strong favorite due to its critical acclaim and emotional storytelling, while also considering other titles like Hollow Knight: Silksong, Silent Hill f, Death Stranding 2, and Ghost of Yōtei. The summer showcases have not produced many clear contenders, but Clair Obscur's popularity and quality make it a likely frontrunner.
Sonic Racing: CrossWorlds is a fun kart racing game that introduces track-crossing mechanics but falls short of its predecessors' cooperative and speed elements, making it feel like a lesser Mario Kart clone with some innovative features. It includes guest characters and a Grand Prix mode, but its departure from the teamwork focus of Team Sonic Racing and the speed of Sonic Riders limits its appeal.
The 2025 Summer Game Fest set a new record with over 50 million livestreams, marking an 89% increase from the previous year, driven by major game announcements and extensive global viewership across YouTube, Twitch, and X, with peak concurrent viewers exceeding 3 million.
The article discusses the author's approach to skipping live coverage of Summer Game Fest and instead catching up on game trailers afterward, highlighting several interesting upcoming games such as Wheel World, Paralives, Stranger Than Heaven, LEGO Voyagers, Relooted, My Arms Are Longer Now, and Garbage Country, emphasizing their unique features and potential impact.
The head of Sonic Team warns that leaks of game content can ruin licensing deals and plans, emphasizing the importance of controlling information to maintain excitement and avoid damaging collaborations. Despite leaks revealing characters and stages for Sonic Racing: CrossWorlds, Sega announced the official details during Summer Game Fest, with the game set for release on multiple platforms including a future Switch 2 version.
Fortnite's Death Star Sabotage event, celebrating the Star Wars season finale, is scheduled for June 7 at 7pm BST in the UK, featuring battles against Emperor Palpatine and the Death Star, with Epic Games warning players of potential matchmaking errors and encouraging early login. The event includes a trailer debut, special Star Wars items, and the opportunity to pilot X-wings or TIE fighters, with the next season expected to have a superhero theme.
Splitgate 2's CEO Ian Proulx caused controversy by wearing a 'Make FPS Great Again' hat during a reveal, refusing to apologize and claiming it was not political. The stunt drew mixed reactions, increased player interest temporarily, but also raised questions about professionalism and the game's future impact in the FPS genre.
The Summer Game Fest revealed several major gaming announcements including Resident Evil 9: Requiem, a new Game of Thrones RTS game, a collaboration involving Mads Mikkelsen in a Hitman update, a game featuring Wu-Tang Clan, and Jurassic World Evolution 3, highlighting a busy week of new game reveals and trailers.
Sonic Racing CrossWorlds, launching on September 25th for Nintendo Switch, will feature ten free DLC characters post-launch, including Hatsune Miku, Joker, and Ichiban Kasuga, with eight additional characters expected.
The article discusses anticipation for the upcoming Xbox Games Showcase during Summer Game Fest, highlighting expected reveals such as new game trailers, updates on existing titles, and potential hardware announcements like the Xbox handheld. Fans are eager to see titles like Fable, Forza Horizon 6, and The Elder Scrolls VI, among others, with a poll capturing their hopes for the event.
The horror game ILL, developed by Team Clout and published by Mundfish, has gained online attention for its realistic physics, visceral dismemberment, and body horror themes, but overall it seems to lack a compelling concept despite impressive visuals and gore. It was announced some time ago and has been in development hell, with mixed reactions to its gameplay and concept.