Summer Game Fest 2023: Final Fantasy VII Rebirth Gets Gameplay Trailer, Spider-Man 2 Release Date Announced
Summer Game Fest, the tentpole video game showcase event helmed by industry veteran Geoff Keighley, streamed late Thursday night at the YouTube theatre in Los Angeles, raising the curtains on a massive lineup of upcoming titles. There were some that were expected at the event, and then there were some surprise reveals and appearances — Nicolas Cage dropped by to reveal that he’s coming to Dead by Daylight. While the show kicked off with a gameplay trailer for the new Prince of Persia action-adventure platformer, we got an early deep dive into Mortal Kombat 1. The detailed gameplay trailer, followed by a developer Q&A, focused on the new Kameo fighters mechanic, where players can summon support mid-combo with the press of a single button.
We also got a moody new trailer for the souls-like action game, Lies of P, showing off a bit more of its combat. Previously slated for an August 1 release, the game is now delayed to a September 19 launch. The good news, however, is that a playable demo for the game is now live across consoles and PC. Then, Remedy Entertainment’s Sam Lake showed up to talk more about Alan Wake II’s two playable characters, who inhabit the game’s two different worlds. A host of more titles across different platforms were announced at the event, including a big final reveal.
Final Fantasy XVI to Diablo IV, the Biggest Games Releasing in June
With that, here’s our picks for the biggest announcements, reveals and updates from the Summer Game Fest 2023:
Final Fantasy VII Rebirth
When: Early 2024
Where: PS5
The biggest trailer at the Summer Game Fest 2023 was Final Fantasy VII Rebirth, a day after creative director Tetsuya Nomura teased on Twitter that more details on the much-awaited title will be revealed soon. It was sooner than you’d think. Final Fantasy VII Rebirth, sequel to the Final Fantasy VII Remake, got a detailed gameplay trailer at the event, showcasing fluid combat, exploration and — most importantly — story elements. “Sephiroth was in Midgar,” Cloud recalls at one point in the trailer. “We fought him. Whatever happened, he’s alive.”
We saw Cloud and his friends taking on enemies and exploring lands beyond Midgar. We also got to see a chilling encounter between Sephiroth and Tifa.
The game was originally revealed last year, as part of plans for a remake trilogy, and received a first look trailer at the time. Square Enix has been sharing more information on the upcoming title in the lead up to the big gameplay reveal. The second game in the remake trilogy is now confirmed for an early 2024 release on the PS5 and will arrive in a two-disc package for its physical release.
Spider-Man 2 release date
When: October 20
Where: PS5
After months of speculation, Insomniac Games finally dropped a release date for Spider-Man 2 — and it’s not in September, as the Venom voice actor had earlier hinted. PlayStation’s next big first party game arrives on October 20. Creative director Bryan Intihar also popped up on stage to stress on original story elements of the upcoming web-slinging game, claiming that, unlike the comic books, Eddie Brock is not Venom — a mystery twist for the fans. A box art was also revealed, featuring our protagonists Peter Parker and Miles Morales, who prepare to face the rage of Kraven the Hunter and many more threats that put New York City in danger. Pre-orders for Spider-Man 2 start June 16.
Alan Wake II
When: October 17
Where: PC, PS5, Xbox Series S/X
On the heels of the teaser that we got at the PlayStation Showcase held last month, we finally saw a bit more of the raw gameplay from Alan Wake II.
Remedy’s latest game, a full-on survival horror adventure, lets us switch between its two playable characters — the titular writer Alan Wake and FBI agent Saga Anderson. In its latest gameplay, we see Saga exploring an eerie forest and encountering a masked enemy at an abandoned store. The gameplay showcased third-person shooting combat and atmospheric exploration. The game arrives October 17, across PC, PS5, and Xbox Series S/X.
Mortal Kombat 1
When: September 19
PC, PS5, Xbox Series S/X, Nintendo Switch
Ed Boon came out on stage to tease the beginning of a new timeline in the universe — one forged by the Fire God Liu Kang — via a raw gameplay trailer that featured all kinds of gory Fatalities, including someone’s heart getting ripped out! A new addition to Mortal Kombat 1 is the Kameo Fighters — essentially summonable characters who can be called in for assistance via a single button press, without tarnishing your combo. And there are no loading screens or lags when they drop in either — truly next-gen stuff!
Immortals of Aveum
When: July 20
Where: PC, PS5, Xbox Series S/X
What could best be described as EA’s Forspoken, Immortals of Aveum revealed one of its more ‘epic’ sequences of the game, where our battle-mage protagonist Jak confronts Sandrak, one of the key villains of the game. Even if you aren’t a fan of all the flashy spells, the segment does deliver on its high production, setting you atop a fully mobilised colossal mech, as you rip your way through endless hordes, swapping between magic on the fly. It’s quite Doctor Strange-like, in the sense that it projects a pentagram each time you switch between them. Be wary if you’re a PC gamer though, as the system requirements for this one are quite high!
Lies of P gets new release date and demo
When: September 19
Where: PC, PS4, PS5, Xbox One, Xbox Series S/X
At this point, we’re convinced that Lies of P might be the closest a PC gamer ever gets to Bloodborne. A new cryptic trailer from developer Round8 revealed some scenic shots of the gothic city of Krat, now ravaged by bloodthirsty puppets, as a mechanised Pinocchio roams the rotting streets. Keeping with its souls-like theme, expect lots of steampunk-ish boss battles that test your mettle, in addition to some environmental storytelling as you slash and deflect your way through the elegant backdrop of the Belle Epoque era. The game is getting slightly delayed into September 19 and currently has a playable demo available on all platforms.
Like a Dragon: Gaiden – The Man Who Erased His Name
When: November 9
Where: PC, PS4, PS5, Xbox One, Xbox Series S/X
Kazuma Kiryu puts on his black suit once again, serving as a nameless Yakuza, after faking his death to protect his family in the absurdly long titled — Like a Dragon: Gaiden – The Man Who Erased His Name. Under the codename ‘Joryu,’ he is rebirthed and assigned a bodyguard job, only for things to spiral out of control when a mysterious figure attempts to drive him out of hiding. A description on the PS Deals website also mentions two ‘high-impact’ fighting styles — the Yakuza style is more aggression-based, whereas the Agent style relies on pure speed and precision, upping the ante with a variety of high-tech gadgets such as wires that ooze electricity.
Prince of Persia: The Lost Crown
When: January 18, 2024
Where: PC, PS4, PS5, Xbox One, Xbox Series S/X, Amazon Luna
Ubisoft is making a new Prince of Persia game. Right out of the gates at the Summer Game Fest, the first reveal was Prince of Persia: The Lost Crown, a 2D side-scrolling Metroidvania with striking visuals, fast-paced combat and traversal, and impressive boss battles. The gameplay trailer informs us that Prince Ghassan has been kidnapped and the kingdom has been cursed. A group of mercenaries called the Immortals now must save the prince and, in the process, rescue the empire.
The trailer then dives headfirst into gameplay, putting us in the shoes of Sargon, a Persian warrior on the trail of the missing Prince. Reminiscent of the series classic Prince of Persia: Warrior Within, the character dual wields two curved swords, showing off a variety of movesets in combat. There’s a clear focus on platforming, too, as we see Sargon hop and skip through deadly obstacles and traps. Prince of Persia: The Lost Crown arrives January 18, 2024, with more details set to come during the upcoming Ubisoft Forward event on June 12.
Summer Game Fest Announcements — the full list
Beyond that, here’s the complete list of game reveals, announcements, and minor updates we got at the Summer Game Fest:
- Prince of Persia: The Lost Crown (January 18, 2024 | PC, PS4, PS5, Xbox One, Xbox Series S/X)
- Mortal Kombat 1 (September 19 | PC, PS5, Xbox Series S/X, Nintendo Switch)
- Path of Exile 2 (More details coming in July)
- Street Fighter 6 x Exoprimal – (July 14 | PC, PS4, PS5, Xbox One, Xbox Series S/X)
- Nicolas Cage is coming to Dead by Daylight (July 25)
- Witcher Season 3: Vol. 1 trailer (July 29 | Netflix)
- Witchfire early access (September 20 | Epic Games Store)
- Crossfire Sierra Squad VR (August | PC, PS VR2)
- Remnant 2 (July 25 | PC, PS5, Xbox Series S/X)
- Sonic Superstars (Fall/Autumn | PC, PS4, PS5, Xbox One, Xbox Series S/X, Nintendo Switch)
- Honkai: Star Rail coming to PlayStation (Q4, 2023 | PS5)
- Lies of P gameplay trailer and playable demo (September 19 | PC, PS4, PS5, Xbox One, Xbox Series S/X)
- Sand Land (PC, PS4, PS5, Xbox Series S/X)
- Annapurna showcase announced (June 29)
- Throne and Liberty trailer (PC, PS5, Xbox Series S/X)
- Warhaven gameplay revealed (Fall/Autumn 2023 | PC)
- Party Animals gets a release date (September 20 | PC, Xbox)
- Dying Light 2 update (June)
- Crash Team Rumble trailer (June 20 | PS4, Xbox One, Xbox Series S/X)
- Alan Wake 2 gameplay trailer (Oct 17 | PC, PS5, Xbox Series S/X)
- Warhammer Space Marine 2 co-op (Winter 2023 | PC, PS5, Xbox Series S/X)
- Yes, Your Grace: Snowfall (2024 | PC, Xbox, Nintendo Switch)
- John Carpenter’s Toxic Commando (2024 | PC, PS5, Xbox Series S/X)
- Jason Isaacs joins Baldur’s Gate 3 as a major villain (August 31, 2023)
- Spider-Man 2 gets a release date (October 20 | PS5)
- Palworld early access (January 2024)
- Black Desert Online Land of the Morning Light expansion (June 14 | PC)
- LOTR Return to Moria (Autumn/Fall | PC, PS5, Xbox Series S/X)
- Final Fantasy VII: Ever Crisis beta out now (Android, iOS)
- Banishers: Ghosts of New Eden (Late 2023 | PC, Ps5, Xbox Series S/X)
- Like a Dragon: Gaiden – The Man Who Erased His Name (November 9 | PC, PS4, PS5, Xbox One, Xbox Series S/X)
- Under the Waves (August 29 | PC, PS4, PS5, Xbox One, Xbox Series S/X)
- Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 Season 4 (June 14 | PC, PS4, PS5, Xbox One, Xbox Series S/X)
- Faefarm (September 8 | PC, Nintendo Switch)
- Marvel Snap Conquest Mode (June 13 | Android, iOS, PC early-access)
- King Arthur: Legends Rise pre-register (PC, Android, iOS)
- Wayfinder early-access (Summer 2023 | PC, PS4, PS5)
- Stellaris Nexus (wishlist on Steam)
- Space Trash Scavenger (wishlist on Steam)
- Star Trek Infinite reveal on June 16
- Twisted Metal TV Show clip (July 27, Peacock)
- Lysfanga: The Time-Shift Warrior (Late 2023 | PC)
- Immortals of Aveum gameplay (July 20 | PC, PS5, Xbox Series S/X)
- Fortnite: Chapter 4 Season 3, Wilds (June 10)
- Final Fantasy VII Rebirth (Early 2024 | PS5)
