Summer Game Fest 2024 - General Discussion

Well, that happened and there was a lot in there for better or worse. In this age sans-E3, it's been harder to get your news like we used to, but they're still trying.

We hope you enjoyed the news coming out of what events we have and just thought we'd throw the ball to you to discuss any of the interesting games being shown throughout today's shows (Devolver is last, so who knows how that wil lturn out).

Let us know your thoughts or the shown content and hopes for upcoming events on this sans-E3 weekend. Thanks to you all for hanging in for the news that does come out.

~Christopher

[P_Bomb]

I wish the big 3 had more presence. Help Geoff out guys! I guess XB is saving itself for Sunday. PlayStation first party awol again. Lotsa filler. Eh, what can you do?

[Garethvk]

Exactly. That is why I stopped covering PAX West and let local staff do it. No Big 3, no. Bethesda, W.B., Capcom, Square Enix, major hardware developers. All small Indie games. Cannot justify plane tickets, rental car, hotel, etc. Even when we stay with family it is not worth it for me. Much prefer the drive to CA or Las Vegas for the shows and events there.

[Michiel1989]

this is not meant to be only be blockbuster titles, that's what the game award reveals are for. I thought it was actually a pretty damn good show, saw a lot of indie titles that I'm looking forward to play. Especially that new game from the creators of Gris, I think the title was Nema or something, game looked fantastic.

[Lightning77]

SGF is not like E3, Geoff's speech at the beginning was pretty good imo. Sticking it to the big guy's and catering to the little guys.

Buuut, E3 had the big games and smaller games. Summer Game Fest is smaller games only going forward. For 4 years now it's been smaller titles. I just thought it was the big AAA's were skeptical or not ready for SGF this whole time. Instead it's being made for AA dev teams.

So that leaves Sony who's not been all that great or doesn't show up, ubisoft sucks now, EA.. Is EA... that leaves MS at least they try around this time period. Doesn't make them any better but again at least they try at these events.

SGF is just filler, indie fluff after fluff. Some good things are in there of course but there's no wow moments, no big game moments anymore at these events. Don't ever expect anything big at SGF going forward not smaller indie things. Game Awards as the official place for Bing AAA now.

Makes me miss E3 even more now.

[Michiel1989]

wdym filler? just cause you only like big AAA titles, doesn't mean everyone else does. The sales of the indies proves it. At least they try to push the industry forward that isn't only focused around better graphics.

[Lightning77]

Pacing is everything. When you shot gun titles like that it becomes uninteresting and tedious.

There was some great stuff in their. Hell there's probably some game changing AA stuff. It was all thrown in our faces. Individually there's probably some gold mines in there tbh.

These Indies competing for our time and attention all at once isn't the way to go about it.

Plus I'm talking about having games of all sizes like past E3's.

Geoff knows what makes a good E3. He's been attending E3 since it started 30 years ago he knows more than anyone what it takes to put on great E3's he should know that variety of games is key to a good show.

Unfortunately he's gonna be catering to only AA devs at these shows.

[Michiel1989]

why are you comparing it to E3? that's not what they are going for with this show. If you are expecting an E3 like show, you will always be disappointed. They actually spend a lot more time on some of the games instead of just showing a trailer, though there were still plenty of those ofc. Honestly sounds like you didn't watch the show. Also got some release dates for some bigger games, Wukong, Kingdom Come 2 and I think the star wars title. Highlights for me were Tears of Metal and Neva

At TGA/E3 indies get 10% of the airtime, the rest is filled with all the big titles and concerts, a guy blowing on a horn and now it's the other way around.

[Lightning77]

Of course I Watched it. Of course Phantom Blade was my personal highlight. Thing is Geoff needs to come out and say It. Just tell us SGF is for mainly Indies and Game Awards is for big titles. It's been hard to justify gen 9 in general with loads of cross gen stuff and waiting a full year for SGF just for indie stuff isn't justifying the purchase or even use of PS5 and Series Series X.

I mentioned E3 because of variety of titles and those games back then justified say PS3 and 360 every year. Plus Geoff can fix the wrongs of E3 which lead to its cancelation.
Maybe this is the way and I just don't know it yet. Anyway fast forward it's either Indie or it's going to PC they'll just buy a PC. Makes me nervous about PS6 and next Xbox, it'll be even harder to justify those consoles in the future.

Either way you had a good time I didn't personally I was disappointed but it wasn't the worse ever, this was the "best" SGF out or the 4 years since it started. I'll be watching highlights from SGF from this point on though. Not sitting through a 2 hour show again.

[lelo2play]

So far, the shows were crap. Sony had a crap show. Summer Game Fest 2024 had a crap show.
Let's hope Microsoft, Ubisoft (and Nintendo???) can save this gaming season with their shows...

[Garethvk]

For me I did not see a single new thing that peaked my interest at first glance. I am looking forward to seeing what Bethesda and Ubisoft offer but I miss E3 as it was so much better than a parade of clips; even in off years.

[Lightning77]

When they do game after game they all run together and I start seeing essentially the same over and over. How many JRPGS, pixel art, or or artsy open world game can they show until they all look the same?

It's jarring and I get bored quickly.

[Garethvk]

Well said. Indies with dated graphics and gameplay just don't do it for me. I know that is personal taste but I cannot think the majority liked it. G.K. wanted feedback on Twitter and 42% rated it a D or less and many said they want E3 back and the show was boring. Even the ones who liked it said the games need to be more interesting. Some said for 250K a minute the broadcast quality could have been better but my feed was fine.

[-Foxtrot]

Yeah same. I think it's harder these days to have a more general show because everyone is usually doing their own thing.

Microsoft - Have their own show

Sony - Does their own thing

Nintendo - Also does their own thing

Bethesda & their Studios - Owned by Microsoft now

Activision - Owned by Microsoft now

Ubisoft - Have their own show

EA - Either have their own show or just don't have enough for one

Capcom / Square Enix / Sega - Some games can be shown at other peoples events but they usually wait for Tokyo Game Show.

Studios like Valve or Rockstar never do these types of events

I think because Microsoft are the only ones who do a big show out of the main 3 most studios will see their showcase as more appealing. We all know most third party games will be multiplatform so I don't think they are that bothered with Summer Game Fest especially with how much it costs to have a trailer, who knows Microsoft might be offering them it a little cheaper.

[PRIMORDUS]

For me at least nothing will replace E3. I have many E3 DVD's from years ago GameSpot, Planet GameCube, and another from I think it was called Next Gen who made them. Now comes the huge task of ripping them all to mkv and keep them on my drive. 🤪

[darthv72]

I liked the Lego horizon and power ranger games. Everything else i feel like we have seen over and over again. This first person shooter is going to be different than that other first person shooter... trust me bro.

At least the two I mentioned did their own twist on existing IP and did it in a way that looks to just be fun, no matter who you are. i am a bit hopeful we may see sequels to Quantum Break and Control after they get some inclusion in the new AW2 DLC. But that will have to wait until next year (or so)

[Aphrodia]

Power rangers was game of show for me. Loving the beat em up revival.

[Elda]

Horizon Lego looks cute for the kiddies but I'll pass, but I was a little surprised to see that the PS game is being released on the Switch as well. Maybe Sony may be dabbing at putting some of their franchises on other consoles too.

[MrNinosan]

Most likely the choice of Lego.

[Christopher]

It's not a PS game. It's a LEGO game.

[Elda]

@Christopher It's a joint venture project & the Horizon games are owned by Sony Guerilla. Sony would have had to agree with letting their franchise be multiplat, Lego does not own the Horizon i.p. Again..Basically it's Sony & Lego's game.

[Garethvk]

Report was that it is 250K a minute for a trailer to be included. People left E3 saying it had become too expensive for space and travel costs and then said disruption to production schedule and a firm timeline for content to present. Now we have massive layoffs and companies cutting back from media reviews and now find it's pay the fee or hope you have a good enough relationship with media to get your trailer out.

[Michiel1989]

nah it's cause of the internet and a lot of publishers having their own nintendo-direct, it's way more convenient, you can do it as long or as short as you want, you can do it in a time when there's not much other game announcement or try to 1up the competition by holding it close to theirs. It's just way more convenient.

[Garethvk]

Yet sales have declined since they tried this new approach and massive layoffs followed. A edited trailer is no substitute for seeing it and playing it and if they do not have confidence in their prodect; then don't ask $59.99 for it and expect people to buy it.

[Michiel1989]

Corona happened, gaming industry blew up, they overhired and now we're seeing the result of it, that's also why the sales have declined.

[isarai]

Still no PlayStation 1st party stuff. A couple interesting games but for it to be the once a year blowout, it blew hard.

[Christopher]

I mean, this is literally a third-party showcase. Not that I also am unhappy with the lack of Sony first-party showings, but this isn't the time to complain about that.

[Elda]

Sony are not going to show any new AAA first-party content until they are ready. The old PS that used to show us all of their AAA first-party games they were working on & going to release every year is a thing of the past. It's the waiting game now when it comes to PS first-party AAA games.

[Michiel1989]

stop stroking their ps cock, death stranding 2 and wolverine sure looked ready.....

[Eonjay]

I am sick of the idea that we have to have a media blowout every year. Why, so we can hear about games we can't play for 5 or 6 years? I'm so disinterested in that. I love the fact that Concord, Horizon, and Astrobot were all revealed months before release. I lose excitement when I have to wait a decade.

[FullmetalRoyale]

I definitely won't be watching live ever again. Life's too short.

[MrBeatdown]

There's no point anymore. These shows are just clinging to a bygone era when big games were released far more frequently.

[Aussiesummer]

Should have been called Indie retro pixel art forgettable games fest

[Christopher]

You should look again. It's not all great, but there's way more than indie retro pixel art games shown today.

[Si-Fly]

Indie retro pixel art makes me hard bro.

[Babadook7]

I wasn’t too excited to hear this was going to be 2 hours long. I left after the first hour. Anyone have a hidden gem they’d tell me about?

[isarai]

Killer bean

[Babadook7]

That was the straw (bean) that broke the camels back. I left shortly after that. Could be good, but didn't look it to me.

Edit: oh that may have been sarcasm.

[Elda]

The games that were shown that I'll be getting day one are Black Myth, Phantom Zero & The First Descendant which I can't believe is free & releasing next month. Most of the games shown were very meh Indie titles.

[outsider1624]

F$%#king Phantom Zero mannnn...that looked bloody amazing. Just saw the new gameplay and ufff the combat looks fluid...and im not into these souls type game either.

Black Myth another beautiful as well...yup these two are must haves.

[GhostScholar]

In my opinion the indies saved this show. Other than phantom zero the big games took a real back seat to the more artful indies. I for one a totally happy about that.

[CrimsonWing69]

What a snooze fest.

[Terry_B]

Glad I did not watch this and just looked at the trailers /news. Anger Foot will be a day 1 buy for me.

[Walalon]

Devolver video was weird but funny at the same time. It was entertaining compared to summer bore fest

[Terry_B]

Guess so, didnt watch it either ..but Devolvers shows have some humor and are not half as boring as the big shows.

[RiseNShine]

this was terrible, i only wishlisted deer and boy, the rest was boring, to my surprise Guerrilla Collective conference was full of indie but great games, but this was awful, and Devolver conference was the most depressing thing i've seen in a long time, both the theme of the vid and the games, and i just finished watching Tarot movie, it's going to be difficult to get any worse than this.

[Flakegriffin]

If that’s the only one you wishlist then I guess it makes sense why you thought the rest was boring.

Deer & Boy looked pretty boring itself.

[H9]

It was not very good, but we got a bunch of release dates!

[Flakegriffin]

Overall not a bad show. I kept my expectation in check just like Geoff told us to. I didn’t expect huge “world premiers” and was surprised by some announcements like Civilization 7, Power Rangers, Phantom Zero, and a few more. AA studios and indies got a lot of representation which is the backbone of this gaming industry atm. Solid 8/10 for me.

Can’t wait for Gamescom!

[Aphrodia]

The power rangers game looks very good. this beat em up revival is one good thing about modern gaming today.

[QuePasa87]

Phantom Blade, The Thing remaster, The First Descendant

[gold_drake]

should have gone to bed instead of staying awake for it amd then watch it jn the mor ing.

it wasnt bad but there wasnt much good either.

[Huey_My_D_Long]

I pretty much enjoyed it. Got really hyped about the power ranger game but that's because two of em on snes were my favorite games growing up. Definitely put almost 10 games on my watchlist.